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Manuel Pellegrini was delighted with the character of his team after they beat Sunderland 3-2.

The Blues threw away a two-goal lead to draw against Burnley on Sunday and looked to be heading for a case of deja vu when former City player Jack Rodwell and Adam Johnson cancelled out goals from Yaya Toure and Stevan Jovetic.

But up stepped Frank Lampard to nod in the winner for City, allowing the manager to be satisfied with three points gained rather than another two dropped.

"I thought we played a very good game for 90 minutes," Pellegrini said.

"Maybe in the first half we were very patient but we pressed very well, we didn't give any chances to Sunderland to score.

"The only thing that we talked with the players about at half-time was maybe we didn't make the correct moments in the last third of the pitch. They had ten players behind the ball.

"But then I think we rearranged it in the first 15 minutes [ of the second half]. We scored two beautiful goals with good moments. After that it is difficult to understand.

"Maybe the corner I can understand because they have very tall players and they are a very dangerous team from set-pieces. The penalty was maybe too easy for them to cut inside us on the pitch but once again this team had the personality and the character to go for the third goal .

"It was very similar to what happened against Burnley but I think we didn't have any cost today.

"We went for the game and we scored the third goal and we had three or four clear chances to score more goals and i think in that sense [Costel] Pantilimon was their best player."