Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini insists Eliaquim Mangala can fill the void left by injured skipper Vincent Kompany.
Mangala helped City keep clean sheets in in three successive wins against Everton, Roma and Leicester and Pellegrini believes he will continue to justify his huge fee over the coming weeks and months.
"Of course we have a lot of trust in Mangala," said Pellegrini. "That's why we bought him.
"Maybe he has made some mistakes in the Premier League and maybe he has taken time to settle here.
"But we continue to trust in him because I am sure he is a very good player, he is a very young player, and he will be a very important centre-back for our team.
"I don't think Mangala needs Kompany to be injured to have his chances. He started the season late but has played a lot of games already, playing well in some and not so well in others. But I am very happy with him and I am sure he will be an important player for this club."