Pellegrini was keen to capitalise on the 7-0 thrashing of Sheffield Wednesday in the Capital One Cup earlier this week with another emphatic victory

Dashing has acquired licensing rights to use the club crest and player imagery in national TV marketing and social media campaigns as the club sniff dominance in Asia

City face Sheffield Wednesday at the Etihad Stadium with Sergio Aguero, David Silva and Samir Nasri all ruled out through injury as well as Stevan Jovetic, Fernando and Pablo Zabaleta

Book joined the Citizens in 1966 after moving from Plymouth Argyle and duly became their most decorated captain – taking them to a First Division title, FA Cup, League Cup and European Cup Winners’ Cup.

It’s round two for last year’s Premier League champions Manchester City as they prepare to take on the Gunners this September.

Man Utd and Chelsea are the only two of the five Premier League winners to defend the competition since it started in 1992, while City’s second-placed finish in 2012/13 was considered a “disaster” by Pellegrini when speaking to the BBC yesterday.

City will be hoping for a similar emphatic result on Sunday to spur them on for a second successive title and overcome the Community Shield disappointment.

The ex-Chelsea midfielder joined the Sky Blues on loan from New York City FC last week after signing with the MLS outfit on a free transfer in July.

The South American pair, along with Sergio Aguero, lost out on glory in Brazil when Mario Gotze fired in an extra-time winner to break Argentine hearts in the Maracana and back home.

The World Cup in Brazil has been one of the greatest in living memory but strangely absent from the limelight have been a vast array of under performing Premier League stars.

Manchester City’s cousins from Down Under – after Melbourne Heart were rebranded last month – are holding a 17-day training camp in the UK before returning to Australia for their FFA Cup clash against Sydney FC.