Pellegrini: Monk wasn’t the problem at Swansea

Mark Holmes
Garry Monk: Sacked Swansea City boss backed by Manuel Pellegrini

Garry Monk: Sacked Swansea City boss backed by Manuel Pellegrini

Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini does not believe the sacking of Garry Monk will prove to be the solution to Swansea City’s problems.

The Swans announced the sacking of Monk on Wednesday after a run of just one win in 11 Premier League games.

That sequence has left the Welsh side just a point above the relegation zone, but Pellegrini does not think the man that guided the club to eighth last season is to blame.

The Chilean, whose side host the managerless Swans on Saturday, said: “I don’t think the problem of Swansea was the manager. I am sure he is the same good manager who made a very good season last year.

“But in football you are never surprised by anything because so many things change.”

Pellegrini hopes to take advantage of Swansea’s disarray after his side were knocked off the top of the table following defeat at Stoke City last weekend.

City were held to a frustrating draw by Aston Villa in Remi Garde’s first match in charge last month, but Pellegrini thinks that situation was different. Whereas Villa had made their appointment, Swansea are only just beginning their search for a new manager and will be under the charge of a caretaker boss in Alan Curtis.

Pellegrini said: “Always when a club change a manager they have a special motivation in the first game, but that is always a different thing, I think they cannot change too much in two or three days.”