Will Premier League race be over this weekend?

u00a0 Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini may be claiming that the Premier League race could be over by Sunday butu00a0Sir Alex Ferguson is refusing to be drawn in for fear of becoming overconfident u00a0 Mancini has conceded his team39s hopes of winning the English Premier League title could be over come Sundayu00a0Although City have topped the table for much of the season they are now five points behind leaders and reigning champions Manchester Unitedu00a0And City could be eight points adrift by the time they kickoff against Arsenal on Sunday should United beat QPR earlier in the dayu00a0If that happens and City lose to the Gunners Mancini39s men would be eight points behind their local rivals with just six games left u00a0 Roberto Mancini PicGetty Images u00a0 Asked if that would mean the effective end of the title race and City39s hopes of being crowned champions of England for the first time since 1968 Mancini told a news conference here Thursday quotIf we lose against Arsenal and they beat QPR yesquot u00a0 City have dropped points in a defeat at Swansea and draws with Stoke and Sunderlandu00a0However their Italian manager insisted quotI think always positive I can39t think thisu00a0Against Sunderland we didn39t play very well for me we were so flat in the first halfu00a0But we shot 25 times on goal we had 65 percent ball possession Sunderland shot three times at goal and scored three goals in a 33 drawu00a0We did some mistakes defensively but we were unluckyquot u00a0 quotBut now we can say nothing we can39t think about Sunderland We should think positive for the next seven gamesu00a0I think it may be more difficult but it is my opinion that this championship is not finishedquot u00a0 He added quotMaybe in this moment there is someone that maybe doesn39t believe because it is difficult but we believe alwaysu00a0Also we should play a derby the derby will be three points and I think in six games they United can lose other pointsquot u00a0 Sir Alex Ferguson meanwhile has warned his Manchester United players to ignore Mancini39s claim u00a0 Ferguson asked about Mancini39s comments at a press conference on Friday refused to be drawn into more mind games with the Italian after their recent verbal sparring u00a0 u00a0 Alex Fergusonu00a0 u00a0 quotI39m not getting into that I don39t need to get into thatquot Ferguson said u00a0 quotWe must concentrate on the game ahead and that39s Queens Park Rangers We39ll focus on that not worry about elsewherequot u00a0 United are strong favourites to win the title for the fifth time in six seasons after hitting a fine run of form u00a0 Ferguson39s side have taken 31 points from the last 33 available since losing at Newcastle on January 4 and are considered to have an easier runin to rivals City But the United manager is taking nothing for granted u00a0 quotI wouldn39t anticipate complacency from my players but I do think if you39re concentration is not 100 per cent then there will be moments in games like we experienced recently against Fulhamquot he said u00a0 quotFour or five of our player gave the ball away in the space of about five minutes and it created a bit of nervousness u00a0 quotWe survived that I made the point that it was good for us to have that because that is an indication of how the games are going to be between now and the end of the seasonquot u00a0 QPR managed by former United star Mark Hughes are fighting against relegation u00a0 United had to wait until the final 10 minutes before scoring twice to seal victory at relegationthreatened Blackburn on Monday and Ferguson believes his players will again have to show patience on Sunday u00a0 He added quotIt won39t be easy because it39s another game against a team fighting for survival They39re never easy u00a0 quotIt wasn39t easy on Monday and I don39t mind if we have to wait until the final 10 minutes again to win on Sunday u00a0 quotQPR have beaten both Liverpool and Arsenal recently and knowing Mark he39s a fighter and his team will fight u00a0 quotAs much as we39re looking forward to the game it39s going to be a hard onequot u00a0 Ferguson also revealed Portugal winger Nani could be involved after being sidelined for the last five games with an ankle problem u00a0 quotHe39s been training all week He39s such a talented player and makes the squad that bit strongerquot said Ferguson