Pellegrini: ‘Leicester not the biggest game of the season’

City manager Manuel Pellegrini has dismissed suggestions that Pep Guardiola was manoeuvred into the club behind his back.

“It’s not the biggest game of the season so far – we can win or lose and the Premier League will not end here”, added the Chilean, whose side are still in all four competitions they entered. Manuel Pellegrini was named his replacement shortly thereafter.

You would like to think that City have the capabilities to see off Leicester at home, but anything could happen when the league leaders come to town.

Pellegrini said: “I’m very anxious for a lot of things”.

Kante is a diminutive midfielder but underestimate his abilities at your own peril; he is a hard-working, machine of a player, and with the highest pass accuracy of his whole squad at 81%, he has been the heartbeat of the team. It may be a misplaced contest at first glace, but the Foxes have stamped their credentials firmly on the title race and will be desperate to retain the initiative in one of their biggest tests.

“I think it’s very good for the Premier League and probably next year another team will be involved in the fight for the title”, he told a news conference.

While doubters question their ability to last the pace, Leicester’s recent results have convinced Ranieri his players are embracing the spotlight and won’t wilt under the pressure of battling for their first top-flight title. Maybe everybody believes in something special and they are working for something special. “This is important”, Ranieri said.

“I don’t want to analyse why, but I think if we have to play against Chelsea four days before, we should play on the Saturday”.

United boss Louis van Gaal’s future continues to be the subject of speculation, with rumours that Jose Mourinho will replace him at Old Trafford refusing to go away despite their upturn in form over the past week. “We coaches don’t earn respect any more in the world, no matter what we say”.

Bilic believes that the Citizens will win the league title this season despite the fact that Pellegrini will leave in the summer. They won seven of their last nine games.

“I’ve experienced it already at Barcelona”, he said.

Tottenham’s north London rivals Arsenal are also five points behind Leicester and can’t afford another slip at Bournemouth following their midweek draw with Southampton.

“If we believe then we can still do it. There are more than enough games to put ourselves back at the top”.