MANCHESTER CITY MANAGER Roberto Mancini has again issued a public concession of his side’s Premier League aspirations.
City, who dominated the opening months of the season, travel to bottom side Wolves this weekend five points adrift of league leaders Manchester United. With only four games of the current campaign remaining, the title appears within their rivals’ grasp.
Though disappointed, the Italian believes his side’s impending failure can be traced to bad luck rather than ill-discipline or poor performance. A series of “strange” incidents – including the mysterious injury of Sergio Aguero – has cost his side a realistic chance of overtaking United.
“I think that for me I have the same team but it is very difficult. Also I think after some situations I have seen in games in the last three of four weeks, it has made it really difficult for us,” Mancini said. ”I can say that very strange situations have happened, But for us it important to finish well this season…“Five points are too much and I repeat, because of some strange situations that I don’t like, we probably don’t have any chance. I think there are some moments in the season where we made mistakes but when we lost Sergio (Aguero) for those two games that was a key moment because we got two draws but with Sergio we would have had a chance.”
Mancini refused to be drawn on the subject of Mario Balotelli, however; opting instead to issue a tentative endorsement of the striker’s pedigree.
“Mario (Balotelli) is a City player 100 percent. A top player, a top City player. At the end of the season we will see what happens.”
