Premier League: Pellegrini demands City focus

Liverpool’s implosion at Crystal Palace on Monday night conjured up images of Manuel Pellegrini in front of a TV with a cigar in one hand and a glass of the finest Chilean red in the other.

Except, it turns out, the understated City boss didn’t even watch it. So much for getting caught up in the end-of-season drama.

The truth is, of course, that Pellegrini’s well-worn features and 1980s-style quaffed buffon — not unlike ‘Face’ from the A-Team —always suggests more of a maverick streak than there really is.

Far from celebrating, Pellegrini is refusing to get sucked in by Luis Suarez’s tears of disappointment.

The title still needs to be won in the manager’s eyes.

“[Liverpool] is just one result and it is very difficult to win games in the Premier League. You cannot be sure you are winning until the end. Crystal Palace are a good team in a good moment,” he said before tonight’s crucial game at home to Aston Villa.

“That’s why, after our defeat at Liverpool, I said we must continue because other teams will drop points. That has happened.

“We have to win the game against Aston Villa; then at the end of the week, we will see which team has more points. We will prepare exactly the same as we have done in all the games during the year. The next game is always the most important.

“It is a difficult game because all the teams are under pressure. A lot of people said Everton were not going to win because they didn’t want Liverpool to win the title but we had a very tough game against them.”

Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers conceded the title to City in the immediate aftermath of his side’s 3-3 draw at Palace, where they surrendered a 3-0 lead.

“I think we needed to win tonight to keep the pressure on,” he said.

“Manchester City, they have got two home games now, two tough games, but we needed to win it. I think Manchester City will go on and win their two games and they will be champions.”

The Reds can perhaps cling to a small crumb of hope in Villa, whose manager Paul Lambert insists will be at the Etihad Stadium tonight to compete. “We’re not going there just to make up the numbers, we’re going there to try to win,” he said.

“You have to run a lot and run without the ball. We’re going to have to work really hard without the ball but you also know you’ve got to try to win the game and that’s what we’re going to try and do.”

Villa will be boosted by the news that Sergio Aguero is injured and has not made the City squad. 

Premier League standings