Van Persie gives Man United the edge over City, insists Mancini

Posted Saturday, August 18, 2012 by Dailymail

It is 97 days since Sergio Aguero’s right boot won the Barclays Premier League title and little seems to have changed at Manchester City.

Despite a summer of much talk in the transfer market, City’s squad remains pretty much untouched ahead of Saturday’s opening fixture at Southampton. Manager Roberto Mancini, meanwhile, still thinks neighbours United are favourites.

Last season, Mancini liked to say United were ‘four yards’ ahead of his team. That has now changed.

Van Persie gives Man United the edge over City, insists Mancini
Tipping the balance: Robin van Persie gives Manchester United the edge, according to Roberto Mancini

‘I think without Robin van Persie they had two yards in front of us,’ said Mancini. ‘Now with Van Persie they have maybe five.’

As Van Persie completed his move to United yesterday, City unveiled Jack Rodwell. Once again — in terms of publicity — City were back in their neighbours’ shadow.

Mancini claims that Van Persie was never a realistic target. ‘It would’ve been impossible because we’d have had five strikers,’ he said. Don’t be fooled by this. Mancini chased Van Persie hard. United simply offered the 29-year-old more money.

In his mind, though, Mancini has moved on. He paid lip service to United’s quality on Friday but his team begin as champions and he will expect them to end the season the same way.

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