Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini bemoaned individual errors as his side’s Capital One Cup defence came to a sudden halt against Newcastle at the Etihad.
Pellegrini played a half-strength side against the Magpies, and was duly punished by goals from Rolando Aarons and Moussa Sissoko.
It was the third game in a row that City had not won, after a Premier League defeat to West Ham and a disappointing 2-2 draw in Moscow in the Champions League.
The Chilean manager told reporters after the Newcastle game: “We conceded two goals in each game and we had a lot of chances from which we could have scored.
“In one sense we are conceding easy goals through individual mistakes but we also we are not playing the way we normally do.”
Injury was added to insult when David Silva limped off after just nine minutes threatening his appearance in Sunday’s derby, but the manager stood by his decision to play the Spaniard.
“There was no reason why David could not play,” said the 61-year-old manager. “We played on Saturday and had four days to recover so I don’t think that was a reason.
“He was prepared to play but maybe not the whole game.”
Pellegrini has been voicing his desire to take the Capital One Cup seriously, but elimination now means City can concentrate on other endeavours.
“For our team it is important to be involved in four competitions,” he said. “A lot of people say this is not an important competition but for our team it was important to try and continue.
“We have a chance to continue in the Champions League if we improve in the way we are playing, and in the Premier League the same thing.
“With one competition less we can concentrate more on the rest.”
Main image courtesy of Manchester City FC via YouTube, with thanks.
