Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola was delighted for Vincent Kompany after his goal in victory at Southampton.

Kompany marked his latest return to the City rearguard in what has been an injury-plagued season by heading a 55th-minute opener.

Guardiola enthused: “Vincent is top quality. Anyone can discuss his quality.

“The problem has been his injuries but finally he is back and can stay fit for us. That is what we want – not just for Vincent – but all our players.

“I feel sorry for Manuel Pellegrini because he could not use Kompany last season.

“He is a real central defender in his passing but he is more than just a centre defender – he has a great passion, vision and he is dangerous in set-pieces.

“It was a set-piece that opened the game [against Southampton]. Vincent is very dangerous.

“He wins duels, finds the space to play the ball through and hopefully, he can stay fit for us for the remainder of the season.

“The problem is the past two or three years where he has missed a lot of football.

“We would have been stronger this season if he remained fit as well as Gabriel Jesus and Ilkay Gundogan."