Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini expects Arsenal to be back on top form for his side's crucial trip to the Emirates Stadium. City can ill afford any more slip-ups in the Barclays Premier League title race after falling five points behind rivals Manchester United with seven games to play. Arsenal, who have their own Champions League ambitions to satisfy, stuttered themselves as they were beaten at relegation-threatened QPR. But after winning their previous seven league games, Mancini sees that result as a mere blip and believes City will need to be at their best to win and keep the pressure on United.
Mancini said: "It was a surprise for me, I didn't think this - Arsenal played the last seven games and they won all that they played. QPR probably did a good game. "Sunday for us will be a difficult game, playing against a top squad like Arsenal. "But we should play our game, we should play well, not like against Sunderland. If we play better we can do well." City began March with a two-point lead at the top of the table, but a surprise defeat at Swansea and frustrating draws against Stoke and Sunderland have seen the odds swing in United's favour. But with a Manchester derby at the Etihad Stadium still to come later this month, City only need United to drop points in one game to regain control of their title destiny - providing they win games themselves. Mancini conceded this week that defeat at Arsenal, coupled with a United victory over QPR, would effectively condemn City to the runners-up spot. Yet that is not a thought he is entertaining as he remains determined to take the race to the wire.
The Italian said: "We can't think this now. We should think we can win the title - seven games to the end, with one derby to play at home. I think we can win this title. "Last year we did 71 points - now we are at 71 with seven games left. "I think we should do the maximum we can do in seven games and then after we will see." Top-scorer Sergio Aguero could return after missing the last two matches due to a much-discussed foot injury. Joleon Lescott will also be welcomed back in defence after five games out with a hip injury and midfielder Samir Nasri is available to face his former club.
Arsene Wenger has challenged Arsenal to end any doubt over what the end-of-season run-in will bring by winning all of their remaining seven matches - starting with title-chasing City. Arsenal could need victory to move back ahead of Tottenham, who are behind in fourth only on goal difference and travel to Sunderland on Saturday lunchtime. Wenger, though, expects his side to produce the required performance which saw them win seven on the spin before a lacklustre effort at QPR was punished by a 2-1 defeat last weekend. "We have been consistent in the last two months and if we maintain that consistency there will not be many twists and turns," the Arsenal manager said.
"You never know how easy a programme is in this Premier League because if you look at the last two months we won at Liverpool and Everton, and then lost at QPR. "That was not really predictable, so it is still difficult to predict." Wenger added: "I am convinced we can finish third, like Tottenham are convinced they can do it. That is normal because we are at the same level of points." Gunners skipper Robin van Persie echoed Wenger's call for the team to concentrate on their own jobs rather than worry about what City may or may not do. "We are well prepared, because you have to know your stuff about the opposition, but in the end it's about your own performance that will hopefully make the difference," Van Persie wrote in his programme notes for tomorrow's match at Emirates Stadium. "I am confident that we can get a good result - we have to get three points, a draw is not that good for either of us, so it should be a great game." The Gunners reported no fresh injury concerns ahead of the game.
Arsenal V Man City - view commentary, squad, and statictics of the game live.
Source: PA
