Outgoing Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini strived to put on a brave face after his team’s chances of UEFA Champions League qualification were compromised by a 2-2 draw with Arsenal.
Sunday’s result at the Etihad Stadium means that City can only finish in the top four if Manchester United drop points in their two final games or if Arsenal lose at home to bottom club Aston Villa next Sunday.
Dropping down to the UEFA Europa League would represent a wretched legacy for Pellegrini, who led City to the Champions League semi-finals for the first time this season, but with United facing a testing trip to West Ham United today, he said it was important not to abandon hope.
Photo: EPA
“We have not finished the season,” Pellegrini said. “Of course, if you don’t depend just on what you can do it is more difficult, but we will see after Tuesday what will happen between Manchester United and West Ham. I think we deserve to be in the Champions League next year because we have had 37 games in the spot of Champions [League], so I hope that we are not going to lose that spot in the last game.”
Pellegrini gives way to Pep Guardiola at the end of the season and his 57th and final home league game was to prove a dispiriting affair.
City led twice, through Sergio Aguero’s eight-minute opener and a classy 51st-minute Kevin de Bruyne strike, only for Arsenal to reply on each occasion through Olivier Giroud’s header and Alexis Sanchez’s crisp finish.
The stadium was half-empty by the time Pellegrini took to the pitch to deliver a short farewell speech.
It was an underwhelming sendoff for an understated man who has brought a Premier League title and two League Cups to the Etihad Stadium, but he refused to blame the supporters who left early.
“I was disappointed not to win the game,” said the 62-year-old Chilean, who succeeded Roberto Mancini in 2013. “Winning the three points was a very good way to say goodbye. I have had three unforgettable years here that I want to analyze in this moment. We can do it next Sunday [at Swansea City], but the best way to finish with our fans is winning this game and we couldn’t do it.”
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger left the stadium in a much happier mood after seeing his side move to the brink of qualifying for the Champions League for the 19th successive season.
Victory over Aston Villa will secure third place and Arsenal could yet pip local rivals Tottenham Hotspur to the runners-up spot behind Leicester City if they beat Villa and Spurs lose at Newcastle United on Sunday.
“It is in our hands now, but we have seen again today we just want to finish the job,” Wenger said. “Look at the results today. That shows you we have to focus and keep the focus. We had a strong concentration in recent games. Our character has been questioned a few times this season and we gave the right response today, that’s on the pitch, but overall, we have the best results against the top-four teams. That doesn’t come without character.”
The only point of concern for Wenger was a knee injury sustained by Danny Welbeck that forced him off midway through the second half.
The former Manchester United forward was due to undergo a scan yesterday and the results will be eagerly awaited by both Wenger and England manager Roy Hodgson, who names his squad for Euro 2016 on Thursday.
“I hope we have not bad news, that it’s not a meniscus [injury],” Wenger said. “He has a little sign of that. Danny’s a strong boy. At halftime, I looked at him and he was very down, so he must have pain. Good news is that he will not be out for the Euro [2016] and bad news would be that he’s out, but I don’t know. I’m an optimist.”
The pressure was already on Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso before their 2-1 defeat to Manchester City on Wednesday in the UEFA Champions League raised further questions about his future. Arsenal remain perfect in this season’s competition and three points clear at the top of the standings after a 3-0 win against Club Brugge, while defending champions Paris Saint-Germain were held 0-0 at Athletic Bilbao. The clash between Madrid and City was the standout game of the round amid reports this week that Alonso had lost control of the locker room. Speculation over his position is likely to intensify after the latest
‘HIGH STANDARD’: The Thunder are on track for a Finals-Cup double after they scored 22 three-pointers in equaling the best 25-game start to a season in NBA history The Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday bagged a 16th straight victory, thrashing the Phoenix Suns 138-89 to romp into an NBA Cup semi-final clash with the San Antonio Spurs, who stunned the Los Angeles Lakers 132-119. NBA Most Valuable Player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 28 points to lead the reigning NBA champions Thunder, who improved to 24-1 to equal the best 25-game start to a season in league history. They dominated from start to finish to book their place in the final four of the in-season tournament in Las Vegas, where they are tomorrow to take on the Spurs. The New York Knicks and
TOP OF THE TABLE: Evann Guessand put the visitors ahead early in the game and Flavius Daniliuc equalized before Youri Tielemans got the winner in the second half Aston Villa on Thursday extended their winning streak to eight games in all competitions with a 2-1 victory against Basel in the UEFA Europa League to secure at least a playoff spot. Villa were tied with Olympique Lyonnais, who beat Go Ahead Eagles 2-1, and Midtjylland, 1-0 winners over Genk, atop the standings of the second-tier European competition on 15 points with five wins from six games. They have bounced back from a poor start to the season and are third in the Premier League, including a 2-1 victory over leaders Arsenal on Saturday. At St Jakob-Park in Basel, summer signing Evann Guessand
Tony Jefferson intercepted a Jalen Hurts pass in overtime to give the Los Angeles Chargers a 22-19 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday in an NFL thriller between playoff contenders. Justin Herbert, playing a week after surgery on his broken left (non-throwing) hand, withstood a career-high seven sacks to throw for 139 yards and a touchdown for the Chargers. Cameron Dicker kicked five field goals, including the 54-yard game winner in overtime. The Chargers defenders forced Hurts to throw four interceptions and surrender a fumble for a career-worst five turnovers as the Eagles fell to 8-5 with a third
RSS