He said: "I get on really well with Mark, we've never had a bust up with any player at this club, and that's the truth. He just hasn't been fit. He's come back from one thing and then got another thing and they've all been genuine. All the other stuff you've seen is absolute garbage.

"He's my kind of player. He's got this fantastic ability to score goals in tight situations and to score goals at important times. That's what wins you football matches.

"You saw Fernando Torres the other night score a goal [against Internazionale] when a lot of players would have taken another touch and Mark comes into that category. He doesn't need a lot of space, he can do the unexpected. It's a massive bonus having him back for the last 10 games. At the moment, it looks as though he'll definitely be involved against Birmingham on Monday."