Manuel Pellegrini was satisfied with Manchester City's 1-1 draw against Blackburn on Saturday and they are now set for an F.A. Cup replay at the Etihad. The Rovers' intensity in the second half was too much for City's back four and Scott Dann took advantage of a costly mistake by Costel Pantilimon to give Blackburn a well-earned draw.
"I think it’s very important to still be in the cup – we played against a strong home team," Pellegrini said after the match. "There is a lot of motivation for a Championship team playing against a Premier League team."
The Citizens went into the half with a one-goal lead after Alvaro Negredo knocked home a deflected corner in the 45th minute. The Rovers responded quickly after the break, but a late rush by City wasn't enough to secure the win at Ewood Park.
"We are playing so often, it’s important to have a fresh team for every game – we tried it today," Pellegrini explained. "In the first-half, we played very well – after they equalized we were trying to score the second goal, so it was OK."
The Citizens' defense was rattled in the second half, but Pellegrini refused to single out his players after the match.
"I always analyze the team performance, not individuals – Blackburn are a very strong team at home," he added. "We will see who will continue when we play at home - I think that we’ve drawn and we have to play another game."
Blackburn manager Gary Bowyer, on the other hand, was more than satisfied with his club's performance against one of England's best. The Manchester native noted that he has "nothing but pride" for his club's ability to fight back as the Championship side will now look to regroup before taking on the Citizens at the unwavering Etihad.
"I thought we were excellent today against a world-class City team capable of winning every competition they’re in this season," Bowyer stated after the 1-1 draw.
The F.A. Cup third round replay will take place on January 15th and City's Dedryck Boyata will be unavailable after seeing red in the second half on Saturday. Can the Blackburn Rovers ride their momentum into the Etihad in two weeks or will the Citizens regain their strength at home where they've been practically unbeatable this season?
