By NEIL CUSTIS
ROBERTO MANCINI believes he has the best team in Manchester — now he will prove they are the nation’s best.
His side completed a league derby double on Monday night when they beat United 1-0 to add to their 6-1 win at Old Trafford back in October.
That put them top ahead of the Red Devils on goal difference and Mancini said: “We are the best team in Manchester probably. To be the best in the country we have to win the next two games.
“It’s not important to beat United twice or beat Chelsea, it’s only important to win a championship in the end.”
And Mancini is determined it will not be ‘typical City’ with the club blowing their big chance.
He said: “I don’t think it’s ‘typical City’ now. In the last two or three years Manchester City has improved a lot.
“We are here because we want to change our history. We’ve known that for two years we can have this chance. It is very close but until it’s in your hands you don’t have it.”
Before they ‘have it’ City must overcome the hurdle of a tough trip to Champions League-chasing Newcastle tomorrow before United host Swansea later in the afternoon.
Mancini added: “Sunday will be really difficult because of the crowd and Newcastle are a good team. But I am happy that we have this chance after falling eight points behind United.”
And surveying a rollercoaster season, the Etihad boss points to the 3-2 FA Cup defeat at home to United in January as the defining moment.
City lost skipper Vincent Kompany to a contentious early red card and trailed 3-0 by half-time.
But they fought back, almost earned a replay and stopped United from playing in the process.
Mancini said: “The FA Cup was really important when we lost 3-2.
“More than the game when we won 6-1 at Old Trafford — that game was easy. But we recovered and had a chance to score a third goal.
“United didn’t have a shot in the second half with 11 players. That game was important in changing our mentality against them.”
That mentality was questioned when City looked to have blown the title, taking just five points from 15 in the space of four weeks from March 11.
But Mancini said: “This happened six or eight weeks ago, probably because we had some important players injured.”
Indeed, the absence of Kompany and Joleon Lescott at the heart of defence coincided with that slump.
They are back together and City have shipped just one goal in four games.
Mancini said: “If we have conceded only one goal in that time it’s not only because Joleon and Vinny played well.
“All the team have worked well in the defensive phase.
“If you only work with your defenders it’s impossible not to concede a goal.”
Not least against Manchester United, who they stopped from having a single shot on target in Monday’s win, never mind a goal.
City will need to be just as tight again tomorrow if they are going to stop Newcastle’s new goalscoring sensation Papiss Cisse.
His spectacular double in the win at Stamford Bridge in midweek has made it 13 goals in his first 12 Premier League games for the Toon
Mancini said: “It is difficult for a player to come here in January and settle so well. This is because he is a good player and his two goals against Chelsea were incredible.
“I think this is going to be a tougher game than the derby.
“It will be good to play in a stadium like theirs. If we win it will be like beating United.
“When you play Newcastle in front of their fantastic supporters, it is incredible.”
