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Updated: 11/04/2012 22:36 | By ESPN staff, www.espn.co.uk

Mancini claims Man City are not back in the title hunt



Sergio Aguero celebrates after scoring the opening goal, Manchester City v West Bromwich Albion, Barclays Premier League, Etihad Stadium, April 11, 2012

Sergio Aguero scored two and created another for Manchester City in their win against West Brom

Roberto Mancini delivered an unusual post-match interview on Wednesday, refusing to accept that Manchester City are back in the Premier League title race despite United's loss at Wigan.

Defeat for the Red Devils at the DW Stadium means City are back within five points after their own 4-0 drubbing of West Brom. With the Manchester derby still to come, City now only need United to drop points in one other fixture between now and the end of the season to leave it in their own hands.

However, asked if City are back in the title race, Mancini replied on Sky Sports: "No. It is important mathematically. But United are a fantastic team and I don't think they can lose five points.

"For us it is important that we finish this good season for us well. This is the best season since 1968 and this is important. I fight always, every day, and also my team but now I think it is too late.

"I think they have fantastic spirit, United. We don't have the same spirit and for this reason I think this is very difficult. We have 74 points so we are in the Champions League."

City are not yet officially in the Champions League, with fifth-placed Newcastle 15 points behind with 15 to play for. However, City have a superior goal difference of 45 compared to the Magpies, so Mancini's point is somewhat valid.

Pressed on whether he was playing mind games with his refusal to claim City are back in the title hunt, Mancini replied: "I don't believe this."

Goals from Sergio Aguero(2), Carlos Tevez and David Silva earned City the points against West Brom, and Mancini now hopes their blip is over. "For three of four games we didn't play well, we conceded too many goals, but I hope we've come back tonight after those games," the Italian stated.

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15Comments
12/04/2012 01:03
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Mancini also said Tevez would never play for the club again and that City WOULD win the league.

It doesn't really matter what he has to say. The title race is well and truly alive! Villa, Sunderland and Swansea are all perfectly good enough teams to snatch a draw against United. Then if City beat United and win their games then the title is theirs. So how he can say "its over" I don't know!

In my opinion United will still just about win it because I can still see City dropping points although I would favor them to beat United at home. They are certainly capable of winning their remaining games. Maybe with Balotelli being put into the background and Tevez being back in the team along with this high scoring victory might spur them on to get maximum points. Then it would only take one slip up from a very fortunate United team to hand City the title. Lets face it in the last few games United could have easily dropped points. Fulham should of had a penalty in the dying minutes that would have got them a draw. QPR were cheated out of the game early on by poor refereeing and one cheating player. Blackburn were less than 10 mins away from snatching a draw! Even though Wigan won they had a goal wrongly disallowed! Taking all this into consideration I can certainly see United dropping some points before the end.

Either way it is all speculation. However as a neutral I am delighted that United lost and City won to keep the title race alive. Maybe that game at the Etihad will be the climax of the season after all!  
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I take it all back!!!

It seems the Mancs derby could well be the decider for the title instead of being a dead rubber!

After all that hard work Arsenal did to help out Utd this is the thanks we get a p1ss poor showing at Wigan!

Mind you with the mediocre performances by Utd of late they should have dropped far more points had the refs not helped them out a bit!

I agree with Joker to a certain extent I can see Utd dropping more points presuming the refs do their jobs properly!!!.

It'd be hilarious if City did actually win the title, I'll be laughing my asre off especially at the cocky arrogant Utd supporters that thought it was a mere formality and foregone conclusion.

Zulu, you won't be able to show your face on here (literally speaking!) Nerd

12/04/2012 01:12
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cause hes back in  the hunt hes not going to tell you  if city beat united the gap is 2 points then it becomes very close as citys last 4 games are a lot easy than uniteds last 4 
12/04/2012 04:07
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You are right Poker. It doesn't matter what he says. Mancini has has such a hard time with the press twisting and throwing his words back at him. Given his English is so ifffy, he is now nervous about saying anything that will put extra pressure on the team.

