English Premier League: Mancini urges City to finish with a flourish

Manager happy to have full squad back from injury, international duty.

MANCHESTER: Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini believes that injuries and international commitments have cost his team their Premier League title, but he is adamant that they will end the campaign in style.

A 4-0 victory over Newcastle United on Saturday provided one of this season’s rare examples of City scaling the heights that won them last season’s league title.

“If we had had all our players all season, maybe it would have been different,” said Mancini. “Now we have eight Premier League games and an FA Cup semi-final, so it’s important to have good form from our players. We played very well. Maybe it’s too late, but it’s important. We have another month left.

“Now it’s impossible we can win the title, but it’s important we finish the season well. Every top team, when you can’t win the title, it’s important you finish well.”

Benitez keeps faith despite Southampton loss

Meanwhile, Chelsea manager Rafael Benitez remains confident his side will finish in the Premier League’s top four and deliver silverware to Stamford Bridge despite their unexpected 2-1 defeat at Southampton.

Saturday’s loss at St Mary’s allowed Tottenham Hotspur to move above Benitez’s side into third place, while fifth-place Arsenal’s victory over Reading leaves them just two points adrift of the Blues.

With eight league games remaining – seven in the case of Tottenham – the battle to secure a place in the Champions League is set to intensify.

“Three points would have made things easier, but we have a game in hand,” said Benitez. “We have to carry on and concentrate on the United game, then think about Thursday [Rubin Kazan] and Sunderland at home. That is the way. You have to be ready for the next challenge.

“I have confidence we will finish in the top four and win one or two trophies.”

Gerrard inspires Liverpool’s impressive win

Jordan Henderson and Steven Gerrard struck second-half goals for Liverpool who increased Aston Villa’s Premier League relegation fears by recovering from going behind to secure a 2-1 away victory yesterday.

Belgium striker Christian Benteke, with his 14th league goal of the season, fired Villa into a first-half lead but the game changed in the first 15 minutes of the second-half.

Henderson equalised on 47 minutes and Gerrard fired home a penalty on the hour to leave Villa stuck in the bottom three.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 1^st, 2013.