Joleon Lescott is hoping to make up for lost time as he looks to leave his injury problems in the past.
City defender sets his sights on regular role
Joleon Lescott is hoping to make up for lost time as he looks to leave his injury problems in the past.
The commanding centre-half is yet to produce his best for Manchester City this term, after completing a big-money move from Everton last summer.
A niggling knee injury has hardly helped his cause, with the England international recently sidelined for 12 games.
He was, however, able to make his first appearance under Roberto Mancini during Tuesday night's 2-0 win over Bolton.
Lescott came through a 35-minute run-out at Eastlands unscathed and has now set his sights on a return to the Blues' starting XI in the not too distant future.
"It is great to be back and good to be part of a clean sheet," he told City's
official website.
"Injuries are always frustrating but after five years pretty much free of serious problems you forget how frustrating it is sitting on the sidelines and watching.
"Funnily enough I had always pencilled in the Bolton game for a return to action, so from that point of view I am bang on track."
Hard work
While keen to become a regular part of Mancini's plans, Lescott accepts that competition for places at the heart of City's defence is fierce.
"While I was injured and Kolo (Toure) was away at the African Cup of Nations, Vincent Kompany and Dedryck Boyata have both come in and done exceptionally well," he added.
"Dedryck may have been a bit of a surprise but he has taken his chance well and is a really promising young player, while everyone knows about Vincent's ability wherever he plays.
"He is a quality centre-half as well as a midfielder and will be hard to shift from the side.
"All I can do is work as hard as I possibly can in training and take my chance when it comes. With so much at stake here and the World Cup coming at the end of the season, I obviously want to be playing regularly."
