Manxchester City v Everton:MANCHESTER CITY'S pursuit of fourth place has suffered a blow after Joleon Lescott was ruled out for at least four weeks with a hamstring problem. The defender's injury will also be a concern for England manager Fabio Capello in the build-up to the World Cup.
Lescott damaged a hamstring tendon in the warm-up for City’s game at Fulham on Sunday. A best-case scenario would see him play four matches before the end of the season, but City said the lay-off could be as long as six weeks. That would leave him with only two Premier League games in which to show Capello he should go with England to South Africa.
“Joleon is an important player for us and we will miss him but we coped at Fulham and we will just have to move the defence around again,” said Mancini. “We have other good players to come in.”
City are also without their first-choice left-back, Wayne Bridge, for several more weeks at a crucial point in their season.
Mancini has described tonight’s meeting with Everton as a must-win game if City are to finish in the top four, although he believes he will still be around next season should he fail to secure a Champions League qualification place at the first attempt.
“Manchester City want to be in the Champions League but the club still has a big future if it does not happen this year,” the City manager said. “Naturally I would like to finish fourth but, even if we don’t, I still expect to be here next season. Why would I not?”
Mancini’s three-and-a-half-year contract is understood to include a clause whereby both parties can review the situation at the end of this season and, though the Italian has done well enough in the three months he has been in England to deserve a full season in charge and a crack at the summer transfer window, it may be better were he and his players to nail down fourth place just to be sure.
Meanwhile, Everton manager David Moyes has said it may take years for City to match the collective spirit he has forged at Goodison. Relations between the two clubs soured at the start of the season over the public courting of Lescott by the then City manager, Mark Hughes.
“The collective is important. It’s what is needed for any football club and you only get that through a little bit of time and a chance to work with the players,” Moyes said.
“Manchester City have bought players who have got undoubted talent who can win games, individuals who can make the difference, and, given time, they might have a team like Everton.”
