Manuel Pellegrini has revealed that Manchester City will be solely focusing on themselves and not their opponents in Sunday’s derby against Manchester United.
Both sides head into the fixture on the back of mixed form in the Premier League, although while City advanced to the quarter-finals of the Champions League after advancing past Dynamo Kiev in the round of 16, Manchester United’s European adventure came to an end after failing to overturn a first leg deficit against Liverpool at Old Trafford in the Europa League.
Speaking in his pre-match press conference ahead of the bout—as reported by the Mirror—Pellegrini has refused to be drawn on the Red Devils’ malaise.
“I don’t think we can take advantage of what is happening at Manchester United,” the Chilean coach began.
“I don’t know what is happening at Manchester United. It’s not my business what happens with the fans or with Louis van Gaal.”
Pellegrini, looking ahead to Sunday’s fixture at the Etihad Stadium, has revealed that the Citizens will be taking nothing for granted against Louis van Gaal’s side, but will be wholly focusing on their own performance during the match.
“We will play against a strong team with all their history and they will do all they can to win that game so we must not be trusting in those kind of things,” the coach continued.
“We must think about ourselves and the game on the pitch.”
SEE ALSO:
Feature: Why this returning Real Madrid star can help Zidane’s side topple Barcelona
Dutch legend slams ex-Manchester United, Arsenal star, explains international snub
Bayern Munich may be willing to cash in on world-class midfielder; Chelsea linked to South American star
Ahead of the weekend’s fixtures, City sit in fourth—occupying the final Champions League qualifying spot—while United, for whom league success is the only chance of a return to the continental high table—sit down in sixth, four points behind their rivals.
West Ham United—who find themselves in fifth after 29 matches—remain an unpredictable element in the hunt for the final UCL spot, and would provisionally overtake City should they beat Chelsea on Saturday.