Manuel Pellegrini gushes over Kelechi Iheanacho after League Cup heroics

Manuel Pellegrini has hailed Manchester City striker Kelechi Iheanacho for his heroics in Wednesday's 5-1 demolition of Crystal Palace, but warned that he is not the finished article.

The 19-year-old marked his first senior start for the club in style by scoring one and setting up two as the Citizens impressed at Eastlands to reach the quarter-finals of the League Cup.

"It was very important for Kelechi to demonstrate once again that he's a very good player," he told the club's official website. "He's not just a striker – he provided two assists - I'm very happy for him. He has things to improve but he's working in the correct way.

"I had no doubt in him – I see how he works every day and his personality is important and it's important for him to play with important players.

"Kelechi is not a box striker, he's not just a finisher - he must improve his control as he needs to do it better but he always plays with his head up as he showed creating the goal for Kevin."

Goals from Wilfried Bony and Kevin De Bruyne helped Pellegrini's side into a 2-0 half-time lead, before Iheanacho added a third on 59 minutes. Yaya Toure and Manu Garcia added gloss to the scoreline, either side of Damien Delaney's consolation.

The Sky Blues will face Hull City at home in the last-eight stage.