Manchester City seek salvation against Barnsley

Premier League champions play minnows in FA quarter-final today.

MANCHESTER: Manchester City defender Pablo Zabaleta admits the Premier League champions have a lot to learn from this season as they look to overcome Barnsley in their FA Cup quarter-final at Eastlands today.

The Blues trail Premier League leaders Manchester United by 12 points as they edge closer to relinquishing their title to their fiercest rivals.

And even though Zabaleta refuses to admit defeat in that race, he concedes City have made too many errors defending their crown.

“As for this season, it goes without saying that we wanted to have a closer gap than 12 points,” he said. “We have the FA Cup to go for as well, but obviously, when you look at the team you expect us to do better.

“We’ve dropped too many points this season in games that we know we had to win if we want to win the title. So we need to learn from our mistakes.”

The visit of Championship side Barnsley presents a different challenge today as City know defeat would make their season even worse.

Midfielder David Silva believes the FA Cup presents the club with their last real chance of silverware this term.

“It’s another chance to get to Wembley and it is very important that we win this game,” said the Spaniard. “The league is very, very difficult now. But we can reach the Cup Final, so we have to focus on this game.”

Published in The Express Tribune, March 9^th, 2013.