SoccerBible Debate - Can Manchester City win the Premier league? - 13/01/10
Nigel de Jong is the latest player to publicly claim Manchester City can still win the title, following a resurgence under new boss Roberto Mancini. But do you think Man City can win the Premier League?
This season Manchester City have proven to be one of the most ambitious clubs in the Premier League, and their Dubai owners have shown they are not shy to spend some cash in their quest to win the title.
But following a poor start to the season, Manchester City's audacious claims they would push for the league seemed to have faltered. That is until new manager Roberto Mancini guided City to four wins in four Premier League games, leaving them just seven points behind leaders Chelsea. So, realistically can Manchester City still win the Premier League?
NIGEL DE JONG (Manchester City player) - "Of course the title is a possibility. Nothing is impossible. Though nothing is impossible, you have to work for it. You have to be realistic as well and remember this is only season No.1 for us after the big spending and we have to take it step by step."
ROBERTO MANCINI (Manchester City manager) - "Now is not the time to look at our league position. We will just play one game at a time and then we will look at the table in two months. Can we win the league? All is realistic. We have another 18 games to go so all is possible because we have a good team."
PATRICK VIEIRA (Manchester City player) - "Now that I am back, I want to win the Premier League and I think we can do it this season. We are not too far behind because at Arsenal, we won the league when we were 15 points behind at Christmas, so anything is possible...Why do I believe we can win the league? Because I don't believe there is another team in the Premier League that has the quality of strikers that we have."
JAMIE PACHECO (Betfair) - "Winning the Premier League this year may be a season too early, though I do seriously consider them lifting the Carling Cup though. Any sort of silverware this year will be proof that genuine progress is being made at Eastlands."
SIR ALEX FERGUSON (Manchester United manager) - "It's going to be very difficult for them to win the league when you see ourselves, Chelsea and Arsenal because they've got to beat the four of us at some point to get the league. It's very difficult to get into the top four and it's even more difficult to get into the top one - and that's what this league is all about, being No. 1."
WHAT'S YOUR OPINION, IS IT ANOTHER AUDACIOUS CLAIM FROM AN OVER-CONFIDENT MANCHESTER CITY SIDE, OR ARE THEY NOW GENUINE TITLE CONTENDERS?
