Manchester City's Win in Rome Could Be the Pivotal Moment of Their Season

A month ago, Manuel Pellegrini was mired in what was an increasingly difficult second season at Manchester City. 

It really didn’t look good for the Chilean. Some suggested it was even terminal.

In the space of three weeks, he had seen his side both draw and lose to CSKA Moscow in the Champions League, get dumped out of the Capital One Cup with a home defeat to struggling Newcastle and lose away in the league to West Ham.

At the start of November, a 2-2 draw away at Queens Park Rangers would leave Pellegrini’s side trailing Chelsea by eight points in the Premier League.

Despite winning the league in his debut season, Pellegrini was forced to deny his job was at risk ahead of Wednesday night’s crucial game at Roma, per Jamie Jackson of the Guardian.

Those questions have now been resoundingly answered in the wake of City’s 2-0 win inside the Stadio Olimpico, which has seen them progress to the knockout stages of the Champions League.

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This was a performance and a result that should revitalise City’s season and provide them with some crucial momentum for the rest of the campaign. 

City had to quell Roma at first, but having kept the score goalless, they began to assert themselves and took the lead through Samir Nasri’s well-hit shot from outside the penalty area after an hour.

They had something to protect now, but rather than retreat, they always looked to grasp a decisive second, which arrived with four minutes remaining when Pablo Zabaleta surged into the penalty area and finished past Morgan De Sanctis.

All this was achieved without their most influential player, Sergio Aguero, who will be out for between four and six weeks with a knee injury.

He will be sorely missed, but his absence has given his team-mates a cause for they are determined not to be dismissed as just a one-man team.

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Back in the Premier League, four straight wins have seen City cut Chelsea’s lead back to just three points. A successful title defence remains very much on.

Pellegrini has prospered by refusing to compromise his attacking approach. 

He has a fine array of attacking talents and has placed his faith in them.

Pellegrini might be criticised for presiding over a vulnerable defence, and a midfield that doesn’t afford them enough protection, but a clean sheet in Wednesday night’s Roman cauldron proves they can repel the best attacks.

It is not yet Christmas, and City will be encouraged they have already got their inevitable blip in form out of the way, leaving them clear to pursue success at both home and abroad this season.