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Let’s face it, Manuel Peligrini is not long for The Etihad. Following their 1-0 loss away to Burnley on Saturday, Manchester City are now six points behind Chelsea in the Barclays Premier League having played a game more, and are just one point ahead of Arsenal in third and two ahead of bitter fourth-placed rivals Man United. They aren't going to win the Premier League; they didn’t win the League Cup; they’re out of the FA Cup and in a few days’ time they’ll be out of the Champions League.
So a trophy-less season. And these days Manchester City don’t do trophy-less seasons. At least, not without heads rolling.
Whatever you think about the merits of sacking a manager who just last year delivered a league and cup double, the cold reality is that Pellegrini's Abu Dhabi paymasters don't tolerate failure. So who will replace the Chilean when he inevitably gets the sack? The18 takes a look at some of the leading candidates.
Carlo Ancelotti (3/1)
Photo: @si_soccer | Twitter
The Italian’s curriculum vitae includes league titles in three different countries, three Champions League trophies, two World Club Championships, an FA Cup, a Coppa Italia and a Copa del Rey, not to mention countless other minor domestic and European trophies.
Despite such a glittering résumé, and delivering Real Madrid their long-sought Decima, it seems less and less likely that Ancelotti will be at the Bernabau next season. Following their 4-3 midweek Champions League defeat at home to Schalke, a result that still took them through to the quarter finals, Real's favourite mouthpiece Marca led with an article simply entitled "Manchester Awaits." For whatever reason Florentino Perez has never liked the Italian, and he seems itching to get rid.
City's money men will be eager to make Madrid's loss Manchester's gain, especially given his proven record in Europe.
Diego Simeone (5/1)
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It’s no (ok, maybe a slight) exaggeration to say Diego Simeone has performed miracles of Biblical proportions at Atletico Madrid: a La Liga title, a Champions League final appearance, a Europa League title and a Copa del Rey. That silverware was collected in spite of the rojiblancos having to sell their best talent year in, year out: Radamel Falcao, Diego Costa and Felipe Luis to name just three.
As with Ancelotti, Simeone’s European chops will be of interest to City, as will his work ethic and discipline: something that’s been lacking at times this season under Pellegrini. With their seemingly limitless budget, City will be confident of being able to lure the Argentine away from Spain’s capital city. Despite being under contract until 2017, rumours abound that the Argentine could be warming to a move away from Vicente Calderon.
Rafa Benitez (10/1)
Photo: @thefootballcafe | Twitter
The fat Spanish waiter yearns for a return to the Premier League, as his temporary stint at Chelsea demonstrated in the second half of 2012-13. Benitez knows how to compete in the BPL and, most importantly, has a proven European record, having won the Champions League with Liverpool, the Europa League with Chelsea and its predecessor (the UEFA Cup) with Valencia.
Benitez's contract at Serie A side Napoli expires at the end of the season, and few expect him to renew. Indeed, a number of media outlets have already gone balls-out in declaring him the next City boss. We suspect, however, that there are a couple of names ahead of him in the pecking order.
Jurgen Klopp (16/1)
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2014-15 has been a season of two halves for Klopp. In the relegation places before the Bundesliga’s winter break, Borussia Dortmund are winning again in 2015 and, remarkably, within striking distance of the Champions League places. Which is doubly good news for Klopp’s suitors. Most people now agree that this will be his last season in Dortmund, but their strong end to the year has done enough to ensure Klopp’s reputation isn’t unduly tarnished. That and his two Bundesliga titles and Champions League final appearance, of course.
Pep Guardiola (25/1)
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Undoubtedly who City – and every other major club – would ideally like to see in their dug-out, Pep Guardiola still has a season remaining on his three-year deal with Bayern Munich. With the Bavarians again on course to win the Bundesliga at a canter, it seems unlikely either side will break that contract prematurely.
That’s not to say City won’t attempt to make the Spaniard an offer he can’t refuse; we’re just not convinced walking out on a storied club like Bayern for the comparatively gauche Manchester City is Guardiola’s style.
Sean Dyche (50/1)
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Why not? The Ginger Mourinho took Burnley into the Premier League – and could well keep them there – on a fraction of the resources available to the blue half of Manchester. He’s taken four points from a possible six against City this season despite operating on a budget totalling fractionally less than Vincent Kompany’s monthly gym membership, and you could count on him squeezing every last ounce of effort and commitment from The Citizens’ expensively assembled squad of underachievers.
Of course, Sean Dyche doesn’t have the caché or name recognition of a Klopp or a Simeone, nor does he have the silverware and proven track record of an Ancelotti or Guardiola. But if he’s good enough to out-think Pellegrini and City twice in a single season, maybe he’s also good enough to deliver on a bigger stage.
