MANCHESTER -- Vincent Kompany and Raheem Sterling have returned to fitness as Manchester City prepare for a season-defining run of games in the run-in.
Manuel Pellegrini has revealed that both players are in the squad to face Newcastle United on Tuesday night as City try to secure Champions League football for next season.
Samir Nasri, Bacary Sagna, Gael Clichy and David Silva are all ruled out of the trip to St James' Park with minor injuries but the latter trio are expected to be available for next week's Champions League semifinal first leg with Real Madrid.
Pellegrini is delighted to have Kompany back -- but hailed the performances of Nicolas Otamendi and Eliaquim Mangala in his absence. The pair have helped to keep three clean sheets in the last five games including in the 1-0 victory over Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League quarterfinal.
The City boss told a news conference: "I've said that in a season where we are fighting for important things, it's because we have a good squad.
"Vincent has been injured so the other defenders have done well, but he will be an important help for the defence.
"We'll see [on Sterling], he's coming back from an important injury, we'll see if he can play some minutes."
Kompany has missed six games after picking up a calf injury in the Champions League second leg stalemate with Dynamo Kiev on March 15. It was the fourth time the 30-year-old has suffered the problem this season and he has managed to start just 19 of City's 53 games.
Meanwhile, Sterling has recovered quicker than expected from a groin injury picked up in the defeat to Manchester United on March 20. There had been initial fears that the England midfielder could be ruled out for the season but the 21-year-old is in contention for the Newcastle game.
Pellegrini also revealed that Nasri, who missed more than six months of the season with a tendon injury, was taken off in Saturday's 3-0 victory over Chelsea because of a "small muscle injury."
The Chilean said: "He played 90 minutes at the weekend and then another 75, maybe it was too much. He was feeling well, it's a small muscle injury, it's not too important, we'll see how many days."