Manuel Pellegrini refuses to give up on Premier League title

Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini has refused to give up on the title race despite slumping to a 3-0 defeat at the hands of Liverpool at Anfield this evening.

Just three days after beating the same opposition in the League Cup final, City were swept aside as goals from Adam Lallana, James Milner and Roberto Firmino condemned them to a third straight league defeat - the first time that has happened since November 2008.

Pellegrini put his side's lacklustre performance down to fatigue, but has vowed to fight until the end despite sitting 10 points behind Premier League leaders Leicester City.

"It is difficult to have an excuse but I saw the team was not recovered from the last week. We played Champions League and then League Cup final and I saw team was not fresh and Liverpool played better," he told BBC Sport.

"The last two days we work very light, just try to recover the players but from beginning they won all the balls and had a high pace - more pace than our team.

"We didn't attack well and create chances and didn't have fresh legs to play like we can. It seems like the Premier League continues being the same from the start and very close. We will continue fighting."

The defeat also leaves City level on points with fifth-placed Manchester United.