text: Stuart Pearce believes Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini deserves more time to turnaround the club’s dwindling fortunes. City’s challenge for the title has capitulated in recent weeks and Pellegrini’s men now face a battle to even finish in the top four. A derby day thumping at the hands of rivals Manchester United only compounded their misery, but Pearce believes City should stick with the 61-year-old. Stuart Pearce believes Manuel Pellegrini should be given more time to turn Manchester City around . The look of dejection on the faces of the Manchester City players has been a familiar sign this season . Pearce told talkSPORT: ‘The club is at a stature now where they look to continually be in the Champions League and win Premier Leagues. The club will have a good look at themselves in the summer, but I’m not a big favour of turning managers over quickly. “I hope the manager stays in place. He has been around the block long enough to realise the squad needs freshening up drastically this summer.” Yaya Toure has had a largely ineffective season for current champions Manchester City this season . Toure and Fernandinho  look dejected during the Premier League defeat to Manchester United  at Old Trafford . Pearce, who spent time at the club as both a manager and a player, blamed City’s poor run of form on the fading influence of Ivorian Yaya Toure. ‘Where City have suffered historically is when Toure has either lost form or been away on African Nations tours," said Pearce. Sergio Aguero has been a rare shining light in Manchester City's under performing squad this season .
target: Stuart Pearce feels Manuel Pellegrini deserves more time at the Etihad .
  Pellegrini is under pressure following their recent league capitulation .
  The Citizens were smashed by rivals Manchester United on Sunday .
  Manchester City now sit fourth in the league 12 points adrift of Chelsea .