Perilgrini
City boss Pellegrini on the brink after defeat to Palace
Manuel Pellegrini’s job is hanging by a thread after Manchester City’s Premier League title bid was KO’d at Selhurst Park. Crystal Palace fans sang: “You’re getting sacked in the morning” as City suffered a fourth successive away defeat with a 2-1 loss. The champions are now nine points behind leaders Chelsea. And they face a battle to even land a Champions League spot having dropped to fourth. But Pellegrini insisted he did not fear the sack. He said: “No. I am never concerned about my job. You maybe have a difficult season, but you never worry about things like this.”
LONDON: Manuel Pellegrini’s job is hanging by a thread after Manchester City’s English Premier League title bid was KO’d at Selhurst Park.
Crystal Palace fans sang: “You’re getting sacked in the morning” as his side suffered a fourth successive away defeat with a 2-1 loss on Monday.
And City could also be in trouble as Palace scorer Jason Puncheon was pelted with missiles.
The champions are now nine points behind leaders Chelsea.
And face a battle to even land a Champions League spot having dropped to fourth.
The heat is on Pellegrini after just five league wins in 2015. But the City boss insisted he did not fear the sack.
He said: “No. I am never concerned about my job. You maybe have a difficult season, but you never worry about things like this.”
However, the Chilean says his immediate concern is Sunday’s derby clash with Manchester United at Old Trafford, and not their prospects of overhauling Chelsea.
“We are not thinking about Chelsea and titles. We go each game and try to win. At the end of the season, we will see,” said Pellegrini.
“Every point you drop makes it more difficult, but it’s the same answer. We are not thinking about the title ... Just about the next game at Old Trafford.
“In different moments in football, you can win or lose. I hope we continue playing like we did today and we are more lucky,” added Pellegrini.
“It’s difficult to understand the result. We played a very good game from beginning to end, had a lot of chances to score.
“Crystal Palace scored the first goal which was clearly offside, and then a beautiful free-kick.
“It’s difficult to understand, but football happens like this.”
Puncheon hit Palace’s second from a 48th-minute free-kick. But he was later hit by an object – reportedly a plastic carton of sweets – from the City end.
It was handed to referee Michael Oliver by stewards and the English Football Association (FA) could launch a probe.
But Palace boss Alan Pardew insisted: “Punch hasn’t said anything or complained to me.”
No. I am never concerned about my job. You maybe have a difficult season, but you never worry about things like this.
— Manuel Pellegrini