Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany has paid tribute to the ability of Everton forward and former Manchester United rival Wayne Rooney, with the two set to clash once again in Monday's clash at the Etihad Stadium.
Testimony to Wayne's talents
Rooney is settling in back to his new, but very familiar surroundings after making his return to Goodison Park this summer after 13 years with The Red Devils, but the 31-year-old will very comfortable in the surroundings of Manchester City considering his record in recent years.
The Liverpudlian is the record top scorer in the history of the Manchester derby with 11 goals, and a clash with City arguably brought the best goal in Rooney's career with his overhead kick in 2011.
Rooney is expected to start against Pep Guardiola's men on Monday night, and Kompany remenicised about that goal and paid tribute to the talents of the veteran England striker.
"Top strikers do things at unbelievable times and that goal was a testimony to Wayne’s talent,” Kompany told The Guardian remenicising about that goal in 2011. “I couldn’t believe it anyway because in that game I absolutely had him in my pocket."
"I played a really strong game," the skipper admitted. "And then he pulls the overhead kick and I’m thinking: ‘Oh, come on ...’ but I have a lot of respect for Wayne.
"He’s got the ability to recognise when he needs to get in the box," the Belgian stated. “Even that goal he scored against Stoke last week, I don’t think many other players would have done it."
Hoping they can all make a difference
Like The Toffees it has also been a very busy summer transfer window for The Citizens, with Guardiola spending in excess of £200million to prepare his side for a title charge to eradicate the disappointment of his debut season at Eastlands.
The likes of Ederson, Bernardo Silva, Kyle Walker and Danilo have already been embedded well into the side with Benjamin Mendy still to be brought in, they proved effective in the opening 2-0 victory over Brighton & Hove Albion and midfielder Fernandinho stated that the additions can "make the difference" for City.
"We have been together for one month already,” he told mancity.com on City's new faces. "There are many players that have been here with Pep Guardiola from last season, we already know the way he likes to play.
“The new players that have joined the squad are learning," the Brazilian stated. "And they are intelligent players who get it very quickly. That's not a problem."