Friday 22 January 2016 16:40, UK
Manuel Pellegrini has challenged his players to underline Manchester City's title ambitions by showing off their attacking instincts at West Ham on Saturday.
The Chilean's club trail leaders Arsenal and second-placed Leicester City by just a single point but Pellegrini said on Friday it is time for the Sky Blues to put down their marker by hitting the top of the Premier League table as soon as they can.
The Mancunians may be sitting comfortably in third place but their inconsistent results, especially those away from the Etihad Stadium, are a worry for Pellegrini.
The Blues have won only one of their past seven away league games but at least that victory came in their most recent one - a 2-1 come-from-behind triumph at Watford.
City travel to West Ham on Saturday on the back of a comprehensive 4-0 home hammering of Crystal Palace last weekend but will have no need to be reminded of losing 2-1 at home to the Hammers in September.
Pellegrini said ahead of the trip to sixth-placed West Ham: "We must try to arrive as soon as we can at the top of the table.
"It is not easy but we must try to demonstrate why we are fighting for the title.
"It is a difficult game because we are playing against a very good team that beat us at home at the beginning of the season.
"As always, I hope we are going to go for three points, and for that we need the personality to go there and play well.
"I think our mentality always is to be an attacking team.
"Maybe a lot of time you cannot score, but if you score four like we did last time, of course I'm very happy - it is the way we want to play and is the best way for this team to win titles.
"I hope that will continue, with us scoring goals."
Pellegrini also reacted to the latest comments from City midfielder Yaya Toure's agent Dimitri Seluk who was quoted this week as saying of Toure: "He will not move in January. However, in the summer things can change. We are ready to listen to any offers that are on the table."
On Friday, the City manager said: "For Yaya and every player the most important thing is to think in the present and about the next game.
"At the end of the season you never know what will happen with anyone, so it is very important not to think what your future is.
"It important to demonstrate why we are here at Manchester City and the most important thing is to try to win the title this season. After that, the future can be in different ways."
Midfielder Fernandinho is available again for Saturday but Aleksandar Kolarov has been ruled out with a calf problem, joining fellow defenders Eliaquim Mangala (hamstring) and Vincent Kompany (calf), plus midfielder Samir Nasri (hamstring) and striker Wilfried Bony (calf), on the sidelines.
Pellegrini hopes to have Kolarov and Bony back with the squad next week, whereas Kompany, who is seeing different specialists about his injury, will not return for a couple more weeks.
