Manchester City midfielder Rodwell relieved after overcoming injury torment

Manchester City midfielder Jack Rodwell says that he feared he might never fully recover from the injuries which caused him to miss most of his first season at the club.

The 21-year-old, who joined from Everton in the summer of 2012, has made just seven appearances for the reigning Premier League champions so far, but played over an hour of City's 2-0 win over Chelsea on Sunday.

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And he says he is grateful for the opportunity to finally demonstrate his ability following a frustrating first six months at the Etihad Stadium.

He told reporters: "I got a couple of hamstring injuries and I doubted whether I was just built for it. But I've stayed strong and now I'm back.

"I'm just pleased to be back on the pitch and injury-free. I was in a few good positions [against Chelsea] and probably should have scored a couple, but I was in the right positions.

"I was probably fresh because I haven't played. I've been training really hard and feel stronger than I was before.

"My last start was back in September. I've not really had a lot of opportunities. I've had a lot of injuries. I'm still young, I'm 21, so I'm still maturing body-wise.

"I feel as though the fans have seen a little bit more of me, but there's still a lot more to come in my opinion."