Pellegrini: Now let’s win it again

CELEBRATIONS: Manchester City’s squad are in party mood after sealing the title with a 2-0 win over West Ham

Manuel Pellegrini insists he will start work tomorrow to ensure that Manchester City can retain their Premier League crown.

A comfortable 2-0 win over West Ham saw City triumph by two points over Liverpool in the title race, while they scored a record 156 goals over the season.

City’s total of 102 Premier League goals was one short of the record, but the 156 tally is nine more than the 147 Chelsea managed last season.

Pellegrini, who has become the first non-European coach to win the English top flight, said the success felt “very special” but that after the victory parade today, work would start for next season.

He said: “I think it’s very important to celebrate and then on Tuesday start working for next season.

“We are going to do a balance of the whole year and the positive things and negative things and way we can improve our squad.

“It has been a beautiful season but you always need to continue winning and improving, and we are going to start working as soon as possible to be the strongest team next year.”

The team’s style under Pellegrini was in contrast to the often-negative tactics under Roberto Mancini – and the Chilean said he had inherited a disunited squad.

“It was my first season in the Premier League and I had to change a lot of things,” he said.

“The most important thing was we changed absolutely the way this team play. I am not criticising other styles; I like to play one way and it was very important to change the way they played before and to have calm and try to convince all of them how we can play. “