• Premier League

Pellegrini: Chelsea played like small team

Manuel Pellegrini launched a scathing attack on Jose Mourinho's approach after the game © Getty Images

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Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini has accused Chelsea of playing like "a small team" and compared the Premier League leaders to Stoke because of their defensive tactics in Sunday's 1-1 draw at the Etihad Stadium.

Pellegrini launched a scathing attack on Jose Mourinho's approach after the game, claiming the Chelsea manager put 10 players behind the ball in a negative ploy.

"I think we played during 90 minutes against a small team trying to defend, trying to keep 10 players in front of their goal and [City were] a team that wanted to win from the beginning," Pellegrini told a news conference.

Manuel Pellegrini hinted he was unhappy with official Mike Dean's dismissal of Pablo Zabaleta © Getty Images

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"We had two or three clear chances to score at the start of the second half and after with 10 players, we continued trying to win. I am satisfied with the performance of my team but I am not satisfied with the score."

Chelsea took the lead through Andre Schuerrle after City's Pablo Zabaleta was sent off before Frank Lampard - Chelsea's record all-time scorer - levelled for the champions.

Stoke had won 1-0 in the previous game at the Etihad Stadium and Pellegrini believes Mourinho's approach was similar to that adopted by Mark Hughes.

"I think we played against exactly the same team we played against Stoke here," he said. "It will be very difficult for us to score. Finally we could score."

Pellegrini - who criticised referee Mark Clattenburg after last week's draw at Arsenal - hinted he was unhappy with official Mike Dean's dismissal of Zabaleta, but was reluctant to comment on the right-back's red card.

Zabaleta picked up a second yellow for a foul on Diego Costa and the pair squared up to each other after the incident with the Chelsea striker also booked.

"I spoke after the game against Arsenal what I thought about the referee in that game," he said. "I will not speak every game about the referee because it is not the way to do it. You must analyse it and see what happened."

Substitute Lampard - who scored 211 goals during his Stamford Bridge career - came off the bench to open his City account and earn Pellegrini's praise.

"When I sent Lampard into the game, I told him go and score," he continued. "I was so sure Frank would play well against Chelsea because he is a very good professional. I spoke with him at the beginning of the week and he wanted to be involved, he is a very good player and a great professional so I am very happy with him."

Lampard has joined City on loan until January when he will begin his New York City career, and Pellegrini added: "I was absolutely sure he will be a very useful player for our team. He has nothing to do in New York until January when they started the season there.

"It was very important for him to continue working every day and playing in our team but it was [also] very important for our team to have a player with the experience and quality of Frank Lampard."

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