Dignified Manuel Pellegrini can catch eyes ahead of Manchester City departure with title fight

Manchester City will look forward to a new era under Pep Guardiola next season, but spare a thought for current manager Manuel Pellegrini, writes Greg Lea.

Manuel Pellegrini is well respected within Manchester City and is aiming to end his time at the club with some silverware. Lee Smith / Reuters

It was a moment that revealed a lot about the man.

When Manuel Pellegrini confirmed his impending departure from Manchester City at a news conference on Monday, he did not use the occasion to criticise his employers or further his own agenda.

Instead, the 66-year-old waited until the end of the customary pre-match questioning before informing the journalists present that he would be leaving the club at the end of June.

In doing so, Pellegrini ensured he did not rock the boat or generate any potentially damaging headlines by publicly speaking out against the decision.

In essence, it was another incident in which he displayed his dignity, class and magnanimity.

A few minutes later, City themselves confirmed the news that everyone had been expecting: Pep Guardiola will replace Pellegrini as the club’s manager next season.

Regardless of whether or not the Chilean goes on to win a second Premier League title this season, appointing Guardiola in his place was close to a no-brainer for the City hierarchy.

The Bayern Munich manager is one of the best coaches in the world and could take the club to another level.

For now, though, the focus at the Etihad Stadium is on the remainder of this campaign, with success in the Premier League, Uefa Champions League, League Cup and FA Cup still on the cards.

As the statement released by City on Monday said, Pellegrini is committed to “achieving his targets for the season ahead”.

Predictions: Man City overtake Leicester; Manchester United-Chelsea goalless

While it would be unreasonable to think that Monday’s announcement could derail City’s title bid, there are more reasons to believe it will actually boost their chances of winning the championship.

Pellegrini’s agent has already confirmed that his client would prefer to stay in the Premier League — the competition he considers the “most exciting” — beyond the summer.

There would be no better way of appealing to English sides on the lookout for a new manager than by finishing top of the pile this year.

If Pellegrini needed any extra motivation, the knowledge that the upcoming four months could play a big part in deciding his next job should do the trick.

The players, too, will be desperate to send their popular manager out on a high.

Unlike his more volatile predecessor, Roberto Mancini, Pellegrini has masterfully kept a squad full of big egos and personalities pulling in the same direction.

While questions have been raised about his tactical nous in the biggest games, the former Real Madrid coach’s man-management skills have been impressive.

That quality has earned him the respect of City’s squad and supporters, who gave him the nickname ‘This Charming Man’ during his debut campaign.

Above all else, City simply have the best squad in the division.

Concerns over their defensive solidity still linger, but the attacking firepower provided by the likes of Sergio Aguero, David Silva, Raheem Sterling and Yaya Toure puts City in pole position to triumph.

Victory over leaders Leicester City on Saturday would see Pellegrini’s men move to the summit of the standings on goal difference with just 13 games remaining.

The talent at their disposal arguably means they should already be further ahead, but the fact that City could be top by the end of the weekend without having really hit top gear since the opening weeks of the season is an ominous prospect for the rest of the division.

Podcast: End of an era for John Terry and Chelsea, the start of a new era at Man City with Pep Guardiola

For Pellegrini it could be a huge step towards a fourth career league title and a second at the Etihad Stadium.

Even the most mean-spirited of football fans would find it hard to begrudge him that parting gift.

Despite the extensive admiration for Manuel Pellegrini’s character, most neutrals are understandably rooting for underdogs Leicester City in this season’s race for the Premier League title.

It was widely expected that Claudio Ranieri’s side would have long since fallen away, but Tuesday’s 2-0 win over Liverpool saw them retain their spot at the top of the table.

A positive performance this weekend would mean Leicester have to be taken seriously as title contenders.

If they are able to pick up another three points against Manchester City, they may even be favourites.

The best measure of a manager’s performance is whether he is able to create a collective that amounts to more than the sum of its parts.

While players such as Jamie Vardy, Riyad Mahrez, N’Golo Konte and Robert Huth have rightfully received a great deal of praise for their contributions this term, Ranieri has fashioned a collective that is far stronger than would be expected by looking at its individual components.

The starting line-up that took to the field against Liverpool in midweek cost around £22 million (Dh117.4m) to assemble; City, by way of comparison, paid £184m for those players who began their encounter with Sunderland on the same night.

While there are no official figures available for the 2015/16 season, a document released last month showed that City’s wage bill in 2014/15 was £193.8m, with Leicester spending a comparatively modest £48.2 million on their players’ salaries.

Sterling, Nicolas Otamendi and Kevin De Bruyne all arrived at the Eithad for hefty transfer fees last summer, so it is likely that the gap has only widened since.

Basic mathematics suggest that Leicester have no business being above City this late on in the campaign, which is precisely what makes their title challenge so remarkable.

Follow us on Twitter @NatSportUAE

Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/TheNationalSport