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Pep Guardiola has urged Vincent Kompany to prove he is finally over his injury nightmare.

The Mancheser City captain came on as a late substitute in Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Everton - playing as a makeshift striker.

Now he is in contention to be included for Wednesday’s Champions League tie with Barcelona as Guardiola looks to tighten up his leaky defence.

City have only kept one clean sheet in eight Premier League games this season, with Romelu Lukaku becoming the latest to find a way through.

Kompany played in a league match for the first time when coming on in the 90th minute against Everton, following three weeks out with a groin problem.

Guardiola admits it is vital the Belgian international can maintain his fitness after a catalogue of injuries in recent years.

“I need him,” said the City manager. “We need him.

“Today, it’s tough. Every season is tougher.

“There are more games and more intensity, it is more demanding and there is more pressure on the players.”

Playing against Barcelona could be asking too much of Kompany at this stage, as Guardiola tries to plot a way to stop Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez.

Looking ahead to the game, Guardiola admitted: “Barcelona is amazing. The way they play the three players in the front is a machine.”