Yaya Toure to Inter Milan: Manuel Pellegrini blasts Toure's form as Manchester City midfielder 'has not been good enough'

Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini has laid in to Yaya Toure after saying his performances this season "have not been good enough".

Toure’s future at City is in the balance along with Pellegrini’s, but the Chilean manager remained defiant in claiming he is not facing the sack even though City will end the season trophyless unless the most incredible of turnarounds occurs at the top of the Premier League.

Recent defeats to Arsenal, Burnley and Manchester United have left City on the brink in the race from the top four, and they’ve dropped out of the title race having shown throughout the first half of the season that they were the biggest threat to current league leaders Chelsea.

Elimination in the League Cup, FA Cup and Champions League has not helped Pellegrini’s cause, while the poor form of key names such as Toure and captain Vincent Kompany has led to calls for a complete squad revamp in the summer.

However, speaking ahead of Sunday’s Premier League visit of West Ham to the Etihad, Pellegrini admitted that while he was not impressed by Toure’s performances across the season, he expects the Ivorian to stay at the club amid suggestions of a move to Inter Milan.

"I don't think Yaya is happy with his performance this year, and I am not happy also with his performance. But we must support him and he will return to his normal performance,” said Pellegrini.

"He's a very important player and he will have my support until the end of the season."

Pellegrini went on to suggest that something had changed from the Toure that drove City on to the title last season. Having featured at the World Cup last summer for Ivory Coast, Toure received the devastating news that his brother Ibrahim had died at the age of just 28 after a battle with cancer.

Pellegrini added: "He doesn't need a break. For a lot of reasons he's not the same Yaya he was last season but he continues being a very important player for our team.

"Maybe all of you are waiting to criticise him or (for us to) sacrifice him, but Yaya will continue playing here because he is a very important player for me and the squad and for everyone."

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Speaking about his own future, 61-year-old Pellegrini insisted that he was very happy with life in the Premier League and doesn’t see himself leaving this summer, even though the highly-rated Jürgen Klopp has made himself available after deciding to leave Borussia Dortmund at the end of the season.

"Of course, I'm very happy. This is one of the most important clubs in the world. I'm very happy with the fans, the owner, the players,” he said.

"I'm unhappy with the results, especially this year, but I'm very happy here.

"I have a contract for three years. I'm not thinking if we are going to extend it (yet). I'm in the second year. The first year was very good, the second year is not so good. We'll see what happens at the end of the season."