Meanwhile Odion Ighalo’s 10th Premier League goal of the season proved decisive as Watford made the most of a breathtaking start at the Stadium of Light to beat Sunderland 1-0.
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“It’s important to keep clean sheet but it’s also important for the team to win this kind of game”.
The Chilean, whose side host the managerless Swans on Saturday, said: “I don’t think the problem of Swansea was the manager”.
The final whistle was blown moments later and a happy Pellegrini was left celebrating a priceless three points.
Winning the European Cup is regarded as the biggest achievement for managers and players alike and City’s billionaire owner Sheikh Mansour considers it the holy grail of football. The Ivorian provided energy and drive throughout and it was his determination that brought about the victor. He rewarded his manager’s faith with a goal against his former club.
Meanwhile, Yaya Toure has been awarded BBC African Footballer of the year 2015.
Joe Hart had a good game for City as he saved a couple of shots and headers from Swansea stars especially the impressive Gylfi Sigurdsson.
“They scored a good goal for them”.
“He showed today what a great player he is”. We have lost managers in the past but this felt much more personal. “We have 100% belief that we can get out of trouble”.
The champions have won the title with less than 80 points on three occasions in Premier League history – Manchester United in 1997 and 1999, either side of Arsenal in 1998 – but Pellegrini believes it is heading that way again this season.
It would be the 19 – year – old’s second goal in the top – flight if the goal is awarded to him, having opened his account for this season against Crystal Palace on September 12.
Everton remain in ninth place after squandering a chance to close on the leading sides in a 1-1 draw at Norwich City, with Romelu Lukaku’s headed opener cancelled out by Wes Hoolahan. Wes Hoolahan equalised for the struggling Canaries.
Manchester City’s showing against Swansea City was not worthy of their dramatic 2-1 win, Manuel Pellegrini conceded.
Bafetimbi Gomis thought he had earned a draw for Swansea when he equalized in the 90th minute with a powerful rising shot that beat Joe Hart at his near post from a hard angle.
Seconds later though, Toure cut inside three defenders and curled a shot which bounced off the back of young Nigerian Iheanacho and looped beyond goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski. But they dug deep and claimed a crucial victory and Pellegrini will be pleased with their resilience. Maybe he plays different games, one better and another not so good, but I think the most important thing is to work every day with important players like David (Silva), Kun (Sergio Aguero) and Yaya (Toure).
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“Swansea played very well and it’s not the way we want to win”.
