Manuel Pellegrini is hopeful Vincent Kompany's chronic calf condition is not career threatening, although the Manchester City manager cannot rule out the defender having to manage the problem until he retires.

Kompany sustained a 13th separate calf injury since joining City in August 2008 when he limped off against Sunderland on St Stephen’s Day. The club captain had been on the field nine minutes as a second-half replacement, having just returned from a previous strain to the muscle that occurred during the goalless draw at Aston Villa in November.

The 29-year-old may be ruled out until the latter part of this month and there is concern regarding the long-term effect on Kompany’s ability to feature regularly.

Asked if the Belgian’s career might be in the balance, Pellegrini said: “We hope not. We hope that this must be a moment of his career. I think that he is a very professional player. He and the club and are going to do all we can to try to help him.”

Career prospects

The Chilean could not rule out Kompany having to nurse the injury for the remainder of his career. “It’s difficult for me to answer these questions because I am not a doctor,” he said. “A lot of players at some moments of their career have a bad season for different injuries. I hope this is the part of the season for Kompany and the second part he will be fit.”

At the halfway point of the season City are third with 36 points, three behind Leicester – with whom they drew on Tuesday – and the leaders, Arsenal. Pellegrini feels his side can win the title should Kompany be absent for the majority of the second half of this season.

“We are going to win the title if we don’t depend on just one player,” he said. “It doesn’t matter who it is. You don’t want to depend on just one player because you have a good squad. More important than just one name is to have a performance as a team, which we had against Leicester.

“If we add those important individual performances I am sure we are going to be involved in the fight for the title.”

City travel to Watford for today’s late kick-off without an away league win since September 12th – 1-0 at Crystal Palace – and collecting only three points from six subsequent matches on the road.

“I don’t think it’s psychological. Against Tottenham we played very well in the first half,” he said of the 4-1 defeat. “We conceded two goals which were offside but it wasn’t a bad performance, although the result wasn’t what we wanted. Against Stoke [a 2-0 defeat] we played very bad.”

Strong at home

Pellegrini does believe that City’s away form will have to improve. “We cannot continue not winning away but in the other sense we are the strongest team at home.”

Sergio Aguero may play for 90 minutes against Watford, having returned from a heel injury but not completing his subsequent two appearances, against Arsenal and Leicester. "I hope he scores two or three goals," Pellegrini said. Guardian service