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MANCHESTER. — Manuel Pellegrini insists he will still be in charge of Manchester City at the start of next season after the deposed champions ended the campaign with a 2-0 victory over Southampton.

A sixth consecutive win ensured Pellegrini’s side rounded off the season in impressive form and, with chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak on hand at Eastlands for Sunday, the City manager played down suggestions he could face a difficult meeting with his employer after surrendering the title to Chelsea and failing to win a trophy this term.

“I’m always talking with Khaldoon every week,” he said. “I don’t need a special meeting with him.

“Of course when you finish the season you must analyse what we did, where we made mistakes and where we must improve, but we have very good communication.”

The game marked a farewell to English football for City’s former Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard, who opened the scoring with the 259th goal of his club career.

Sergio Aguero, with his 26th league goal of the season, wrapped up City’s victory late on, but the focus was very much on Lampard, who joins New York City FC after a near 20-year career in English football.

“I spoke before the game with the whole squad and said it was important to finish the season here with a win in front of our own fans,” said Pellegrini. — AFP.