MANCHESTER -- Manuel Pellegrini has set his Manchester City side the ambitious target of taking at least 22 points from their next eight games to reach the halfway point of the Premier League season in a position to retain their title.
City have only picked up 21 points from their first 11 games, while they trail league leaders Chelsea by eight points, and so Pellegrini believes they cannot afford to lose another Premier League match in 2014.
City need seven wins and a draw to meet the Chilean's demand, and if they achieve that, it would take them to 43 points -- exactly half their 86-point tally when they lifted the title last season.
Pellegrini told a news conference: "I think this week of November and December are a decisive month for the Premier League. We are going to play eight games of the Premier League, we are going to finish the first half [of fixtures] at the end of December.
"We have 24 more points to try to win. I think it is important to have a good first half. That is more than 41 or 42 points."
City only face one team who finished in the top seven last season -- Everton -- in their next eight league games, although they do have to travel to second-placed Southampton and host Swansea, who sit in fifth, on Saturday.
They also have home games against Crystal Palace and Burnley, as well as trips to Sunderland, Leicester and West Bromwich Albion before the New Year.
City went on a run of 18 wins and two draws in their first 20 matches after the November international break last season, and Pellegrini hopes for a repeat, adding: "That of course will be the best thing we can do."