Can Pellegrini Pip Rivals at the Post?

Article by e-Manchester City Correspondent Andy Mills

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Three games left and after the turn around of last weekend destiny is once again in City's hands with comparisons drawn to the events of two years ago when City went to Newcastle. Before evaluating tomorrow's challenge I'd like to put a little perspective on last weekend.

Thus far the tussle for winners bragging rights has been the most compelling for a long, long time and was a genuine four team race until the capitulation of Arsenal at Stamford Bridge.

Of the four combatants, plaudits for free flowing attacking football were first showered on Arsenal, the Autumn leaders, followed by City who were then erroneously touted as potential quadruple winners. Thereafter we had the media love in with Liverpool, fanned by the astonishing number of ex Liverpool players who are supplementing their pension plans with so called pundit activity. The notable exception is Chelsea, who have been cast as the black sheep of the four which is not really fair on a team boasting the flair of Oscar and Hazard.

As a City supporter I always believed the strongest challenge of all would come from Chelsea, it was only after the first half Liverpool performance at the Etihad Stadium that I began to consider Liverpool as genuine contenders. But then I believed the challenge would falter as injuries took their toll on the smallest squad of the four. What happened thereafter was a combination of brilliant blitzkrieg football aligned with a little indulgence from the football wheel of fortune, but the latter has evaporated in the last couple of weeks.

Ironically it is Chelsea, the current outsiders for the title, who have posted the most significant wins in 2014. It started with the win that stopped City's long unbeaten run back in February showing all of Jose Mourinho's tactical nous, and at the same time highlighting a lingering concern about whether Manuel Pellegrini has the tactical acumen to become a serial winner at the highest level.

The second result of the three was to extinguish Arsenals lingering title hopes and then we had the consummate performance of last weekend. Someone said that if your life depended on choosing a a manager to win a game of football, who would not choose Mourinho, I absolutely agree.

So back to Goodison Park, 17:30 on Saturday. For me there is one crucial difference in the comparison back to 2012, it is City are already Premier League winners and have a stronger team. Forget the abysmal record on Merseyside in general and at Goodison in particular, City should win the game and if they don't, the questions about Manuel Pellegrini will resurface.

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