Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini insists he is not feeling any pressure as he prepares for this weekend's clash with Manchester United.
The reigning Premier League champions host the Red Devils on Sunday and Pellegrini is looking for a very positive outcome after seeing his side go down to West Ham United last weekend.
Pellegrini has been criticized recently for City's drop in performance but he has made it clear that he is not too worried about what has occurred in the early stages of the campaign.
"I don't know what pressure (there is)," said Pellegrini.
"I think it is very difficult to analyse the season when it is just in October, when you have just played nine Premier League games and you don't know whether or not you are going to qualify in the Champions League.
"It is the reality that we are eliminated from the Capital One Cup - but last year we were the only (title-contending) team to continue in the Capital One, so maybe the other teams will have more difficulties this season when they have to play so many games."
And Pellegrini added that he feels City will be a power as they were last term when they strode towards the Premier League title.
"I am sure that our team will be again the strong team that we were in the second half of last year," he added.
