Pellegrini defends City campaign
Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini has insisted his side's faltering season is not a disaster.
Pellegrini also claims he is still enjoying life at the Etihad Stadium even though he has been heavily criticised in recent weeks and pressure is mounting.
City's midweek Champions League exit to Barcelona, coming soon after Burnley appeared to deal a fatal blow to their Barclays Premier League title bid, has brought much scrutiny of their overall campaign.
Many believe Pellegrini now to be fighting for his position but the Chilean feels, given the toughness of the competition, his side are still in reasonable shape.
He said: "Everyone can say what they want to say or what they think will happen. The most important thing for me is to work in the same way we are doing because I think we are doing well.
"I think it was a very good year last year to win both titles.
"Maybe other people don't think how difficult it can be to do it because in England we have very strong teams in every year. It is not easy to win a double.
"This year all of us want to win the title every year. I don't think it is possible to do it (every year) but I think it is possible to fight to the end."
Pellegrini's side have won just three of their last 12 games in all competitions, going out of the FA Cup as well as falling six points behind Chelsea - having played a game more - in the Premier League.
Pellegrini is frustrated by his side's recent difficulties but it has not dimmed his or the club's ambition.
He said: "To try to win the Champions League is a target in the future. Every team that wants to be a big team must win the Champions League, but it is not easy to win it.
"It is very important to live in the domestic game. You must see your domestic games and try always to be involved for the title every year.
"Second position in a whole year I don't think is a disaster. We are not in eighth, ninth or 10th. Only Chelsea have done better than our team.
"We will try at least to keep second position and pressure Chelsea in the next nine games."
City will look to bounce back as they host West Brom on Saturday. With Chelsea not playing until Sunday, they can at least temporarily cut the deficit at the top.
But they will have to do so without key midfielder Yaya Toure, who suffered an Achilles injury during his disappointing outing at the Nou Camp.
Fellow midfielder James Milner is also set to miss out with the same knee problem that affected him against Burnley last weekend and Aleksandar Kolarov also has a muscle injury.
Midfielder Chris Brunt is banned for West Brom after accepting a Football Association charge for verbally abusing a match official.
Claudio Yacob is also suspended as he serves the final game of a ban following his red card in the FA Cup defeat at Aston Villa.
Ben Foster is out for at least a month with a knee injury suffered in the 1-0 win against Stoke last week, Brown Ideye and Saido Berahino continue to carry knocks but Victor Anichebe could return from a groin injury.
Boss Tony Pulis believes City are still a force to be reckoned with despite their poor form.
"Manchester City have had a little bit of a poor time of it over the last couple of weeks but they have still got some fantastic players," he said. "On their day, which they have proven many times, they are better than most. City are one of the best two teams in the Premier League. They have still got the squad in place to win their last nine games.
"Every game we play is important and we still need to get over the line, we still need at least two wins.
"I still want that 40 points, two wins and a draw from those nine games, but they are tough games. Everyone knew when I came in that it would be a tough back end of the season and that starts tomorrow at Manchester City."
Source: PA
