I trust my players 100%
Last Updated: 12th May 2012
Manchester City lead neighbours United on goal difference going into tomorrow’s Premier League finale.
And Mancini’s men, who host relegation-threatened QPR, know they will be champions if they match or better United’s result at Sunderland.
After trailing by eight points a month ago, they have one hand on the trophy and Mancini says they are not going to let go now.
The Etihad chief said: “I trust my players 100 per cent. They know they have everything in their hands.
“They have worked hard and fought in every game all season. Now they have this big chance. In the last two games against Manchester United and Newcastle they have been strong and had a good mentality and I think it will be the same again on Sunday.”
The club were last crowned kings of England in 1968 and Mancini knows what this moment means to the blue half of Manchester.
He stressed: “I understand. We haven’t won the title for 44 years and we are in a city where our cousins win every year. That is very difficult for our supporters.
“I hope I can change this. They are very happy. They want us to win one more game.
“It’s a big game for City because it’s the first time in a long time. We would like to win this championship for our supporters.”
And Mancini joked: “They tell me I am a fantastic manager, the best manager!”
The City boss was in a light-hearted mood yesterday as the last mind games were being played out across Carrington at United’s training base.
In his programme notes last week, Alex Ferguson said Mancini had an Italian attitude to shut up shot while the Red Devils remain the great attackers.
Mancini said: “I agree with him. I’m Italian and I can’t change my mentality. He’s Scottish. He’s the best manager in the world. I agree with him.”
Mark Hughes is his rival in the QPR dugout tomorrow — the Welshman is still sore at how Mancini was lined up to take his job behind his back in December 2009.
Hughes has criticised his successor for having an ‘autocratic’ style of management.
Mancini responded: “I agree with him. He’s a good manager and he knows the Premier League better than me.”
With the smiles and laughs you would not know he was about to preside over the biggest 90 minutes in Manchester City’s history.
It is a different person to the one who looked on at the Emirates as the dream looked to have died.
Defeat to Arsenal on Easter Sunday saw City fall eight points behind in the title race with just six games left — they have won five of them.
Mancini said: “In that moment it was good for us because all the pressure lifted and we played free. We always believed, even when we were eight points behind.
“We knew if we could get United back to three points before the derby we had a chance.
“For the first six months of the season we played very well. The best football in the league.
“But it’s impossible to play well every game for one year and we had one month when we had a problem. We conceded easy goals and didn’t score.”
The cry from United fans is that City have bought the league after the huge investment of Sheikh Mansour — who could make his second visit to the Etihad tomorrow.
But Mancini said: “All the teams that have won the Premier League have spent a lot of money.”
The spending and success will go on according to the boss.
He said: “I think Manchester City now is one of the top teams in England and Europe.
“If Manchester City can win the title it is possible we can do it for three or four years. But now it’s important to win the first and the second afterwards.”
The talking is over, the 44-year wait is nearly over.
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