Frank Lampard warns Man City hierarchy over Manuel Pellegrini's future
FRANK LAMPARD has warned of the folly of making knee-jerk judgments on the future of Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini and several of his under-achieving stars.
Former Chelsea midfielder Lampard recalled how Carlo Ancelotti was under similar pressure to Pellegrini at Stamford Bridge in the 2009-10 season and ended up winning the Premier League and FA Cup double.
And Lampard believes that with City still in with a chance of catching his former club, the time for proper analysis of City’s campaign should come at the end of the season.
“Football is funny,” he said. “The year we won the double at Chelsea we got beaten by Inter Milan in the Champions League and we were struggling in the Premier League and everyone was talking about Carlo getting the sack then but we went and won the double. So it shows you what can happen in football.
“I don’t think you can ever make too many calls or judgments at this stage of the season. Judgments will be made at the end of the season and that is fair enough.
“At the moment I don’t think it is time to look at the manager or players and ask if they will be here next season. It’s too early for that talk. That will take place in the summer.”
Lampard says that if Pellegrini - who celebrated 100 games in charge of City with his 63rd win - is feeling any pressure then he is not transmitting it to the dressing room.
“Manuel is very calm,” he added. “You can see his nature. He is a very experienced and can handle all pressures. He has a good manner and it is very important as a top manager that you never look as if the pressure is getting to you and he certainly never gives us that vibe.
“We’re not stupid. At a club like City, same as Chelsea, when you have a design and a responsibility to be fighting at the top of the League year in, year out, players and managers are under pressure at all times.
“But there is no finger-pointing for the recent form. We’ve just been through a patch where we have been below-par and that can happen to any team, but we have got enough good characters in our dressing room to respond in the right way.”
After the nightmares at Burnley and Barcelona, referee Neil Swarbrick ensured City had a more comfortable time by reducing Albion to 10 men after only 63 seconds.
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Frank Lampard replaced Yaya Toure in City's midfield
His decision to judge Craig Dawson’s foul on Wilfried Bony as denying a clear attempt on goal was questionable, quite apart from the fact he then sent off the wrong man - red carding Gareth McAuley rather than Dawson.
After Swarbrick’s admission that he had blundered, the Fa will rescind McAuley’s red today (Mon) but that will come as little consolation for Albion for a decision that killed the game as a contest.
Bony scored his first for City, Fernando netted the second - City’s 1,000th in the Premier League - and David Silva added the third. City had 43 attempts on goal and only the heroics of Albion keeper Boaz Myhill - who made 13 saves - kept the score down.
While Lampard insists City will keep the pressure on leaders Chelsea by trying to win all eight of their remaining games, Albion boss Tony Pulis wants his side to ensure safety by winning their back-to-back home games against QPR and Leicester following the international break.
“We need 40 points - two wins and a draw - and the quicker we get there the better,” said Pulis.
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