Mancini insists second place is within City's reach
Published 23:01 03/04/11 By David McDonnell
Roberto Mancini saw Manchester City claim their biggest Premier League win of the season and set his sights on beating Arsenal to second place.
City moved a step closer to qualifying for the Champions League by demolishing Sunderland to move back up to third spot, just three points behind the Gunners.
Although Arsene Wenger’s side have a game in hand, City boss Mancini was bullish about his team’s chances of pipping them to the runners’-up spot this season.
“Why not?” said Mancini when asked if City could overtake Arsenal. “It was important for us to win this game for many reasons.
“We’re back in third place, just three points behind Arsenal and Chelsea are behind us, even though both have a game in hand on us.
“This win will give us a big confidence boost, but it’s important that we continue like this and go to win at at Liverpool on Monday.
“It was an important weekend with Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham all dropping points.
“But I think we can improve. We had a problem when we lost five or six players and were playing every three days.
“The difference is that we’ve had more time to train, recovered more players and only have problems with some defenders.
“Now we some players back I think we can continue to have performances like this.”
Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson was at Eastlands to spy on City ahead of their FA Cup semi-final showdown at Wembley in a fortnight.
Despite his team’s five-star display, Mancini said Fergie would not be unduly concerned about facing City after watching them turn on the style.
“I don’t think so,” said Mancini. “He knows that the FA Cup semi-final is just one game and that anything can happen. He’s knows us very well, just as we know United.”
Adam Johnson, Carlos Tevez, David Silva, Patrick Vieira and Yaya Toure scored the goals that condemned Sunderland to a humiliating defeat.
Steve Bruce’s side have taken just one point from a possible 21 in their last seven Premier League games and boss Steve Bruce offered no excuses.
“From start to finish it was brutal for us,” said Bruce. “We got what we deserved, which is nothing, and got our backsides well and truly kicked. I won’t try and make excuses.”
