Manuel Pellegrini: City's season not a failure

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 job but the Chilean feels, given the toughness of the competition, his side are still in reasonable shape.

"Everyone can say what they want to say or what they think will happen," he said. "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 [Premier League and League Cup].

"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.

Roberto Mancini was sacked two years ago just 12 months after winning the title and Pellegrini's future cannot therefore be certain, but he is still happy at the club.

Asked if he enjoys it at City, Pellegrini said: "Of course. Every day I enjoy it. If you cannot enjoy playing Champions League against Barcelona, fighting for the title in the Premier League, being with this team, being in the best league in the world, if you don't enjoy it, you must see a doctor."

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.

Pellegrini hopes his team can lift some of the gloom that has descended on Eastlands by making a strong start against the Baggies.

Pellegrini said: "Of course it is not the best moment to play because we don't have 72 hours to recover. We are going to refresh the whole team mentally because, physically, we don't have enough time to prepare this game.

"It is very important to have a big game and score at the beginning."

Earlier this week Pellegrini described Liverpool's Raheem Sterling as a £100million player and has since been linked with a move for him.

Pellegrini played down that speculation and did not wish to discuss possible summer transfers.

He said: "The other day I said a name and an amount of money, not that we want him or that we are going to pay that amount of money.

"It is more important to focus on the present. Players that can come and go - I don't think it is the moment to talk about that."

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