Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany admits Manchester United "hit the jackpot" with Robin van Persie's signing. Short of goals at times, envious glances have been cast across town to where Robin van Persie - a summer target for City - has scored 22 times.

"United hit the jackpot with Van Persie," Kompany told the Daily Mail. "But you can't think 'What if' about Van Persie. I am not sitting here thinking, 'What if we had signed Lionel Messi' either.

"His transfer has made a direct impact but to say he's the reason we can't make it - if it turns out that way - is not correct. I still believe we can do this but if we don't, there will be plenty more reasons than the fact we didn't sign one player and another club did."