Manchester City's Gael Cichy reckons they can still overhaul Man United's 12-point lead
'It's not true they have to lose four games. If they draw a few, we can make up points that way. And one bad result can become two and doubt creeps in'
Gael Clichy reckons Manchester United can blow the title AGAIN, despite their 12-point cushion at the top of the Premier League.
United faltered within sight of the finish line last season, blowing an eight-point lead with six games left to hand the title to Manchester City.
And City defender Clichy suggested doubts could yet creep into the minds of Alex Ferguson's Reds again over the remaining 10 fixtures.
“It’s not much different from last season,” said Clichy. “If United don’t make mistakes, they will win the title, but everyone is saying they have to lose four games.
“That’s not true.
"If they draw a few matches, we can make up points in that way. And one bad result can become two and the doubts creep in - you ask yourself, ‘Is it going to be the same as last season’?”
Clichy's champions go to Goodison Park on Saturday, having won just one of their last seven games against Everton.
Clichy added: “We know about Everton and how hard they work.”
City will be encouraged by United defender Jonny Evans' admission that they are tiring mentally as the season enters the home straight.
United squandered a 2-0 lead to draw 2-2 with Chelsea in the FA Cup on Sunday, just five days after exiting the Champions League to Real Madrid.
Evans said United’s players had suffered mental fatigue as a result of the two encounters.
“We had a couple of days off after the Chelsea game - the manager decided to give us an extra day or so’s rest," he revealed.
“I didn’t play in the Real Madrid game, so I wasn’t feeling physical tiredness. But, on Sunday, I did feel a bit tired and a bit drained in the second half. I think the mental side of it drains you.
“Probably coming out of the game with a draw was the best result for us in the end. But we’ve got a replay coming up, so we’re glad to still be in the FA Cup.”
Malaga coach Manuel Pellegrini is a contender for Roberto Mancini's job at Manchester City, according to El Pais. The Chilean has steered his Spanish club from near-relegation when he took over in 2010, to fourth in the league and the last eight of the Champions League this year. El Pais
Injured Aguero tells City fans he'll be back for title run-in as he recovers in Argentina
Manchester City's Sergio Aguero seems to be in high spirits ahead of Argentina's upcoming World Cup qualifiers despite being out with a knee injury.
The striker posted a picture of himself on Twitter in the gym accompanied by the words 'Working double shift on the recovery with my physios and the national squad's docs. It's on!'
Aguero picked up the injury in training before City's 1-0 victory over Aston Villa and hasn't appeared for his club since they beat Chelsea 2-0 on February 24.
The news that the 24-year-old is recovering well will come as a boost to Roberto Mancini and City fans with the champions currently languishing 12 points behind Premier League leaders Manchester United with just 10 games remaining.
Having overhauled an eight point deficit last season, Mancini is still confident that City are still in the title race.
Argentina will line up against Venezuela in Buenos Aires on March 22 before travelling to La Paz in Bolivia four days later.
City team-mate Pablo Zabaleta and Wigan striker Franco Di Santo are also in the squad but it is unlikely that Aguero will be fit enough to take part in either match.
City's Premier League run-in
Everton (A) - March 16
Newcastle (H) - March 30
Manchester United (A) - April 8
West Brom (H) - TBC
Wigan (H) - April 17
Tottenham (A) - April 21
West Ham (H) - April 27
Swansea (A) - May 4
Reading (A) - May 12
Norwich (H) - May 19
'In football, it is finished when it is finished, the last minute of the last game,' Mancini said recently.
'If we arrive at four games to go with United 12 points ahead, it is finished but I think our job is to continue to work.'
City face Everton away this weekend before meeting with Newcastle at the Etihad after the international break.
Their next league game after that could be decisive to the future of the Premier League trophy.
Mancini's side will face Manchester United at Old Trafford on April 8 and the Italian will be desperate to have Aguero fit and firing, especially after his heroics against QPR on the final day of last season sealed the title for City.
City star open to Real Madrid move
Manchester City forward Sergio Aguero would happily consider a move to Real Madrid in the summer, according to reports in Spain.
The £38million signing has recently broken up with his partner who lives with his son in Madrid.
This, along with a comparatively average season at City, could provoke the striker looking for a way out in the summer.
According to a report in the Mirror, Aguero is keen on a move back to the Spanish capital, where he had a distinguished spell at Atletico.
Unsettled
The Argentina international has scored nine league goals this season. This compares to a total of 23 goals last season playing only 12 more games.
City have had a disappointing season meaning that Aguero is unlikely to have the chance of recreating last year’s dramatic finale which put his name in the history books winning the Citizens’ first league title in 44 years.
This along with personal affairs has provoked rumours about Aguero’s future.
Both Real Madrid and Barcelona were linked with the forward in the January transfer window, according to the newspaper.
History
Aguero, however, has played for Real Madrid’s rivals Atletico. With 165 league appearances and 75 goals, Aguero was popular with the Atletico fans.
However, the forward says this has no effect on his relations with Real Madrid.
As the Mirror report, Aguero recently revealed: “If Real Madrid had shown interest in me then I would be here (Madrid), but I’m not.
“If I’m at City, it’s because Madrid did not show any true interest in me.
“I’m just taking the opportunity to clarify things in that supposedly I said that I would never play for Real Madrid because of playing for Atletico.”
Manchester City locked in battle for Rodney Kongolo's signature
MANCHESTER CITY are amongst the clubs vying for Rodney Kongolo's signature.
The 15-year-old is highly rated and is the latest product to come through the Feyenoord academy system.
But City are jostling with Premier League rivals Chelsea and Arsenal.
Technical director Martin van Geel told Algemeen Dagblad: "Our youth players are being followed, we are aware of that.
Our youth players are being followed, we are aware of that
Technical director Martin van Geel
"But we are not aware of any serious interest in Rodney.
"He is only 15 years old and no official contact has been made with us regarding his availability."
Stevan Jovetic Set To Decide Future: Man City Have First Refusal On Striker According to Reports
Fiorentina striker Stevan Jovetic looks set to decide his long term future, Sky Sports understands.
The 23-year-old has been linked heavily with moves to the likes of Juventus and Arsenal since joining The Viola back in 2008 and it is believed that Manchester City have first option on him.
However, the Montenegrin recently reiterated his desire to focus on getting Fiorentina into the Champions League before entertaining any speculation about his future, but his agent, Fali Ramadani, has claimed that he will sit down with the player to discuss his options.
“We will decide Stevan’s future together with Fiorentina, whilst also considering his desire,” the agent said.
It’s thought that the player would like to stay in Italy as he has settled well in the country, and his desire to get Fiorentina in to Europe’s elite club competition would suggest that he would want to stay and compete with them.
“The transfer market? It has been talked about my contract and my future since the beginning of the season and I have to repeat myself: I just [think] about getting Fiorentina into Europe,” Jovetic said, “In June we’ll see. I think only to the good of the team, of Florence and of our fans, the rest doesn’t interest me.”
Jovetic joined Fiorentina from Partizan Belgrade in 2008 and has so far scored 39 goals in 126 games.
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