Mancini 'nose' City need to make their move to catch runaway leaders United

By Ian Ladyman

PUBLISHED: 06:14 EST, 15 March 2013 | UPDATED: 08:38 EST, 15 March 2013


Roberto Mancini has warned that Manchester City must make inroads in to neighbours United's lead at the top of the Barclays Premier League in the next fortnight if they are to have any chance of retaining their title.

Mancini injected some humour into his press conference by sporting a red nose in recognition of Red Nose Day.

City are 12 points behind United going in to this weekend's games and Sir Alex Ferguson's team show no signs of giving up their lead.

Comic relief: Roberto Mancini wore a red nose for charity at today's Manchester City press conference

Comic relief: Roberto Mancini wore a red nose for charity at today's Manchester City press conference

Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini wears a red nose for charity during a press conference
Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini wears a red nose for charity during a press conference
Talk it out: Mancini (centre) put his players through their paces at training today ahead of the visit of Everton

Talk it out: Mancini (centre) put his players through their paces at training today ahead of the visit of Everton

City manager feels his team must cut the lead in some way before the Manchester clubs meet at Old Trafford on April 7.

Mancini said today: 'This weekend is important for us, the next two or three games are crucial. If United lost some points then maybe...

'Then after that we have the derby. We hope we can play the derby with the lead down to 10 or nine or seven points.

'When you are behind you need to win every game. You need to do everything.

City travel to Everton tomorrow, a team that has beaten them five times during Mancini's three years at the Etihad Stadium.

Striker Sergio Aguero and defender Vincent Kompany are both still out but are expected to return for the home game with Newcastle next weekend.

Fighting fit: City players Joleon Lescott, Yaya Toure, Samir Nasri and Dedryck Boyata run in the rain today

Fighting fit: City players Joleon Lescott, Yaya Toure, Samir Nasri and Dedryck Boyata run in the rain today

The boot room: City's players lace up before stepping onto the training pitch today

The boot room: City's players lace up before stepping onto the training pitch today

Meanwhile, Mancini has ridiculed suggestions that English clubs' poor showing in this year's Champions League indicates a decline in standards.

Arsenal's exit this week means the Premier League has no representative in the last eight.

Mancini said: 'Don't suggest that English football has gone down because of this.

'Last year Chelsea won the Champions League. This is football. It happens.

Manchester City's Joleon Lescott (left) and Yaya Toure during training
Hart

Giving a lift: Yaya Toure gets a piggy-back from Lescott (left) while Joe Hart (right) lines up to face training shots

'It is the same in Italy. If we have a team that wins it then suddenly we are the best. Then the next year they say we are in crisis. It isn't like that. It's just football.'

However, the City boss accepted Kompany's injury has proved rather more serious than initially believed.

'It is difficult,' said Mancini. 'Vinny is a really important player for us and now it is 45 days he has been out. It is a big problem.'

Sidelines: Mancini admitted defensive rock Vincent Kompany's injury is more serious than first feared

Sidelines: Mancini admitted defensive rock Vincent Kompany's injury is more serious than first feared

It hardly helps City this weekend given they are facing Everton, who have proved a difficult opponent to overcome in recent times.

The Toffees have won five of the last seven games between the pair, and drew at the Etihad Stadium earlier this season.

'Every game against Everton is very hard,' said Mancini. 'They are a top team who always play at 200 per cent. They have good players and a good manager.'

Meanwhile, Mancini has rejected speculation that he will take over as manager of Zenit St Petersburg at the end of the season.

'It is cold here I think St Petersburg is (colder)?' he laughed. 'It is absolutely not true.'

 

More...



 
Add your comments

Comments (32)

The comments below have not been moderated.

 View all

@Jamie Millar, manchester - I think you mean red wine, not whiskey #idiot. Joe 'playing' the part, that's it Joe, it's all about how you look. By the way Joe, how is Ched?

Click to rate     Rating   3

Report abuse

Never mind red nose day, with all those blotches on his mush Fergie can have his own red face day (just the thought of his crimson face in the Real Madrid game still cracks me up, lol).

Click to rate     Rating   2

Report abuse

Blimey Mankini will do anything to look as good as Fergie....add class and hes got it bagged

Click to rate     Rating   7

Report abuse

We are saving up Kompany for the derby and FA semi!

Click to rate     Rating   4

Report abuse

Insert "Fergie red nose" gag here:

Click to rate     Rating   8

Report abuse

Suits him well. And Ferguson has it all the year round.

Click to rate     Rating   7

Report abuse

I'd like him more if he did the whole press conference wearing the nose

Click to rate     Rating   3

Report abuse

Come on Mancini, Fergie supports comic relief all year 24/7. You have a lot of catching up to do.

Click to rate     Rating   3

Report abuse

Today is Red Nose Day, or as Alex Ferguson calls it, Another whiskey day !!! lol

Click to rate     Rating   13

Report abuse

Today is Red Nose Day, or as Alex Ferguson calls it, Friday.

Click to rate     Rating   19

Report abuse

The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline.

Add your comment

You have 1000 characters left.
Libellous and abusive comments are not allowed. Please read our House Rules.
For information about privacy and cookies please read our Privacy Policy.
Terms