Sunday 1 May 2016 19:49, UK
Manuel Pellegrini defended his team selection after Manchester City were beaten 4-2 at Southampton on Sunday, claiming he was left with no choice but to make eight changes thanks to the scheduling of the game.
City travel to Real Madrid for the second leg of their Champions League semi-final on Wednesday night, and Pellegrini had said before the trip to St Mary's that he felt the fixture should have been played on Saturday rather than Sunday.
A Sadio Mane hat-trick was enough to down City, with their only real bright spark coming from Kelechi Iheanacho, the 19-year-old making it four goals in two games with his double against the Saints.
"I always try to select a team we think will win the game," Pellegrini told Sky Sports.
"I also think I had to select a team because we play on Wednesday. Maybe if we played on Saturday, we'd have another option for this game, but playing with too many players too often makes it difficult to always get a result."
Pellegrini, who left Vincent Kompany out of his side and started with Nicolas Otamendi and Eliaquim Mangala, also admitted his defenders lacked concentration as they were taken apart by Southampton.
"Our defenders that normally play in every game, today we were less concentrated and we had problems," he said.
"In the first half, we had a clear chance to score before they did, and I think we started well in the second half until their third goal, which was decisive. After that, it was difficult to turn it around."
The result leaves Manchester City looking over their shoulder again in the race for a top-four spot, with Manchester United four points behind them with a game in hand.
But Pellegrini remains confident his side, currently fourth, will seal Champions League qualification.
"It depends what we do in the next two games," he said. "We are three points behind Arsenal, so if we beat Arsenal, we'll be in the third position waiting for the last game."
