SUCKER PUNCH

Pellegrini insists job is safe after City are floored by sizzling Palace

MANUEL Pellegrini claimed he does not fear the sack after Manchester City’s title hopes suffered a big blow at Crystal Palace last night.

Palace piled the pressure on the Chilean with an outstanding victory after goals from glenn Murray and Jason Puncheon, to leave City in fourth place, nine points behind Barclays Premier League leaders Chelsea, and sweating on qualification for next season’s Champions League.

City, who hit back with a late Sergio Aguero goal, were furious that Murray’s opener was allowed to stand, feeling the goal should have been chalked off for offside, and they surrounded referee Michael Oliver to protest.

The result places further uncertainty on Pellegrini’s future but he insisted he does not fear the axe. ‘Am i concerned for my job? No. i’m never concerned about my job,’ said Pellegrini, who next up face rivals United at Old Trafford on Sunday. ‘i do my work and am very happy. You maybe have

a difficult season, but you never worry about things like this.’ When asked about his players crowding referee Oliver after the first goal from Murray (right), Pellegrini, who felt his side should have been awarded a second-half penalty when Palace striker Murray handled in the box, replied: ‘Because it was a clear offside. In the first minute, there was another clear offside. ‘The mistake the referee can do, but there was also after that a clear penalty, and a lot of things happened in the game.’ Pellegrini added: ‘You ask me the same question every time (about the title race) and I give the same answer: we are not thinking about Chelsea and titles. We go each game and ‘But we managed to see it through. You have to pay credit to these players. There were some real sustained attacks from City, showing tremendous character to keep their heads up at 20 down, got a great goal and I feared it was going to be a draw, but it was our night tonight. ‘Sometimes it is. We had a break with the first goal, which looks offside. But sometimes you deserve them. FA disciplinary chiefs are likely to examine footage of Palace goalscorer Puncheon appearing to be hit by a missile while trying to take a corner in the second half.

REUTERS Hart failure: Puncheon’s strike flies into the City net

try to win. At the end of the season, we will see.’ Palace manager Alan Pardew heaped praise on his side, who virtually guaranteed their top-flight status with victory. ‘It’s a great night for us, fabulous for the club. We have 39 points on the board,...