Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini blamed the hangover from defeat by Liverpool for his side’s damaging 2-2 draw at home to the Premier League’s bottom club Sunderland.
City needed to win the first of their two games in hand on Liverpool to keep the pressure on the league leaders and second-placed Chelsea.
But Wednesday’s draw with Sunderland, in which they needed a late equaliser from Samir Nasri just to avoid defeat, means that they are still six points behind Liverpool with just one extra game to play.
Pellegrini hopes that wins in City’s five remaining fixtures will still give them a chance, but he admitted that his team had been unable to recover from the mental strain of losing 3-2 at Anfield last weekend.
“Of course our chances are less than before the match,” he said.
“It was very important for us to win this match. We could not, but we will continue fighting until the end.
“I don’t think we could take out of our minds the game against Liverpool. That’s why the team did not play well today (Wednesday).
“It was difficult for the players to get Liverpool out of their minds. We needed more intensity, but maybe it wasn’t in their minds to do it.
“They were mentally tired. It was difficult to play this game after Liverpool.
“Before the match I was very worried, because when you play against a team that might be relegated at the end of the season, they come and fight for every ball like it’s the last.”
The injury suffered by Yaya Toure at Liverpool also had an impact as his absence was clearly felt in City’s midfield, along with that of David Silva.
Silva was ruled out with an ankle problem, but Pellegrini hopes the playmaker will be fit to face West Bromwich Albion next Monday.
And despite this setback, which looked like being a defeat after Connor Wickham scored twice to put Sunderland ahead, the Chilean is not writing off City’s chances of an unlikely title success
He added: “There are five more games to play and we must try and win them and see where that takes us at the end of the season, and which team has the most points.
“Maybe Liverpool and Chelsea have a better chance than our team, but we will continue fighting until the last game. It’s difficult, but this wasn’t the last game played today.”
Sunderland’s concerns are at the other end of the table and despite a heroic effort, they are now without a win in 10 games.
Goalkeeper Vito Mannone’s late fumble of Nasri’s shot cost them dear, but manager Gus Poyet was delighted by his players, who hit back through Wickham’s brace after Fernandinho had given City a 2nd-minute lead.
“We played a great game and deserved something. I thought for a few minutes it was going to be all three points,” said Poyet.
“The situation we are in, bottom of the table and we concede a goal after two minutes. Everyone would have expected us to collapse, but we didn’t.
“The players showed how important it is, for the club and the fans, to go to the end, whatever the result is.
“I am proud of the players. They kept going and it was not easy. It’s going to give us a bit more of that word I hate -- confidence -- and will give us a different approach on Saturday (at Chelsea).”
The result did little to help Sunderland’s plight at the foot of the table as they remain six points away from safety.
But Poyet admitted that his fellow Uruguayan, Liverpool striker Luiz Suarez, will have been delighted by the outcome.
He added: “We were playing for ourselves, not for Liverpool, although we have helped them for sure and Mr Suarez will be happy tonight.”
sports@thenational.ae
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The Buckingham Murders
Starring: Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ash Tandon, Prabhleen Sandhu
Director: Hansal Mehta
Rating: 4 / 5
SPECS
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THE BIO: Martin Van Almsick
Hometown: Cologne, Germany
Family: Wife Hanan Ahmed and their three children, Marrah (23), Tibijan (19), Amon (13)
Favourite dessert: Umm Ali with dark camel milk chocolate flakes
Favourite hobby: Football
Breakfast routine: a tall glass of camel milk
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If you go
Flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh with a stop in Yangon from Dh3,075, and Etihad flies from Abu Dhabi to Phnom Penh with its partner Bangkok Airlines from Dh2,763. These trips take about nine hours each and both include taxes. From there, a road transfer takes at least four hours; airlines including KC Airlines (www.kcairlines.com) offer quick connecting flights from Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville from about $100 (Dh367) return including taxes. Air Asia, Malindo Air and Malaysian Airlines fly direct from Kuala Lumpur to Sihanoukville from $54 each way. Next year, direct flights are due to launch between Bangkok and Sihanoukville, which will cut the journey time by a third.
The stay
Rooms at Alila Villas Koh Russey (www.alilahotels.com/ kohrussey) cost from $385 per night including taxes.
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
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Should late investors consider cryptocurrencies?
Wealth managers recommend late investors to have a balanced portfolio that typically includes traditional assets such as cash, government and corporate bonds, equities, commodities and commercial property.
They do not usually recommend investing in Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies due to the risk and volatility associated with them.
“It has produced eye-watering returns for some, whereas others have lost substantially as this has all depended purely on timing and when the buy-in was. If someone still has about 20 to 25 years until retirement, there isn’t any need to take such risks,” Rupert Connor of Abacus Financial Consultant says.
He adds that if a person is interested in owning a business or growing a property portfolio to increase their retirement income, this can be encouraged provided they keep in mind the overall risk profile of these assets.
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
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The Penguin
Starring: Colin Farrell, Cristin Milioti, Rhenzy Feliz
Creator: Lauren LeFranc
Rating: 4/5
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid
When: April 25, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Allianz Arena, Munich
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 1, Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid
TOUCH RULES
Touch is derived from rugby league. Teams consist of up to 14 players with a maximum of six on the field at any time.
Teams can make as many substitutions as they want during the 40 minute matches.
Similar to rugby league, the attacking team has six attempts - or touches - before possession changes over.
A touch is any contact between the player with the ball and a defender, and must be with minimum force.
After a touch the player performs a “roll-ball” - similar to the play-the-ball in league - stepping over or rolling the ball between the feet.
At the roll-ball, the defenders have to retreat a minimum of five metres.
A touchdown is scored when an attacking player places the ball on or over the score-line.
The bio
His favourite book - 1984 by George Orwell
His favourite quote - 'If you think education is expensive, try ignorance' by Derek Bok, Former President of Harvard
Favourite place to travel to - Peloponnese, Southern Greece
Favourite movie - The Last Emperor
Favourite personality from history - Alexander the Great
Role Model - My father, Yiannis Davos
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The five pillars of Islam
The specs
Engine: 0.8-litre four cylinder
Power: 70bhp
Torque: 66Nm
Transmission: four-speed manual
Price: $1,075 new in 1967, now valued at $40,000
On sale: Models from 1966 to 1970
What is cyberbullying?
Cyberbullying or online bullying could take many forms such as sending unkind or rude messages to someone, socially isolating people from groups, sharing embarrassing pictures of them, or spreading rumors about them.
Cyberbullying can take place on various platforms such as messages, on social media, on group chats, or games.
Parents should watch out for behavioural changes in their children.
When children are being bullied they they may be feel embarrassed and isolated, so parents should watch out for signs of signs of depression and anxiety
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
