City’s top-four hopes teeter on knife-edge

Date published: 09 May 2016


MANCHESTER City are in danger of missing out on the Champions League next season after outgoing manager Manuel Pellegrini’s final home match fell flat.

City twice surrendered a lead against Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday and had to settle for a damaging 2-2 draw.

They remain fourth in the Barclays Premier League but their hopes of staying there are out of their control. Manchester United now have the chance to overtake them by winning their game in hand on Tuesday.

It was not the farewell Pellegrini, who is being replaced by Pep Guardiola in the summer, wanted to bid to the City fans. With the mood deflated, a majority of the 54,425 crowd had even left the stadium by the time Pellegrini and players re-emerged to address fans and conduct their traditional end-of-season lap of honour.

But Pellegrini urged people to keep the faith with the battle for top-four positions set to go down to the final game regardless of United’s result against West Ham in midweek.

The Chilean said: “We are not finished for the season. Of course if you don’t depend just on what you can do it is more difficult, but we will see after Tuesday what will happen between Manchester United and West Ham.

“I think we deserve to be in the Champions League because we have had 37 games in a spot of the Champions League, so I hope we are not going to lose that in the last game. I trust we are going to have our achievement.”

At times City looked superb in attack but they were unable to build on goals early in each half from Sergio Aguero and Kevin De Bruyne. Olivier Giroud and Alexis Sanchez cancelled out both.

Aguero volleyed another effort wide and the derided Wilfried Bony ­— who entered the field to jeers from some fans — hit the bar late on but it was not enough for City to retain control of their destiny.

Pellegrini was asked about the fans’ exodus at his press conference but focused on his frustration about the result.

“I was disappointed not to win the game,” he said. “I have had three unforgettable years here but I don’t want to analyse [them] in this moment. We can do next Sunday. The best way to finish with our fans was winning this game and we couldn’t do it.”

Third-placed Arsenal are not yet certain of Champions League football but the point makes it likely they will be playing in the competition for a 20th consecutive year.

For Arsenal to miss out United would have to win their two remaining games and City beat Swansea while the Gunners lose to relegated Aston Villa.