Chance for City to reduce gap
A win at QPR would cut the deficit with United to just two points
Having trailed Premier League leaders Manchester United by seven points as recently as January 18, Manchester City can cut the gap to just two points with victory at Queens Park Rangers today.
United would be able to restore their advantage by beating Southampton tomorrow, but City’s trip to the league’s bottom club gives them an op- portunity to inject tension into a title race that had looked set to become a procession.
City won 1- 0 at Stoke City on Saturday to reach the fifth round of the FA Cup, but victory came at a cost as captain Vincent Kompany was forced off in the first half with a calf injury.
The English champions have ruled Kompany out of the trip to QPR, leaving manager Roberto Mancini with Matija Nastasic and Joleon Lescott as his only available senior centrebacks.
City overcame Stoke through an 85th- minute strike from right- back Pablo Zabale- ta, whose thoughts quickly switched to the opportunity to make ground on United.
“We won the FA Cup two years ago and we want to win it again but now we will focus on Tuesday night and QPR because we want to keep winning and hopefully catch Man United,” said the Argentine.
QPR’s season met with further embarrassment on Saturday when they lost 4- 2 at home to Milton Keynes Dons of thirdtier League One to go out of the FA Cup.
The London club are five points adrift of safety with 15 games remaining.