Mancini wary of Liverpool threat

City manager warns team against complacency.

MANCHESTER:

Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini has warned his players that Liverpool are capable of dealing another major blow to their title hopes in today’s showdown at Eastlands.

The reigning Premier League champions wasted a chance to keep the pressure on Manchester United when they were held to a 0-0 draw by struggling QPR in midweek, and they could be 10 points behind the leaders by the time they face Liverpool this weekend.

Mancini believes Liverpool will always be a threat while they can call on the likes of Luis Suarez and Steven Gerrard.

“When you want to change like Liverpool have it is difficult sometimes,” said Mancini. “Liverpool always is a strong team. It will be a dangerous game today.”

City have yet to concede a goal in 2013 and have kept seven straight cleansheets in all competitions, but Mancini feels they also have to start scoring more if they are to close the gap on United.

“I think we improve a lot with our defence because the entire team works hard. It is important to keep this but to score also. We maybe should have seven to nine goals more.”

Mancini is also hoping United’s busy February and March, during which they face Real Madrid in the last 16 of the Champions League, will cause them to drop points in domestic action.

“They are two important games for United so I think that February and March could be the time when it’s possible to decide this championship.”

City will be without captain Vincent Kompany today as the defender is out for up to three weeks with a calf injury, but Mancini is hopeful Matija Nastasic will return at the back after missing the QPR draw.

Suarez, Sturridge consistently improving: Pascoe

Meanwhile, Liverpool assistant manager Colin Pascoe believes the forward pairing of Suarez and Daniel Sturridge is improving all the time, as the Reds look to become the first team to score against City this year.

“Good players will gel together and Sturridge and Suarez are good players,” said Pascoe. “When they get on the pitch the football takes over and the football brain and football finesse means they gel together.”

Manager Brendan Rodgers expressed his concern with his young squad following their embarrassing FA Cup exit to Oldham last weekend, but Pascoe believes January signing Philippe Coutinho will add to the squad.

“Coutinho has played a lot of games from a young age. What we have got there is a young talent who has played a lot for Inter Milan and Espanyol. The young lads who have come through have been absolutely brilliant but he has a lot of experience. He has to sort a few things out in Milan but he’ll be back next week and he will be a great addition to the squad.”

Published in The Express Tribune, February 3^rd, 2013.