Champions League: Pellegrini: City will not rest players

Their last four league away fixtures have yielded just one goal and two points and Pellegrini admitted the manner of their latest defeat was not acceptable.

All of this could be a factor in City’s recent patchy form, which continued with a 2-0 loss at Stoke on Saturday, but Pellegrini claims it is too early to assess the performance of back-up players. “We offer stability and, if they play well enough, game time and continuity on a daily basis”.

Hart admits they have to raise their game, starting tomorrow when they host Borussia Moenchengladbach needing a win and a favour from Sevilla to top their Champions League group – from which they have already qualified – to give them an easier quarter-final draw.

By the closing third of the contest, Jesus Navas for Silva, Kelechi Iheanacho for Bony, and Fabian Delph for Fernandinho, had all been thrown on by Pellegrini.

City were missing key players such as Sergio Aguero, Yaya Toure, Pablo Zabaleta and Vincent Kompany through injury.

“They had no options, we set up really well to stop them playing and they really couldn’t live with us”.

“We’ve looked at teams that have caused Manchester City trouble – Liverpool being one of them, Southampton to a certain extent, Tottenham”.

“Obviously the conditions didn’t suit the way we play but we can’t honestly use that as an excuse”, he said.

The best City, who started the day as league champions, could manage all day was long-range pot-shots.

After finishing second and drawing Barcelona in the last two years that was a clear aim, but Pellegrini said: “I think Chelsea, (Manchester) United and Arsenal would like to be in our position. In terms of clear-cut chances we were way ahead of City on the day and we could have easily made it embarrassing if I’m honest, but I’m happy with two goals”.

Against that backdrop, Toure should have thrived in a more attacking role, but the midfielder once again looked subdued, disinterested even, and incurred the wrath of City fans for his latest sluggish display.

However, it was the creative flair of Xherdan Shaqiri, who sparkled on a blustery afternoon as he created both of Marko Arnautovic’s goals.

“It was an exceptional win”, he declared: “You have to have the right personnel to play like we did and thankfully we did with the right energy in midfield, where the likes of Geoff Cameron and Afellay got around the pitch, and Glenn Whelan will organise behind that”.

The few chances they did create were met by the impressive Jack Butland, as the Stoke keeper kept out efforts from Kevin de Bruyne and Aleksandar Kolarov with sharp saves.