Patient Lescott awaits his chance
England defender Joleon Lescott is prepared to bide his time after losing his spot in the Manchester City side.
Lescott has fallen behind impressive youngster Matija Nastasic in the pecking order at the Etihad Stadium after a recent spell on the sidelines.
Lescott was troubled by a back injury earlier this month but has been available for the last four games and unable to reclaim his place.
Nastasic, 19, has now started eight games in succession in all competitions and Lescott has not even made the champions' bench for the last two Barclays Premier League matches.
Lescott told the club's website, www.mcfc.co.uk: "I've been fit for a couple of weeks now and while it was disappointing to be left out of the squads at Chelsea and Wigan, the manager has to pick a team and bench that he thinks can do a job on the day and I respect that.
"It is tough being out of the team and frustrating because it's natural to want to play every game, but if anyone comes in and does well, why would you change things?
"I'll just do my job, train hard and wait for my chance to get back in the team.
"In the meantime, I'll be rooting for the lads the same as if I was out on the pitch.
"When I next get my chance, it's up to me show the manager what I can do and make it hard for him to leave me out - that's the same for any player at this club because there is competition for places in every department."
The situation means the 30-year-old is unlikely to feature as his former club Everton visit Eastlands this weekend.
City paid the Toffees #22million for Lescott in a controversial transfer three years ago.
Lescott said: "I always look forward to playing Everton, but it's never less than a tough game for us as well so I've mixed feelings, I suppose.
"I'd like to think I had a good relationship with the supporters when I was at Goodison Park so it's a shame that didn't continue after I'd left, but it happens in football and it's understandable that they were upset when I left.
"I think the fact we've won the Premier League and FA Cup since I came to City has proved my decision to have been a good one and it's one I don't regret, but I enjoyed my time at Everton and have a lot of good memories of playing for the club."
Everton manager David Moyes is confident his team can level the playing field against City despite the huge contrast between the two clubs.
City, since the takeover by Abu Dhabi-based billionaire Sheikh Mansour, have spent #500million on players in just over five years, won the title, the FA Cup and have played in the Champions League.
The Toffees, who have not won a trophy since 1995, are still struggling to find someone to invest in them after a number of years searching and have traditionally had to make one big sale every season to balance the books.
Despite that they are enjoying their best start to a campaign for some time although they have recently dropped out of the top four.
"It (the match) is maybe the ones who have and the ones who have not possibly but when we cross the white line on Saturday no-one is thinking what they've got and what we've not got," said Moyes.
"At the end of the day it is 11 versus 11 and if we can continue the record of making it hard for them and upsetting them then we will."
Moyes' recent record against City is good, particularly, at the Etihad Stadium where last year's defeat came after victories in four successive seasons.
Mancini's side are undefeated in 36 Premier League home matches, dating back almost two years to December 2010, but that does not concern Moyes.
"We didn't have a good record there against them last year because we lost but we played well and did a job on them," said the Toffees boss.
"They were very good at that time and we did a man-marking job on David Silva and I think we got to about 68 minutes before we conceded.
"You have to think where Everton were last season compared to now."
Everton will most likely be without Leighton Baines, who injured a hamstring in the midweek draw with Arsenal, and that leaves a huge hole not only at full-back but down the entire left flank.
Moyes could play Bryan Oviedo, whom he brought in during the summer, there or take the more pragmatic approach and shift centre-back Sylvain Distin.
Source: PA
Source: PA