Manuel Pellegrini: My job at Man City does NOT hinge on winning the Premier League

MANUEL PELLEGRINI claims he does not have to win either the Premier League or Champions League this season to keep his job as Manchester City manager.

Manuel PellegriniGETTY

Manuel Pellegrini says he doesn't fear for his job at City despite lack of trophies

And Pellegrini insists the only pressure he feels as speculation mounts over his future is to improve the performances of his struggling team.

City have won only two of their last nine games in all competitions and back-to-back defeats to Barcelona and Liverpool have left them facing the prospect of a trophy-less season.

The poor run has prompted suggestions that if Pellegrini fails to turn round the team’s fortunes in the last three months of the season he could be axed by City's demanding Abu Dhabi owners – with Bayern Munich boss Pep Guardiola emerging as their No 1 target to take over.

Pellegrini however says he should be judged at the end of the season and says the remark from chief executive Ferran Soriano – following his appointment as City boss in the summer of 2013 - that he needed to win five trophies in five years has been taken too literally.

"I never have any pressure to win the amount of titles, or to win a title every year, if I want to continue here,” he said.

"I don't feel any pressure, especially from the media. For me, I feel pressure when I see my team not playing the way I like them to.

"I never felt pressure when I sign a contract. They never told me I must win a title every year, or must win five titles in five years.

Manchester City v Leicester - Premier League Preview

You can win maybe two titles one year, the other year one - you never know what will happen in football

Manuel Pellegrini

"That was a [throw-away] sentence of Ferran [Soriano, City chief executive], it was perfectly normal. You can win maybe two titles one year, the other year one - you never know what will happen in football.

"No, the speculation doesn't affect me, it's not about my future, I always live in the present because you don't know what will happen in the future.

"You don't know yet if we'll win [the second leg] against Barcaelona or if will go out of the Champions League. Last year nobody thought we would win the Premier League. To think about the future is the worst thing you can do. That's the way I have managed for 25 years.”

Pellegrini is also relaxed about the savage criticism he has received for his tactics against Barcelona and Liverpool from respected ex-players like Jamie carragher, Gary Neville and Graeme Souness.

The former Real Madrid manager says it comes with the territory of managing a big club.

"I think when you play for a big team or when you manage a big team, you must be prepared to receive criticism when you don't win or put in a normal performance. Everyone is entitled to their opinion,” he added.

Pellegrini has no injury problems but is set to make several changes for the home clash with bottom club Leicester tomorrow with Pablo Zabaleta, Aleksander Kolarov, Eliaquim Mangala, Samir Nasri and Edin Dzeko all set to be dropped.

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