Friday 26 February 2016 21:57, UK
Manuel Pellegrini believes success in Sunday's Capital One Cup final against Liverpool would give Manchester City the belief that they can close the gap at the top of the Premier League.
Sunday's Wembley showpiece gives Pellegrini the chance to claim the first silverware of the season, before returning to league action on Wednesday when the two teams will meet again at Anfield.
City are currently fourth in the league, six points adrift of leaders Leicester, but with one foot in the last eight of the Champions League after the 3-1 first-leg win over Dynamo Kiev, Pellegrini knows the significance of winning the trophy they won two years ago.
"To play a big final at Wembley against Liverpool is very important," he said. "It's my mentality to try to win all the time. To win in February one title that gives you a lot of trust to continue fighting for other competitions.
"We are six points behind the leaders in the Premier League and we will continue to fight to the end - this could give us a lot of trust if we are successful on Sunday."
Pellegrini expects Wilfried Bony, Jesus Navas and Eliaquim Mangala to be a part of his squad at Wembley after the trio trained on Friday.
Striker Bony and central defender Mangala, who was an unused substitute in the Champions League on Wednesday, have not featured since early January due to respective calf and hamstring injuries, while Navas has missed the previous four games with a hamstring strain of his own.
"Wilfried Bony, Mangala and Navas are training now with the squad so the three of them are available for the game," said Pellegrini.
Vincent Kompany, Raheem Sterling and Bacary Sagna did not work with the rest of the group at City's training ground on Friday morning after initially being present for Pellegrini's address to the squad.
"They are recovering from the last game that they played," Pellegrini added.
"For different reasons, the recovery of the players that played the complete game is not the same for all of them. They have different ways of recovering but I hope the three of them will be fit for Sunday."
