MANCHESTER -- Manuel Pellegrini hopes to cap the dramatic transformation in Manchester City's away form by claiming three points in a must-win game at Goodison Park to put his side in pole position to win the Premier League.
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caption:Manchester City have greatly improved their form away from home since a rough start.
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City were heavily criticised when they only took four points from a possible 18 in their first six games on the road under Pellegrini.
But they have taken 27 from a possible 36 since then and visit Everton knowing that a 10th away win of the season would only leave them needing two home victories to become champions again.
And manager Pellegrini said in a news conference: "It is very important to be fighting until the end because we started the season playing very badly away, we won just four points from the first 18.
"But from that moment on we've been one of the best away teams. It is important to continue playing that way. We are just thinking about the next game against Everton. It is very important to win."
Pellegrini insists he has no regrets about letting midfielder Gareth Barry join Everton on loan this season, even though he accepts the Englishman has gone to play a major role at Goodison Park.
Barry is ineligible to face his parent club on Saturday but Pellegrini had opted to keep Jack Rodwell, who has only made one league start in an injury-hit season, instead of the 32-year-old.
He explained: "It was very important for Gareth to play. I had five midfielders. I kept Jack Rodwell because he had more years [left on his] contract. I am very happy for him he had a very good year."