Mancini: Unfazed
Roberto Mancini is more confident than ever that Manchester City can finish in the top four, despite suffering two defeats in his first six league games in charge.
Mancini watched his team go down 2-1 at Hull on Saturday to equal the number of league defeats suffered this season by his predecessor Mark Hughes.
City find themselves three points behind Liverpool in fourth spot, but with two games in hand Mancini is optimistic his side can break the monopoly of the so called 'big four'.
"I'm even more confident," Mancini said ahead of Tuesday's game against Bolton. "Because in the first three or four games we have played very well after we've lost players (to injury).
"I'm confident when I recover all the players we can win this week at home and then win away (at Stoke next Tuesday).
"We must remember we have two games in hand and if we win them we go fourth. We have a good chance if we win this game.
"When we recover all our players I don't think it's a problem.
"I watch the players every day and when they work they work well and they want to arrive at our targets.
"On this I'm very confident.
"I think that Tottenham, Liverpool, Aston Villa, Manchester City and Arsenal are five teams playing for two places and we have a good chance."

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| Time | Fixture |
|---|---|
| Saturday 14th August | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 12:45 | Tottenham vs Man City |
| 15:00 | Aston Villa vs West Ham |
| 15:00 | Blackburn vs Everton |
| 15:00 | Bolton vs Fulham |
| 15:00 | Sunderland vs Birmingham |
| 15:00 | Wigan vs Blackpool |
| 15:00 | Wolverhampton vs Stoke |
| 17:30 | Chelsea vs West Brom |
| Sunday 15th August | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 16:00 | Liverpool vs Arsenal |
| Monday 16th August | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 20:00 | Man Utd vs Newcastle |
| Saturday 21st August | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 15:00 | Arsenal vs Blackpool |
| 15:00 | Birmingham vs Blackburn |
| 15:00 | Everton vs Wolverhampton |
| 15:00 | Stoke vs Tottenham |
| 15:00 | West Brom vs Sunderland |
| 15:00 | West Ham vs Bolton |
| 17:15 | Wigan vs Chelsea |
| Sunday 22nd August | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 13:30 | Newcastle vs Aston Villa |
| 16:00 | Fulham vs Man Utd |
| Monday 23rd August | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 20:00 | Man City vs Liverpool |
| Time | Result |
|---|---|
| Sunday 9th May | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Man Utd 4 - 0 Stoke | |
| Wolverhampton 2 - 1 Sunderland | |
| West Ham 1 - 1 Man City | |
| Bolton 2 - 1 Birmingham | |
| Chelsea 8 - 0 Wigan | |
| Hull 0 - 0 Liverpool | |
| Burnley 4 - 2 Tottenham | |
| Arsenal 4 - 0 Fulham | |
| Everton 1 - 0 Portsmouth | |
| Aston Villa 0 - 1 Blackburn | |
| Wednesday 5th May | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Man City 0 - 1 Tottenham | |
| Fulham 0 - 1 Stoke | |
| Monday 3rd May | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Wigan 2 - 2 Hull | |
| Blackburn 2 - 1 Arsenal | |
| Sunday 2nd May | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Liverpool 0 - 2 Chelsea | |
| Fulham 3 - 2 West Ham | |
| Sunderland 0 - 1 Man Utd | |
| Saturday 1st May | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Birmingham 2 - 1 Burnley | |
| Stoke 0 - 0 Everton | |
| Portsmouth 3 - 1 Wolverhampton | |
This week's offering from a sporting week of verbal sparring is dominated by tributes to the late Alex Higgins.
As part of our Look to the Future series we investigate the new 25-man squad rule for Premier League clubs.
Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill has revealed that he is prepared to sell James Milner, if the price is right.
Fulham are keen to move quickly to bring in a new manager now that Martin Jol has been ruled out of the frame.
Newcastle United have completed the signing of former Everton midfielder Dan Gosling on a four-year contract.
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Martin O'Neill has said that James Milner can join Man City if the price is right, while Dan Gosling has moved to Newcastle.