Manuel Pellegrini believes a record low points total will be enough to crown Manchester City Premier League champions.
Advertisement
“Yaya had an important kick on his heel – that’s why he couldn’t play on Wednesday but he’s okay now, no problem”, said Pellegrini, who will still be without Fabian Delph, Samir Nasri and Kevin De Bruyne.
It raises the prospect of Pellegrini’s successor, Pep Gaurdiola, taking over a club in the Europa League next season – unless City complete the daunting task of wining the Champions League this season.
“We are now coming into games against teams at the top of the table at the end of the season, which is not a good thing because points are crucial for them as well as us”, Garde said.
Steve Bower: “Whilst the Capital One Cup is back in the cabinet and the Champions League is looking encouraging, there’s no hiding from Manchester City’s domestic league frustrations”.
Rudy Gestede is pushing for a recall after scoring as a substitute in Tuesday’s defeat by Everton.
‘I said before the end of the first round that maybe the victor would have less than 80 points. I’m just thinking about the next game, and when we finish the season we’ll see what happens’.
City have been bedevilled by inconsistency this season and have not won back-to-back games in the Premier League since mid-October when they beat Newcastle and Bournemouth either side of the worldwide break.
The Chilean said: “We are not going to give up”.
“We have just had a bad moment in the league but we have another 33 points to try to reach it”.
Pellegrini’s side have a game in hand but his prediction means that City need 28 points from their last 11 matches and can only afford one more defeat.
City are now fourth in league standings and are 10 points adrift of surprise leaders Leicester City.
Sergio Agüero has managed four goals in his last three league matches against Aston Villa, but he has only scored once in eight Premier League appearances in the month of March.
Opposition to Villa’s ownership and form has escalated in recent weeks after three successive defeats and OUTTHEDOOR74, the movement behind the walk-out, have warned owner Randy Lerner that until he has removed himself from the club, the protests will continue.
“Maybe we are not the same this year as other seasons, but I think all the teams have the same characteristics”.
Advertisement
Micah Richards could make his 200th Premier League appearance; 179 of those were for Manchester City.
