London: While plotting Manchester City's first derby win in the Abu Dhabi-era on Sunday, Roberto Mancini accepts that getting the better of Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson will not be easy.
"He (has) won everything for 25 years," Mancini said on Friday. "I think that he's a teacher and ... I learn from him."
The 46-year-old Mancini has won three league titles with Inter Milan but no major European honors as a manager, while Ferguson, 69, has a dozen Premier League titles and two Champions League successes to his name.
"I think it is difficult to arrive at his age ... (with) the same strength, every day (he) wants to win, every game wants to win, every day wants to work," Mancini said. "I think it's not easy, eh?"
Apart from a blip in the FA Cup semi-finals last season, Ferguson has successfully repelled City in the three years since Sheikh Mansour started to invest more than $1 billion in a squad overhaul to turn the club into a world force.
City have lost five Premier League matches against the champions since September 2008 and drawn the other one.
But City go into Sunday's first derby of the season at Old Trafford top of the standings with a two-point lead over United.
"For the first time after a long time, we can go there on the top," Mancini said. "If we leave Old Trafford with a draw, I think that is good for us but it is not our mentality."
In fact, City have only won once at United in 37 years when Sven-Goran Eriksson's City side prevailed 2-1 in February 2008.
Ferguson sees Sunday's match as one of the key "winning posts" on the way to extending the English title record to 20.
"The game could be significant at the end of the season," the Scot said. "It is really a six-pointer, there's no doubt about that."
Don't discount Chelsea from the title race, though.
The club, owned by Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, are just three points behind the leaders.
The Blues make the short trip across west London to promoted Queens Park Rangers on Sunday.
"More teams now look as if they are in title contention," manager Andre Villas-Boas said. "I need those three points (on Sunday), desperately ... we were five points from United, and now we're a point away. Things have changed dramatically in recent weeks."
Also on Sunday, Arsenal host Stoke, having won just three of their eight league games this season.
But the Gunners appear to be turning their season around after winning five of their last six matches in all competitions, with back-to-back Champions League triumphs.
"We feel we want to especially continue the quality of our game and the result will be the consequence of that," manager Arsene Wenger said. "Let's focus on defending well again and playing our football. We have played eight games, we have 30 games to go, so we do not have to look too much at the other results. What is important is that we have a consistent focus and then we will come back."
Also on Sunday, Arsenal's north London rival Tottenham are at Blackburn and Fulham face Everton.
Comments
0 comment