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.