Manchester City fans should be ashamed by limp Pellegrini tribute

In front of an Etihad Stadium barely a quarter-full, Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini marked his final home match with a tribute from supporters that was nothing short of embarrassing.

Simply put, Pellegrini deserved better. A lot better.

Moments after Sunday's underwhelming 2-2 draw with Arsenal that threatened City's Champions League spot, Pellegrini, 62, emerged from the bowels of the Etihad and was noticeably dismayed by the number of empty seats.

The decision to take the players off the pitch before the tribute was mystifying, and that, paired with the club's flaccid run-in, may partially explain the exodus of supporters. Perhaps the 55,000 in attendance had a train to catch, or maybe Tony's Stadium Chippy around the corner was having a giveaway.

Regardless, Pellegrini deserved better.

To make matters even worse for the decorated Chilean, his words of praise and thanks were indistinguishable courtesy of the stadium's PA system.

Pellegrini, who joined Manchester City in 2013 after a successful spell at Andalusian side Malaga, guided a club that was long-resigned to playing second fiddle to rival Manchester United to its first Premier League/League Cup double in his first year in charge. The Citizens scored an obscene 156 goals that campaign.

The former Real Madrid gaffer then led City to a second League Cup victory and shepherded the club to its furthest Champions League progression, losing to Real in the semis due to an unfortunate Fernando own goal.

Responsible for half of the club's Premier League titles, Pellegrini deserved better than what 2015-16 had in store. Forced out by Pep Guardiola's appointment, Pellegrini's standing with the club has seemingly eroded along with City's form.

City supporters may feel aggrieved, thinking they, like Pellegrini, deserved better.

Pegged by many to win its third top-flight title in five seasons, City, like the Premier League's other marquee sides, could do little to prevent the Leicester City behemoth. With nary a victory against top-five sides and a dismal 10 defeats on the campaign, a once-promising era is now in need of a massive overhaul.

The recruitment of new players - which to be fair, isn't solely Pellegrini's responsibility - has been poor, leaving Guardiola with a fair bit of work ahead of next season. It's hard to blame the former Chilean international for lacking foresight, since he's been ushered out with one year left on his contract.

With one match left in a decorated three-year tenure, it's hard not to feel bad for Pellegrini on the heels of Sunday's limp tribute.

He deserved better. A lot better.