The Etihad Stadium side came from a goal down to beat Liverpool 2-1 on Boxing Day, and the Chilean is anticipating six-team battle for the Premier League title

Manuel Pellegrini was impressed with the character of his Manchester City side after they came from behind to beat Liverpool 2-1.

City’s 100 per cent Premier League record at the Etihad Stadium this season was under threat when Philippe Coutinho put Brendan Rodgers’ in-form side in front.

However, free-scoring City were a constant threat in the first half and moved ahead by the break courtesy of goals from skipper Vincent Kompany and Alvaro Negredo.

Liverpool posed plenty of questions thereafter, demonstrating why they topped the table prior to Thursday’s game, but City held on for three precious points.

“It was very important [to win] because Liverpool were the best team in the Premier League,” Pellegrini told reporters. “They were top of the table before the match so if they won they would be four points in front of us.

“It was very important, especially when we were losing 1-0, the personality of the team to go for the game.

“I’m very happy with our response, because it’s not easy when you play such a difficult team who can play on the counter-attack when you are losing 1-0. It’s very easy for them to have space, but we defended very well.”

Just three points seperate the top four teams in the Premier League and Pellegrini is predicting an enthralling race for the title.

He said: “It’s just half of [the] Premier League [season completed]; we have the second half that will be very close with five or six teams going for the title.”

The Northern Irishman questioned the decision to have referee Lee Mason, from Greater Manchester, take charge of the 2-1 defeat to City at the Etihad Stadium on Boxing Day

Brendan Rodgers could be facing action from the FA after venting his frustration at the “horrendous” officials in Liverpool’s 2-1 defeat to Manchester City.

First-half goals from Vincent Kompany and Alvaro Negredo ended Liverpool’s four-match winning run after Philippe Coutinho had put the visitors in front at the Etihad Stadium.

The Merseyside outfit had their chances to secure at least a point in the second half, with Raheem Sterling wasting the best of them when he blazed over the crossbar from close range.

The lively Sterling had been incorrectly flagged offside when he raced clear in the first half and Bolton-born referee Lee Mason turned down penalty appeals when Luis Suarez had his shirt pulled by Joleon Lescott late on.

Rodgers said: “I was very proud of the players, I thought they were absolutely outstanding, but they had no help whatsoever from the officials.

“I never go on about officials, but today I thought they were horrendous in terms of performance. Nothing went our way at all.”

When asked which decision he was particularly irked by, the former Swansea City boss said: “Where do you want me to start?

“I thought the linesman on the offside, he wasn’t even on the same cut of grass and if you’re working on this level you have to get it right.

“It’s not even a difficult one and these are the things we work on and talk about. We’re asking the lad to get across and break their line, it’s a perfectly timed run and he’s given offside when he’s through one-on-one.

“They’re big moments in big games. There’s another incident in the second half where Luis doesn’t get a free-kick on the edge of the box where Joleon Lescott comes right through him and was waved play on.

“Arguably it’s a penalty at the end because Luis Suarez can’t jump where he’s got a hold of his shirt. But I thought it was throughout the evening as well. Hopefully we don’t have a Great Manchester official again with a Liverpool-Manchester game.

“I was surprised that we’re playing in Manchester and they have a referee from Greater Manchester. I’m sure we won’t get someone Liverpool v Man City from the Wirral.”

Arsene Wenger’s men regained their place at the Premier League summit by beating West Ham while City came from behind to defeat in-form Liverpool and keep up the pressure

There were comebacks galore in the Premier League on Boxing Day as Arsenal, Manchester United and Manchester City all came from behind to win at the top of the table.

Meanwhile, the complexion of the relegation zone altered again as Crystal Palace secured a dramatic victory, while the uncertainty surrounding Cardiff City is not being helped by matters on the pitch.