Barrry: No hiding from pressure

Manchester City midfielder Gareth Barry accepts there is no hiding from the pressure of Monday’s pivotal clash against Manchester United.

City will reclaim top spot in the Barclays Premier League from their arch-rivals with victory at the Etihad Stadium in possibly the most eagerly-anticipated Manchester derby ever.

City’s hopes appeared over as they fell eight points behind following defeat at Arsenal earlier this month but, playing with nothing to lose, Roberto Mancini’s men have since trimmed the deficit to three.

Barry told the club’s website, www.mcfc.co.uk: “You’ve always got to hope. There’s always a danger of losing concentration if it’s not in your own hands, but now it is.

“To call it a second chance is probably right. It’s all built up to a huge game on Monday and we’re all looking forward to it.

“I don’t think you can get away from the size of the game against United and the pressure on the team. When the game is that big the pressure is on both sets of players and it’s probably going to be down to who handles that best.”

A win would only put City ahead on goal difference with a tricky trip to Newcastle and a visit from relegation battlers QPR still to come.

Barry, 31, said: “I think initially, because the derby is the next game, it is a must-win for us.

“Then you have to look after the games still to come. If we get a positive result against United that certainly is not the end of it.”