Pellegrini job safe despite poor form
Manuel Pellegrini still retains the backing of Manchester City and his job is not under threat despite their poor start to the season, sources have told ESPN.
The Premier League champions have suffered setbacks in all three competitions, prompting suggestions Pellegrini was in danger of the sack. But the club remain very much behind the Chilean.
City, who are eight points behind league leaders Chelsea, were knocked out of the League Cup by Newcastle and have only won one of their last six games in all competitions.
They also prop up their Champions League group after only taking two points from their first four games in Europe – following a disappointing 2-1 defeat to CSKA Moscow – and Pellegrini admitted on Friday it would be “a step back” for the club if they were to fail to reach the last-16 of the competition.
Pellegrini’s predecessor Roberto Mancini was sacked in 2013 after a season when City failed to defend their Premier League title and came fourth in their Champions League group. But there is a belief at the Etihad Stadium that Pellegrini was not given the credit he deserved for his achievements last season.
Pellegrini won the title in his first year in England and also lifted the League Cup. In addition, he secured 15 points in the Champions League group stage as City qualified for the knockout stages for the first time.
Former City midfielder Joey Barton, who was part of the QPR side that drew 2-2 with them on Saturday, suggested Pellegrini could win the league and still lose his job.
“You are always only four or five results away from pressure,” Barton said. “He won the league last year, but a couple of abject results and performances in Europe and all of a sudden he is under the cosh. This is the madness of the Premier League.
“That’s what you live with, that expectation, with the money that is invested in the club. It sounds crazy to say this out loud, but winning the league is almost not good enough. You have to show progress in the Champions League and all competitions.
“They have the squad to compete on all fronts and are one of Europe’s super clubs with the spending ability they have so that’s how they are going to judge themselves. They are not going to judge themselves against the likes of little old us. It’s going to be against the likes of Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid. Everyone is aware they are struggling, but they are not out of it yet.”
This article originally appeared on ESPNFC.com
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