Defiant Pellegrini fields kiddie corps in Chelsea

Manuel Pellegrini refused to apologize for his controversial decision to field a team of youngsters after Manchester City was dumped out of the FA Cup with a 5-1 thrashing at Chelsea.

Pellegrini was accused of disrespecting the famous old competition as he selected six teenagers, with five making their full debuts, and then watched them wither in City's worst defeat since its Abu Dhabi-based owners bought the club in 2008.

With City due to play its Champions League last-16, first-leg tie at Dynamo Kiev on Wednesday and then face Liverpool in the League Cup final on Sunday, Pellegrini felt forced to turn to his raw rookies because the FA refused to listen to his plea to stage the fifth-round tie on Saturday instead of bowing to television demands to play it on Sunday.