Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini has dismissed the idea that there is a ‘campaign’ against title rivals Chelsea.
Manuel Pellegrini says he thinks everything is above board in the title race
The two sides are all set to square off in a massive Premier League game at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.
And the match comes at the end of a week in which Jose Mourinho was fined £25,000 for comments he made after a 1-1 draw at Southampton on December 28 which suggested pressure was being put on referees to give decisions against Chelsea.
The Chelsea manager was punished for saying: “There is a campaign against Chelsea. I don’t know why there is this campaign and I do not care.
“The media, commentators, other managers are all doing it.”
However, Pellegrini said on Friday: “I hope that in the Premier League they don't have a campaign against anyone.
“I hope all is fair and the referee makes mistakes for all the teams exactly the same, that the FA make the fixtures in a fair way.
"I think it is the best league in the world and I don't think it has any strange things. After that (any sort of campaign), if you won the title, it would not be an important title, because all is arranged."
However, as is usual, Pellegrini refused to get involved in any sort of personal attack on Mourinho.
"I don't talk about Mourinho," said the Manchester City boss.
"I'm not going to help you with those things because they are not important for me. I don't want to carry on in that way.
"This profession is so difficult for a manager - we have different styles. The way I do it is the best way for me, but it's not the only way to do it.
"Maybe you think you can take advantage but for me I don't think it's the normal way or the fair way."
And Pellegrini admitted he was wrong to compare Chelsea to Stoke after a 1-1 draw with the Londoners at the Etihad Stadium earlier this season.
Pellegrini felt Chelsea played in a defensive fashion and compared them after the match to a Stoke team who had won at City after employing what he felt were defensive tactics.
But Pellegrini now says: “It was a mistake to compare with Stoke.
“The style of every club, it depends on how the manager wants to do it. Chelsea can play in the way they want and we are going to continue playing in the style I think is the best for this team."
See Chelsea play Manchester City live on Saturday Night Football on Sky Sports 1 from 4.45pm.