Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini has said that he is hopeful Fabian Delph will be warmly received when he returns to former club Aston Villa this weekend for the first time since his departure.

The 25-year-old made a dramatic U-turn in the summer by signing for City just weeks after insisting that he was dedicated to the Midlands club.

Ahead of Sunday's match at Villa Park, when asked by reporters if Delph will get a difficult welcome, Pellegrini said: "No, I hope he will not receive that. He played a lot of years for Aston Villa and Aston Villa wanted to sell him also.

"He continued being a player that gave a lot of his career to Aston Villa and I don't think the fans will forget all those things."

Delph spent six years at Villa.