City eye summit as United battle Blackburn
Reuters - Thursday 29 March 2012, 01:59
Manchester City can steal a
march on Premier League title rivals Manchester United this
weekend and hope mind games do the rest when the champions play
on Monday for the second straight week.
Roberto Mancini's City took top spot temporarily last
Saturday after a 1-1 draw at Stoke City only for United to go
three points clear with a 1-0 home win over Fulham, where they
were lucky to get away with a late penalty shout.
This time City are at home to mid-table Sunderland on
Saturday while United visit relegation-threatened
neighbours Blackburn Rovers, the only team except for
City to win at Old Trafford in the league this term, on Monday.
December's 3-2 defeat rocked United's shaky defence and
though the backline has recovered its poise recently with Jonny
Evans in especially fine form, City will look to pile on the
pressure by beating Sunderland and hope Rovers get a repeat win.
Steve Kean's side lie three points above the drop zone in
16th but even a tough match against a physical side battling to
avoid relegation does not faze United forward Javier Hernandez.
"It's a part of the season that all the players want to be
involved in," the Mexican told ESPN.
"It's a long season so these final few games are more
emotional for everyone, but we have a big chance to win the
Premier League again. We're in a great position because it
depends on us."
With eight games left and the Manchester duo meeting at
Eastlands on April 30, a twist in the title race is almost
inevitable and City executive Patrick Vieira has been trying his
best to undermine Sir Alex Ferguson's men.
The former France and City midfielder first said United were
desperate for calling Paul Scholes out of retirement to fill a
hole in their less-than-stellar midfield.
"SOME ADVANTAGE"
Ferguson angrily responded by pointing out that City had
welcomed back Carlos Tevez, a player who refused to warm up for
a Champions League game in September, disappeared to Argentina
and was told by Mancini that he had no future at the club.
Undeterred, Vieira was at it again this week, stating that
referees were scared to give penalties at Old Trafford after
most pundits agreed that Michael Carrick had tripped Danny
Murphy in the dying stages of the Fulham game.
"When United play at home they get some advantage that other
teams don't get," Vieira told the BBC.
"I think when you go to United, Madrid, Barcelona or Milan,
when the referees referee these kind of games, it's always
difficult to go against these kind of teams."
Like Blackburn against United, two other games this weekend
affect the top and bottom of the table.
Chelsea are buoyant after their 1-0 win at Benfica in the
Champions League quarter-finals and their hopes of guaranteeing
a berth in next term's competition will be boosted on Saturday if they win at an Aston Villa side still not certain of
safety.
Roberto Di Matteo's outfit are fifth, eight points behind
third-placed Arsenal who can consolidate their grip on the final
automatic Champions League spot with victory at third-bottom
Queens Park Rangers - again without the suspended Djibril
Cisse.
The battle to avoid the drop could also be heavily shaped by
basement side Wolverhampton Wanderers hosting Bolton Wanderers, four points above them in 17th.
Spurs, in fourth and a potential Champions League
qualifying-round spot, host this term's dark horses Swansea City
on Sunday.