Vincent Kompany is ready to return to bolster Manchester City's title challenge.

The influential City captain has been sorely missed throughout his prolonged periods on the sidelines with recurring calf injuries this season.

The 29-year-old has played just nine minutes in City's last 20 games in all competitions - an abortive comeback against Sunderland on Boxing Day.

He has now been declared fit for Sunday's crunch English Premier League clash against title rivals Tottenham at the Etihad Stadium, a match City can ill afford to lose after slipping to fourth in the table.

SOUNDBITE (English): Manuel Pellegrini, Manchester City manager:

"Well exactly as I said last week - it is not a decisive game (against Tottenham Hotspur), but it is a very important game. Of course after that you have to play (for) another 36 points, but for our team it is very important to try to return as soon as we can to the top of the table and to try to discount points to at least two of the three teams that are in front of us at this moment. So for our team it is very, very important."

SOUNDBITE (English): Manuel Pellegrini, Manchester City manager:

(are you confident you are able to close that gap at the top of the table to leaders Leicester?)

"Yes of course. We are always thinking that we can do it. After that, you must demonstrate during the game why you can do it. Maybe it was the unexpected defeat against Leicester, knowing that we played against a very good team. The last 11 games we just lost one against Everton, but it was the first leg of the Capital One (League Cup). So we were in a good moment, but we played a bad team."

SOUNDBITE (English): Manuel Pellegrini, Manchester City manager:

"I think that not only Tottenham - I think there are five or six teams that can continue fighting for the title. They are all very good. They (Tottenham) are a very good team, good players, good manager. And they are involved - this is game number 25 - they are involved in the fight for the title. So probably the last 13 games, they will do it also."

SOUNDBITE (English): Manuel Pellegrini, Manchester City manager:

(Will you risk captain Vincent Kompany in the game against Tottenham - even if he is not 100 per cent?)

"No, I think that every player that will play the game must be 100 per cent to play. I think that Vincent has been working the last three weeks without any problems. He played 45 minutes in a friendly with the under-21s, so I think that he is ready now to play."