Pellegrini says Manchester City should not fear Everton

Manuel Pellegrini has said Manchester City should not be scared of Everton in a match that may prove pivotal in their bid to claim the Premier League title.

City travel to Goodison Park for today’s late kick-off knowing victories in the last three games will secure a second title in three seasons, unless Liverpool also manage maximum points and overturn an inferior goal difference of eight.

Since the 1993-94 campaign City have managed one win at Everton. This season, Martinez has taken his team to within four points of a Champions League position by transforming them into a fast, attacking force, with full backs Leighton Baines and Séamus Coleman often a focal point.

Speed
Yet asked if this speed frightens him, Pellegrini said: "Everton has a lot of different things. We must not fear about that but we must think which is the best way to counter the way they play. More important is to win in our style of play and try to do the things better that they do."

The City manager was equally equanimous about the threat posed by Coleman and Baines. “I think it’s not only the full backs,” he said. “Everton have players who have a very good year with high performance.

“Romelu Lukaku has been very important, the midfielders are also playing very well, so I think we must try to think about the complete team of Everton, more than any special player.”

Pellegrini, who has David Silva fit again after an ankle problem, was reluctant to state why City can beat Everton, Aston Villa and West Ham United to become champions.

“We are just thinking about the next game. It is very important to win that and then think about the next two games.

“It is very important to be fighting until the end because we started the season playing very badly away. We won just four points from the first 18 but from that moment on we’ve been one of the best away teams. It is important to continue playing that way.”

The closing three games occur in the last week of the campaign. Pellegrini has stated previously that Silva cannot play so many games in such a short space of time, so will he be rested for one?

“We will see which is better for the team and for David – we’ll see if he plays against Everton how he does,” Pellegrini said. “See what the improvement in his ankle is. David is a very important player for us so to be in the squad list is very important.”

Samir Nasri believes it is a “miracle” the title’s destination is back in City’s hands.

“We have to understand that now we are in this position, it’s a miracle,” the playmaker said. “We cannot fail any more. We thought that Chelsea would beat Sunderland – they didn’t. We thought Chelsea would go to Liverpool with a second team and lose – but they beat Liverpool.

“Now that we are here, it doesn’t matter where we are playing, we have to get a result and win it because it’s a miracle we are still here. We have a league to win. We cannot fail.

“People say we are the favourites but we have to win our games and the next one is really tough. We have our fate in our own hands and that’s the most important thing.”

Nasri was a member of the City team who became champions on the closing day of the 2011-12 season and he believes that experience can help now.

'Crucial'
"I think it's crucial because we won it in the same way it's looking this time," he said.

“Three games before the end of the season, United drew against Everton 4-4 and we beat Wolves, before playing United. It’s the same kind of thing that’s happening. Liverpool just lost a game at home, we won against Palace.

"Now we know if we win our games we'll be champions. We have this experience, Liverpool doesn't – and that can be good for us." –
Guardian Service