| Man City look to overcome Stoke |
LONDON Champions Manchester City go into 2013 facing a daunting seven-point deficit on Premier League leaders Manchester United and a testing encounter against stubborn Stoke City on Tuesday.
Roberto Mancini’s side ended the year which delivered their first Premier League title with a gritty 4-3 triumph over Norwich City, proving their high-profile players also have the mettle for a fight.
It is early days in the long title run-in but United, who travel to Wigan Athletic on New Year’s Day, are traditionally strong in the second half of the campaign.
Mancini, however, does not need to trawl the memory banks too far for inspiration as United threw away an eight-point advantage with only six games left to play last season.
“We showed we are there for the title,” Mancini said after his team displayed their steely core to beat Norwich despite Samir Nasri’s sending-off just before halftime. “We won’t leave this title easily and will fight every game. With 10 players the guys were fantastic. For us, now it is not important to look at the table.
“We only need to work, to win as many games in a row as we can, and maybe in February we will look again at the table.”
Stoke’s trench-warfare approach may not win many plaudits from the aesthetically minded but they will certainly provide City with a physical challenge.
They are one of the Premier League’s most resilient teams and have gone 10 matches without defeat after clawing back from 3-1 down to draw 3-3 with Southampton on Saturday.
They are far from the league’s best travellers, however, having won only once away from home all season, and will be without suspended midfielder Steven N’Zonzi.
United, who kept a clean sheet for the first time in seven matches in the 2-0 win over West Bromwich Albion on Saturday, should be able to call on defensive reinforcements in Phil Jones and Rafael for the trip to Wigan.
United’s 1-0 defeat at Wigan late last season was a major factor in their failure to win the title but it was their first Premier League loss to their north-west neighbours in 16 matches.
Two teams enjoying a renaissance following mid-season wobbles are Arsenal and Chelsea who have both won their last four league games.
Reuters
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