MANCHESTER -- Manuel Pellegrini has set his sights on doing a Manchester derby double after declaring that his Manchester City side expect to win at Old Trafford on Tuesday.
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City defeated Manchester United 4-1 in September and go into their second meeting of the season 12 points ahead of their local rivals.
It means that, for the first time in the Premier League era, City will go to Old Trafford as favourites.
And manager Pellegrini said: “We always expect to go and win. We hope it will be beautiful day.”
City have won on their last two trips to Old Trafford, 6-1 in 2011 and 2-1 in April 2013, and Pellegrini’s reign was kick-started by the 4-1 triumph at the Etihad Stadium in his first taste of the Manchester rivalry.
He added: “It was important to win the first derby. It is a special match for the fans. A derby has a special importance because we know the fans enjoy winning against Manchester United.”
Whereas Pellegrini could end his first season in Manchester having won the title, his United counterpart, David Moyes, has endured tough times.
The Chilean added: “I think that everyone knows it was very difficult for him to replace Sir Alex Ferguson but I don’t analyse what he is doing. Maybe Manchester United have a difficult season but they are a very good team, one of the two English teams that stays in the Champions League.”
City only have two absentees from their squad, both of them expected. “Matija Nastasic and Sergio Aguero are still injured,” Pellegrini said.