As City Football Group Looks Forward Does Pellegrini Face The Ax?

"Dead Man Walking."

That is what large elements of the British press want us to believe is the current predicament of Manuel Pellegrini. Of course, last year they claimed he was a dead man walking he really was not and ended up signing a contract extension at the start of the 2015-16 campaign.

The reality of City Football Group's current state is that after the Chinese investment of this past week, the building of the Etihad Campus in East Manchester, the success of the women's team and the growing success of the youth programs, the acquisition of clubs in Australia, Japan and the USA, the flagship senior men's team is now the biggest going concern. So Pellegrini ought to be worried.

Pellegrini is showing some signs of changing due to the pressure.

• While the Blues Manager still doesn't call out players he no longer defends performances after shocking defeats.
• Pellegrini is becoming more animated to describe his sides failings.
• While still stubborn by the standards of pragmatic managers, Pellegrini has changed his tactics quicker in-game then he would in the past, making halftime or early second half substitutions.