Manchester city manager Roberto Mancini has said that his club can lose the title this weekend if they do not win against Arsenal. There are only seven games remaining in the Premier league this season and United currently have an five-point advantage of Manchester city. Given that United play ahead of City this weekend, they are more likely to have an eight point advantage by the time City face Arsenal. In this situation, Mancini reckons that City will be out of the title if they do not win against Arsenal at the Emirates. Arsenal are themselves in a battle with Tottenham and Chelsea for the Champions League position.

The Italian, though, has said that he is not looking at the possibility of losing the title this weekend and continues to prepare with enthusiasm like for every other match. City had a five point lead over United during November, but that has slowly shrunken in the last few months. Since January, City have been extremely poor in the league. The Premier league remains their only trophy they can win this season. Defeat against Swansea and draws against Sunderland and Stoke city have certainly hurt the chances of City lifting the trophy this season.

“If we lose against Arsenal and they beat QPR – yes. I think always positive, I can’t think this. Against Sunderland we didn’t play very well, for me we were so flat in the first half. But we shot 25 times on goal, we had 65 per cent ball possession. Sunderland shot three times at goal and scored three goals. We did some mistakes defensively but we were unlucky,” Mancini said ahead of the match with Arsenal. Arsenal are currently level on points with Tottenham in the table, but crucially ahead due to a better goal difference.