Mancini: if United win next two games title will be theirs

Roberto Mancini has embraced the tradition of Premier League mind games as readily as an Italian super model takes to the Paris fashion runways but, after the desperate home draw with Sunderland, even the Manchester City manager admits the end may be nigh in his club’s title assault.

Mancini, reeling from seeing the end of his 20-match home league game winning streak, has even identified when the end may actually arrive in City’s attempt to wrestle the Premier League title from defending champions Manchester United.

For, by the time City next kick a ball in anger, they could find themselves eight points behind Alex Ferguson’s league leaders.