Stevan Jovetic says his resurgence as a world-class striker is gratitude to Manchester City for believing in him after a year to forget.
Despite the club becoming English champions for the second time in three seasons, the £22 million (Dh133.6m) striker often cut a frustrated and forlorn figure on the sidelines as injuries and illness meant he started just two games in City’s Premier League campaign.
It left Jovetic’s Etihad Stadium future in doubt, sparking summer interest from Italian champions Juventus, Roma and Inter Milan.
“It is most important when the staff, the coach and the chairman are satisfied with you,” said Jovetic.
“When they believe in you, it is very important, and my way of saying thank you is to play well.
“Last year was very, very difficult. I did so many tests, with so many doctors, and discovered what the problem was. Now I feel good, and am working well.
“The doctor told me it wasn’t a big problem, just that my hamstrings were not so strong, so now I am working on it in the gym.
“But that is past and I don’t even think about that. I just concentrate on the future, and the next game, and hope I can continue like this.
“Of course I am happy for my goals and hope I can continue like this. The second goal was perfection. I played it with [David] Silva, then with Samir [Nasri] and continued, before finishing with my left foot, which is nice.”
It was also nice for Jovetic to score against the Reds again, having claimed a double against them in 2009 in the Champions League when playing for old club Fiorentina, and then in this summer’s US pre-season tournament.
“It seems like I enjoy playing them,” he added. “I don’t know why it is, but I hope it continues at Anfield. It is more difficult to score in the big games, so that makes me happy. We have a really, really good team, and I am enjoying playing with such good players.
“It’s too early to speak about titles or the Champions League, but for sure we are going to attack all of those.”
Boss Pellegrini was heartened by Jovetic’s effort and Sergio Aguero’s second goal in successive games as a substitute, just 23 seconds after replacing the injured Edin Dzeko.
“I am glad for Stevan because he had a very difficult year, but I have always trusted him,” said the Chilean. “A lot of teams wanted him this year, but we have always said no, he must stay here with our squad.
"Kun is an important player. He is not starting because he is still doing his pre-season.”
