Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini has refused to concede defeat in the Premier League title race following their 2-1 defeat to Crystal Palace, claiming that there will be just "one or two points" between the top four.

Despite being under siege for most of the game at Selhurst Park, the Eagles found themselves two goals up by the 50-minute mark, thanks to goals by Glenn Murray and Jason Puncheon.

Yaya Toure gave his side hope by scoring in the latter stages of the game, but they were unable to conjure up an equaliser, leaving them nine points behind Chelsea at the final whistle.

Pellegrini told Sky Sports News: "For today at least I am very happy with the team played but very disappointed with the score. We have lost our last three games away and we were the best up until Christmas.

"I think I said two or three weeks ago all we can do is try to add the most amount of points we can in our seven games and we will see who is first, second, third and fourth. It will be very tight and normally you only have one or two points in it."

Up next for City is the Manchester derby against United at Old Trafford on Sunday.