 

I also think Utd will still win it, but would love to see it go down to who wins at the Etihad.

 

 

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With an 8 point difference Mancini said he was still in the race, with a 5 point gap, he throws in the towel?

 

Maybe these are Mancini mind games, unusual, but could prove to work.

The last few games will be interesting

 

 

12/04/2012 09:57
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City still have Norwich and Newcastle to play away, neither  easy games. United's run in has softer opposition. That said, until last night, they may have included Wigan as a "banker". Mancini's right to turn down the expectation in the press, though; any comment about them being able to win the title at this stage would look like boastful stupidity.

 

On the other hand I'd be betting that he's saying the opposite to his squad, because if they can play like they did last night until  the end of the season they're more than capable of winning their final games, and  if United play like they did against Wigan [and other recent games] they are quite capable of dropping points. If City win their last matches United only need to draw one, and lose to City and then it could be down to goal difference....Exciting times!

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With 'I/He will never play for man City again' Tevez scoring last night, anything is possible Roberto or are you playiong mind games rather than appearing to be defeatist? By the way, good on Wigan yesterday, not for simply defeating the probable Premier title winners, but as Fergie said, Wigan are playing far better than their lowly position would indicate, so 'deserve' not to be relegated. Meanwhile, welcome to the Championship Wolves! It is not a question of if but merely when. May I also take this opportunity of welcoming to the Football League those, er, little tiddlers called the Cod Army i.e. Fleetwood Town. Again it is merely a question of when not if and that could be as early as tomorrow night.Are they going to emulate Ross County who five seasons ago were playing in the Highland League and are now set for the Scottish Premier League? They had belief Mancini. Food for thought, eh?
12/04/2012 12:03
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utter rubbish joe reeves... if you think the 'goal' was disallowed correctly then I suggest you start watching netball instead.

United were universally reviled prior to the baconface years and they success they've brought them, purely and simply because of the divine right, arrogance of its supporters and also the way the club presents itself. The fact that you think different merely marks you down as the sort of clown who thinks football was actually invented in 1993.

12/04/2012 10:05
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As has been said this is "mind games" but he is against the master of mind games in the presence of SAF. Mancini may as well bein the 3rd division in a battle of wits against SAF, he has no chance and way out of his league. Even as a United supporter I would love to see us win it but it's not over till it's over and both still have a good chance. 5 points ahead and still 15 points to play for, though it's advantage United. If City drop any points it's more or less over for them, while United is able to drop a couple points and still have a little breathing room. United have been here before and know what to expect, City doesn't.
12/04/2012 12:38
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as a non Man united support  i think it unfair by everyone to say that the always are given unfair decisions you should look at the bad decisions given every week to all teams for or against. The FIFA rules have in my opinion been altered so much that most people don't understand the rules anymore.In a game recently a team was allowed i my opinion a goal but had to players in a offside position in the 6 yard area obstructing the keepers view off a shot from 20 yards out ,before the changes were made it would have been a disallowed goal. So as i say if the Man United keeper was obstructed in his move to the ball in anyway it was correct .
 
12/04/2012 13:07
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Dan Lund, why dont you contact the FA then and tell them to knock the remaining games on the head as obviously you possess the gift that can dictate what is going to happen!!! Idiot
12/04/2012 12:52
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this is the first thing he's got right all season ,
12/04/2012 10:16
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chris matthews-    He didnt say they were still in the title with 8 points gap. he said if we lose to arsenal and united win its over. United wont throw this away now, trust me.

 

12/04/2012 08:20
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And they talk about Fergison playing mind games!!!!!!!!!!
12/04/2012 10:56
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ok i have to say it is getting a bit tedious having to read and listen about man united's luck. but people forget about the times united have not been given decisions like last nights game which yeah wigan were the better team but the disallowed goal was a clear obstruction on the keeper. the goal wigan scored was a fantastic strike but it came from a corner that should not have been. and lets not forget the handball committed by the wigan player. i just think united are the object of much hatred and jealousy and get picked on because of their success over the years

 

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