We go to Anfield to win

Manchester City 4 Southampton 1

Avoid defeat to Liverpool, and City’s prospects will grow even stronger. But Pellegrini insists he will resist the temptation to concentrate on spiking the guns of Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge and seek the victory that will take City a significant step towards claiming a second title in three years.

The reasoning behind the manager’s determination to go in for the kill is two-fold. Pellegrini makes no secret of his admiration for teams who win in style while, more pragmatically, he is aware Brendan Rodgers’ side have the capacity to expose his own team’s defensive flaws.

Pellegrini believes the weaknesses that marred the opening months of City’s season have now been addressed. Equally importantly, he knows his side is much more convincing when operating on the front foot.

“Maybe I am wrong but I always think in the same way as a manager — if you play to draw you will lose,” said the manager. “So we are going to play to win.

“Of course after the game if we couldn’t win the game and we draw it’s a good result, but we are not going to play against Liverpool thinking we must draw. We don’t know to play in that way.”

There was nothing in Saturday’s victory over Southampton to dissuade the Chilean from his view. City struggled to contain a Southampton side who place great store in their ability to press high up the pitch and the home side were fortunate not to have found themselves behind before a poor mistake by the match officials ensured Samir Nasri’s momentum- shifting goal in first-half added time was allowed to stand.

City then moved through the gears to cruise through the second half and another four-goal haul only added to the anticipation already surrounding next weekend’s meeting between the two highest scoring teams in the division.

Pellegrini attempted to manage expectations by suggesting that in these circumstances a much-trailed goal-fest can prove a disappointment.

“These games often end 0-0,” he said, although the reality on this occasion is likely to be different. Suarez against Martin Demichelis, anyone?

Whatever the outcome, the romantic in Pellegrini is enjoying the fact that the bold approach of both clubs is being rewarded.

“I am very happy for football. For attractive football, creative football,” he said. “That’s why I think Liverpool have a lot of merits in the year they are doing so far, because they are an attractive team and they always score.”

City should have made more of a third-minute gift, a penalty converted by Yaya Toure after Jose Fonte tripped Edin Dzeko, instead, Rickie Lambert’s 37th-minute penalty, awarded after Pablo Zabaleta fouled Jack Cork, brought the visitors level before Nasri benefited from the match officials’ failure to spot an offside to score, with Dzeko scoring moments later.

Stevan Jovetic completed the win nine minutes from time.

Southampton were aggrieved that Nasri’s goal was allowed stand, citing the moment as game-changing. Yet their disappointment was overshadowed by the knee injury sustained by Jay Rodriguez that will rule him out of contention for England’s squad for this summer’s World Cup finals.

“We are all absolutely devastated for him. He’s an unbelievable lad and he’s proven this season what a player he is. And he got his rewards internationally,” said Adam Lallana, the captain. “Forget the decision for the offside. Forget the result, forget everything. We are just so disappointed for Jay.”

MANCHESTER CITY: Hart 6; Zabaleta 5, Kompany 7, Demichelis 6, Kolarov 7; Fernandinho 6 (Garcia 46, 6), Toure 6; Navas 7, Nasri 9, Silva 8 (Jovetic 76, 7); Dzeko 7 (Negredo 65, 6).

SOUTHAMPTON: Gazzaniga 5; Chambers 6, Fonte 4, Lovren 5, Shaw 7; Cork 7 (Wanyama 80), Schneiderlin 6; S. Davis (Gallagher 75,6) , Lallana 8, Rodriguez 6 (Ward-Prowse 26); Lambert 6.

Referee: Chris Foy 5.