Manchester - Monday's match between
Manchester City and Liverpool, the top two
teams in last season's Premier League, will
effectively be worth six points to the
winners, City's manager Manuel Pellegrini
said on Friday.
The Manchester club, who finished two
points clear at the top of the table after
Liverpool faltered in the last month of the
campaign, have home advantage and their
Chilean manager said they must make it
count.
"I always say to the players these games are
games of six points, especially when you play
at home against one of the most important
squads in the Premier League in Liverpool,"
he told a news conference.
"I cannot know whether Liverpool will be
affected by last season or not. My way of
thinking is that last season is finished and we
are not thinking about it anymore.
"These are different games and different
moments but it is important for our team to
start winning points at home."
Even if Liverpool sign maverick striker Mario
Balotelli from AC Milan, he will not be
eligible to play on Monday and Pellegrini said
he thought they will miss Luis Suarez, who
has been sold to Barcelona.
As for his own squad, the City manager
believes that despite winning 2-0 at
Newcastle on the opening weekend of the
season, they will need more time to become
fully fit.
"For this week, most of the players will be
not 100 percent but mostly ready," he
added. "We have 13 or 14 players that are
still in pre-season.
"We are just starting the season and maybe
we don't have our squad in full fitness but
this week, we have worked very hard and
very well so I hope we can do a very good
game."
