Sports

English Premier League: Race for title has ended, says Mancini

City manager now keen to maintain goal difference with lower teams.

Reuters March 28, 2013

City have registered 10 points, losing twice and drawing twice, since late January when captain Kompany made his last appearance for the club. PHOTO: AFP

LONDON: Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini threw in the towel for his club's English Premier League (EPL) title challenge yesterday, saying the motivation for the rest of the season was to keep the teams below them at a safe distance.

Defeat to Everton in their last EPL outing left City trailing leaders Manchester United by 15 points with nine games remaining.

“It’s over but this doesn’t change anything because we should do our best from now to the end,” said Mancini. “Every top team, when they can’t win a title, should still try to play well and win all their games.”

Mancini made the same assessment last season when City trailed United by eight points with six games to go before they rallied to snatch the title on the final day on goal difference.

“This is different [to last season],” he added. “I don’t know how we will finish this season, because we have Chelsea four points behind us and Tottenham five points behind. We have nine games left and for this reason it’s important we keep working hard and well.”

A seemingly crucial part of City’s decline in recent weeks has been the absence of captain and defender Vincent Kompany who has been out with a calf injury since January 26.

Van Persie hints wants to end career at United

Meanwhile, Robin van Persie feels he could stay at United for the rest of his career after enjoying a superb first season at Old Trafford.

“For the next few years I will be at United – maybe longer,” the 29-year-old was quoted as saying by the BBC. “United could be my last club.”

Van Persie has been enthused by the new challenge after eight years at Arsenal where he only won the 2005 FA Cup.

“There is a new challenge for me every day at United. My development is an ongoing process. That gets an extra boost when you are surrounded by new coaches and team mates, all with their own ideas, in a totally new environment.”

Published in The Express Tribune, March 29^th, 2013.