Manuel Pellegrini begins to show frustration after Man City's defeat to Tottenham



Manuel Pellegrini stormed out of a press briefing after Man City's defeat



MANUEL PELLEGRINI showed his first signs of cracking on Saturday when he stormed out of a press briefing – into a side-room full of computers.

 

The Chilean took umbrage at a couple of questions aimed at gauging his mood after Kevin De Bruyne’s early goal was rendered irrelevant by strikes from Eric Dier, Toby Alderweireld, Harry Kane and Erik Lamela. 

“What happened today we lost 4-1. That is the most important thing, I am angry, I am not angry? No more questions? Okay,” he snapped as he marched off down a corridor. 

 

His press officer rushed after him saying, “Wrong way, Manuel,” but it was only after opening the door in the Tottenham Training Centre that he realised he would have to walk back along the tight corridor straight past the posse of half-dozen journalists he had left in his wake.

Forced into conciliatory mood, Pellegrini performed an embarrassing u-turn. “If you want to talk about football, yes, but if you want to talk about stupid things then I do not answer stupid things,” he spat. 

Gamely, we threw him some half volleys to discover everything about Manchester City was fine except for two offside goals and two set-piece goals. 

 

Nobody at City ever claimed they were invincible and with the injuries they had suffered, there were bound to be important mistakes. Then he was quizzed about Sergio Aguero.

“I don’t talk about individual players,” he said, already on the move. This time in the correct direction. That was going to be it. 

Understandably, it was a far happier weekend for opposite number Mauricio Pochettino. He was headed straight off to Twickenham to support Wales in solidarity with his son’s Welsh girlfriend. 

And best of all, Kane had scored. “Maybe I have shut a few people up who have been talking over the last few weeks,” the England striker said. 

 

“It’s only been seven games but a few people have been saying I am just a one-season wonder. I kind of use it to get my juices flowing and to prove these people wrong. I have had to prove people wrong throughout my career to get where I am.

People can judge me at the end of the season and we will go from there. “When you score like last season, it becomes a drug and when someone takes it away from you, you want to get it back. “You want to get it back. You want to score again – and it was a good feeling to score again.” 

Tottenham (4-2-3-1): Lloris 7, Walker 6, Alderweireld 7, Vertonghen 7, Davies 6; Alli 6, Dier 7; Son 6 (Njie 76, 5), Eriksen 6 (Chadli 68, 5), Lamela 8 (Carroll 87); Kane 8. Booked: Alli, Kane. Goals: Dier 45, Alderweireld 50, Kane 61, Lamela 79. Next Up: Thurs – Monaco (a) Europa League.

Man City (4-2-3-1): Caballero 5, Sagna 6, Otamendi 5, Dimichelis 6, Kolarov 6; Fernandinho 6 (Nasri 69, 5), Fernando 6; De Bruyne 8, Toure 7 (Navas 55, 5), Sterling 6; Aguero 5 (Roberts 86). Goal: De Bruyne 25. Next Up: Wed – B Monchengladback (a) Champions League. 

Referee: M Clattenburg (Tyne and Wear).