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There may be an international break, but that has not stopped Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini discussing the Premier League title race.
In quotes published by the Mirror, the Chilean said he believed that while six teams were currently challenging for the title, it would ultimately come down to just four.
“We have lots of points to fight for,” he said, “and I think at the end it will be between Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester United and Manchester City.”
That may be an assumption many football fans would make and yet it appears the City boss was quick to dismiss the challenge of both Tottenham and Liverpool.
Only time will tell if he is right.
He will certainly be hoping star striker Sergio Aguero stays fit for the whole season, and the Argentine kept up his recent fine form by netting both his country’s goals in their 2-0 victory over Bosnia-Herzegovina earlier today.
Aguero came up against club-mate Edin Dzeko, and speaking to Fox News after the match the Bosnian frontman said, “We’ll take it as a good experience and get better soon. It’s going to take time.”
One man desperate to make it to the World Cup is Fernandinho, and City’s summer signing has told iG of his frustration at not being picked for Brazil.
“My only answer is that I don’t know,” he said. “Some teammates are surprised too. They don’t know why that happens.
“What I want is to be called up. The manager can then see later where he fields me.”
Given the competition for places in the World Cup hosts’ squad, some very good players will be missing out this summer. Fernandinho will just hope he is not one of them.
And finally, City’s EDS coach Patrick Vieira has spoken of his frustration at the club’s failure to sign Paul Pogba.
The Frenchman has excelled since his switch from Manchester United to Juventus, and speaking to L’Equipe Vieira said, “That Manchester City did not take him when he left was a mistake because he is an extraordinary player.”
Could Pogba one day return to Manchester, this time for the Blues? If so, it would be a huge blow to their fierce rivals and a significant step in the right direction for Pellegrini’s men.
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