Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini refused to be drawn into a war of words with Yaya Toure's outspoken agent after a 2-0 win over West Ham United kept his side on course for a Champions League place.
However, Sunday’s victory at Eastlands was marred by an injury to David Silva, who was taken to hospital with a suspected fractured cheekbone and injured collarbone.
But before kick-off there was another headache for under-pressure City manager Pellegrini following incendiary comments from Dimitri Seluk.
Toure’s agent branded Pellegrini a “weak manager” and accused the club’s Spanish executives Ferran Sorriano and Txiki Begiristain of failing to take responsibility and blaming his client for City’s problems this season.
Pellegrini, when asked to respond to Seluk’s claims, said “no comment”.
But the latest potential disagreement with Toure will cast more uncertainty on the Ivory Coast international’s City future.
Victory for reigning English champions City – coupled with defeats 24 hours earlier for Southampton and Manchester United – certainly improved Pellegrini’s hopes of a top-four finish.
West Ham were beaten thanks to a James Collins’s own-goal and City forward Sergio Aguero’s 20th goal of the season as Pellegrini’s side bounced back from the previous weekend’s 4-2 derby defeat by United.
Three points brought City back to within one of United and two of Arsenal, as well as seven ahead of Liverpool – who have a game in hand, however – in the race to secure top four in the Premier League. Pellegrini insisted his club aren't concerned with how their rivals are doing.
“We’re not depending on what Manchester United or anyone else did yesterday,” he said.
“It was very important for our team to win because we are coming off two defeats in a row and always when it’s a derby defeat, it’s worse.”
Meanwhile, Allardyce was angry at the manner of the two first-half goals conceded by his defence but also infuriated by a late incident in which Eliaquim Mangala took a swipe at West Ham winger Downing, who remained on his feet but saw the ball run out of play, breaking up a late attack by the visitors.
“Everybody goes on about simulation and cheating,” said Allardyce, who berated the fourth official after the incident. “But Mangala tried to clean out Downing who stayed on his feet and, because of that, the ball runs out and we lose possession.
“The assistant is one yard away but didn’t give it so what am I going to say to Stewart? ‘Dive on the floor, get him booked and get us a free-kick’?”
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