Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini has insisted that he trusts Stevan Jovetic over his injury problems and hopes that the forward can prove his fitness in the second half of the season.

The Montenegro international, who joined City from Fiorentina in the summer, has been restricted to just five appearances because of a series of injuries.

"It is very difficult to know with Jovetic," The Mirror quotes Pellegrini as saying. "But I believe what the player says and if he says he has a muscle problem I'm absolutely sure he has a muscle problem.

"We hope it was bad luck for the first part of the season and we can use him in the second half of the season because he is a very important player. It's impossible for the players to be 100 per cent for every game, but there are different degrees of injuries.

"I am optimistic. At the end of the season, maybe I [will] change my opinion. But at the moment, I continue trusting him."

Jovetic has scored two goals in his five appearances this season.