I'll be back. We're not sure Vinny Kompany actually said that - it might have been some other heroic colossus - but the captain will be a sight for sore eyes at Everton.

His inspirational presence, badly missed at the heart of defence, has been duly noted during a difficult month, as stand-in skipper Micah Richards tells the Mail's John Edwards.

He writes: "Richards reflected on the downside of his brief tenure as City skipper and admitted he will be glad to hand the armband back to Vincent Kompany.

"Versatile defender Richards stepped into the breach while Kompany served a four-match ban and rounded off his stint at Anfield on Wednesday night, as City were denied a Carling Cup final place by a late aggregate-winning goal from Liverpool striker Craig Bellamy.

"It was the one regret that took some of the shine off leading out the Barclays Premier League leaders, and he welcomed the imminent return of commanding centre-back Kompany, at Everton on Tuesday."

Buster quotes Micah: "It was an honour being captain, and I am just gutted that I couldn’t lead us to a final.

But I am happy Vinny is coming back, so that normal service can be resumed

Over at the Yorkshire Post - yes, they're avid watchers even in Leeds, Leeds, Leeds - the headline is a sage "Kompany’s return will help City get back on an even keel".

They report that "City defender Richards expects the team to 'keep strong' amid their latest difficulties. City have a three-point lead at the top but have endured a damaging month".

They quote Micah: “Obviously Mario is suspended but we have got a boost now with Vinny coming back. We will keep strong and look forward to Everton. We will go there and try to get a win.”

David Moyes will be doing his best to prevent that, of course. Everton's boss knows there would be no better response to restless Goodison fans than victory on Tuesday night.

He tells goal.com: "It's nothing to do with the board of directors, it's nothing to do with the chairman, it's to do with me and the team - we've got to play better on the pitch. Winning football games is always the answer."

Yahoo's Brooks Peck - crazy name, crazy guy - welcomes the skipper back with his own cheeky commentary on the Vincent video funny posted by the citytv team on our Youtube channel.

He writes: "Is there any doubt that is Mario Balotelli's bag that Vincent Kompany trips over while running backwards? Anyway, this is how the doomsday device that leads us to the apocalypse foretold by the Mayans was triggered."

It helps if you watch the clip, but that last bit is just plain weird, Brooks ...