Manuel Pellegrini's team are still very much fighting on all three fronts, but there is no denying that they are a lot more fragile without their captain in the starting line-up

It does not require a forensic analysis to realise that Manchester City are a considerably better proposition with Vincent Kompany in their ranks. But the numbers are still striking.Firstly, though, it must be pointed out that City are top of the Premier League, have qualified for the last 16 of the Champions League and are through to the League Cup semi-finals, so they're not doing too badly on the whole.But without Kompany in the starting XI, the defence has often looked fragile and porous. There have been two 4-1 hammerings, against Tottenham and Liverpool, and the team has not kept a single clean sheet without him.Nicolas Otamendi is rapidly impressing the City fans - particularly with his combative display against Hull City in midweek - and Eliaquim Mangala has had a better season than his performance against Liverpool suggested to many, but both look so much better with Kompany at their side, rather than next to each other.In the Premier League, Kompany has played. With him they have conceded just(and that was when Joe Hart essentially threw the ball into his own net against Norwich City). That's anagainst per game.City have playedwithout Kompany and have conceded a whopping. Theper match without the skipper.The Blues had won their first five league games of the season without conceding. In their first match without him they lost to West Ham at home, and the week after were hammered by Spurs. When he came back into the line-up they produced their best defensive performance of the season - the goalless draw against Manchester United at Old Trafford - and Otamendi was awarded man of the match.It is a similar story in all competitions.have been scored without Kompany on the pitch - 1185 minutes in total, including the last 15 of the home clash with Juventus in the Champions League. That'sWith him on the pitch - the first 75 minutes against Juventus, the full game away to Sevilla and eight full league matches - they have conceded just three goals. That's, orIn terms ofwithout the Belgian (including Sevilla at home, when he came on for the final minute). With him, it'sKompany will miss Saturday's game against Stoke City at the Britannia Stadium, where Manuel Pellegrini's side won for the first time only last season. Before that, there had been five consecutive draws (four 1-1s, one 0-0), sandwiched by a 1-0 Stoke victory in their very first season in the Premier League.A visit to the Potteries has proven to be a tricky assignment. The stats show that if City are to take home all three points and remain at the top of the table, they will need their forwards to be on top form - because a clean sheet is very unlikely.