Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini admits that his new one-year contract extension will mean nothing, if they fail to secure any silverware this season.
Having won successive matches against West Brom and reigning champions Chelsea in the space of six days, the sky Blues have assembled a promising side that continues to get stronger year-upon-year, in their quest for domination in Europe.
Eager to break club-record, and beyond
Ahead of their trip to Goodison Park, they'll equal a club-record nine straight league victories - but Pellegrini himself admitted that if the side fail to deliver after such an encouraging start to proceedings in the Premier League, he will most probably be sacked too.
The experienced Chilean said that "in a big team, you cannot be two years without winning a title." Despite a strong end to last season, they were knocked out of the Capital One Cup and FA Cup early, so they lost their biggest opportunities to seal domestic glory.
Now or never for City and Pellegrini
Reports continously linked Bayern Munich boss Pep Guardiola with the job, and since then, Pellegrini admitted when you don't win a title, that you "must change some things", which they've altered in the summer with a few new signings in the ranks.
Raheem Sterling, Fabian Delph and Nicolás Otamendi - who've joined the club for the combined total of around £90million pounds, will all be expected to fight for their places within the side. Raheem has already established himself as a mainstay in the first-team, having started both of their previous league games, and his encouraging build-up play is a marvel to see, especially the way he seemingly glides past defenders with ease.
Speaking of Raheem, Pellegrini was quick to put his faith in the 20-year-old youngster, who caused quite a controversial saga in the end to force a move away from Liverpool. "I am sure in two or three years, we will see that we paid the correct price for Raheem - he scored eleven goals last season, so I hope in the next few years he can score between twenty and twenty-three."
"He is a very good player and I'm sure in a few years it will show that the price we paid was cheap."