Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini has warned his side must overcome a difficult obstacle at Crystal Palace to avoid losing yet more ground to their rivals . Fading champions City had to watch in frustration on Saturday , not only as Chelsea extended their lead at the top of the Barclays Premier League , but as Arsenal and Manchester United shunted them down to fourth . Slipping to such a position was not in the script when City pulled level with Chelsea on New Year 's Day and any further slips would increase the pressure on Pellegrini significantly . Manuel Pellegrini has warned his side must overcome a difficult obstacle at Crystal Palace . Manchester City manager Pellegrini does not want his side to lose any more ground in the race for the title . With the Manchester derby coming next week , City can ill afford to drop points at Selhurst Park on Monday but Pellegrini knows the Eagles have become a tough proposition under Alan Pardew . Pellegrini said : 'Maybe they are playing different . They are in a good moment and they are playing with a lot of trust . 'With the other manager also Crystal Palace was a difficult team , but now they are playing at home . ' City laboured to a 3-0 win over Palace at the Etihad Stadium in December in what proved Neil Warnock 's penultimate match in charge . Pardew was appointed early in the new year and since then they have proved highly resilient , losing just three times in the Premier League and removing relegation fears . The Monday fixture has meant both sides have had to be patient for their return to action after the international break . It is a wait that could have been advantageous in terms of extra rest had their rivals lost over the weekend . Manchester City players celebrate scoring against West Bromwich Albion in their last match . Pellegrini knows hisside can ill afford to fall further behind Chelsea in the Premier League title race . Pellegrini ( left ) will try to close the gap between his team and Chelsea at the top of the Premier League . It has not turned out that way with Saturday 's positive results for Chelsea , Arsenal and United turning the heat up on City , but Pellegrini claims it does not make any difference . The Chilean said : ' I do n't think we have excuses about those things . We are going to play the last game of this matchday but that does n't matter . 'It is not an excuse and not an advantage . All the national players arrived back on Wednesday - most of them - so every team had three or four days to prepare . It is not so important . ' Should Pablo Zabaleta feature for City it would come just two days after his wife gave birth to a son , Asier . Argentina international Zabaleta previously announced his wife 's pregnancy to the wider world with a baby-themed goal celebration during a 4-1 win at Sunderland in December .
Manchester City face Selhurst Park on Monday night at Crystal Palace . City remain nine points behind Chelsea in the Premier League . Manuel Pellegrini knows his team can not afford to lose any more ground .