Manchester City need to score more goals

City missed a number of good opportunities at the Stadium of Light, but failed to find the net as they slipped seven points behind Manchester United in the title race.

"It is impossible that our strikers didn't score," said Mancini. "It is a big problem at this moment.

"We are too soft in attack and too soft when we have chances and shoot."

City have scored 34 goals in 19 matches in the Premier League this season - 14 fewer than neighbours United, who beat Newcastle 4-3 on Wednesday, have managed in as many games.

Perhaps more tellingly, they have only scored 12 in nine games on their travels, compared to United's 22 from 10.

Sergio Aguero, Yaya Toure, David Silva and Edin Dzeko were all denied by Sunderland goalkeeper Simon Mignolet on a frustrating afternoon for the champions.

"We didn't deserve to lose. We dominated, so I don't know how it is possible that we lost this game," said Mancini.

"Last year, we scored one, two, three goals every game. Now when we have chances, we are too soft and this is not good.

"We should be very strong when we have chances, sometimes we take one extra touch and maybe think 'Okay, we will score next time.' But football is not like that.

"We have a fantastic attitude because we want to win right up until the last second but we can't recover every game. We need to score before that, we had five or six chances in the first half. It's incredible."

Despite City falling seven points behind United at the halfway stage of the season, Mancini says his team can still defend their title.

"United score a lot of goals, but they also concede more than us," he said.

"It depends on us because the season is long and we can recover, no problem, but we need to change something in our team because we cannot continue like this."

Mancini was also upset with referee Kevin Friend, who he believes missed a foul by Craig Gardner on Pablo Zabaleta in the build-up to Sunderland's goal - scored by former City winger Adam Johnson.

"Maybe Zabaleta deserved a red card?" Mancini said sarcastically. "I don't think the referee and linesman had a good performance today.

"It is impossible that they didn't see a foul like that."

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United send Bebe out on loan in Portugal

 

Bebe joined from Portuguese club Guimaraes in 2010 and United boss Sir Alex Ferguson admitted he was the first player he had signed without watching.

Having struggled to make an impact Bebe, 22, joined Turkish side Besiktas on a season-long loan in June 2011.

He made just a handful of appearances for Besiktas before suffering a knee injury on Portugal Under-21 duty that sidelined him for most of last season.

But the Portuguese insists he is fully fit and raring to go at top-flight side Rio Ave.

"I'll give it everything while I'm here and try to help the team to continue occupying the places that they have been in the table," said Bebe.

"Obviously something went wrong in the last phase of my career, I had a serious injury which thankfully I have fully recovered well from.

"I'm fine physically - I was always training and playing. It's good to come here and I want to show what I can do."

In May it emerged that police in Portugal were planning to question Manchester United as part of their investigations into Bebe's transfer.

An anti-corruption unit is examining the transfer to establish how an estimated £3m of the fee was purportedly paid to Jorge Mendes's Gestifute football agency.

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Gunners target Nani

 The winger is in a contract row with Manchester United and could leave next month.

Arsenal are looking for a quality replacement for Theo Walcott, whose future at the Emirates looks bleak.

United want significantly more than the £14m they paid to Sporting Lisbon in 2007 and Arsenal boss

Arsene Wenger is under pressure from the board and fans to start spending big.

Nani, 26, currently sidelined with a hamstring problem, has 18 months left of his current deal.

He is on £90,000 a week and was holding out for £130,000 but United have refused to pay.

While Arsenal are unwilling to offer more than £80,000 a week for Walcott, they still pay others more. Andrey Arshavin earns £90,000 a week, a similar amount to German Lukas Podolski.

Zenit St Petersburg and Paris St Germain have also been watching Nani but he would prefer to remain in the Premier League.

Chelsea are also keeping an eye on the wideman.

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Ozil back on Reds radar

Mesut Ozil is back on Manchester United’s radar after reports the playmaker is considering his future at Real Madrid. The German international, 24, joined Real from Werder Bremen in a blaze of glory two years ago. But he is no longer a first choice under Jose Mourinho following the arrival of Luka Modric and sources insist he is growing increasingly unhappy. United chief Alex Ferguson has asked to be kept informed of any developments and would be at the front of the queue if Real decide to sell. Fergie is hunting a successor to 38-year-old Paul Scholes, who looks set to retire for the second time at the end of the season. If Real do choose to offload Ozil, the Spaniards would want double the £12million they paid Bremen. But United still have money to spend after missing out on Eden Hazard and Lucas Moura in the summer. Ozil earns £110,000 a week at the Bernabeu, which fits comfortably into the Old Trafford pay structure, as does his age in terms of sell-on value.

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Kurt Zouma in radar

MANCHESTER UNITED have stepped up their bid to land St Etienne defender Kurt Zouma.

Boss Alex Ferguson has invited the £9million-rated 18-year-old over to watch a game, but faces a battle with Man City.

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RVN on RVP

Robin Van Persie will lead table-topping Manchester United up front again tonight against West Ham.

And after a stunning start to his Old Trafford career, United legend Van Nistelrooy can see his Dutch countryman making the difference in the Premier League race.

RVN said: “As he’s proving right now, Robin IS making the difference.

“If he can keep going like this through the whole season then I can see United landing another title.”

Van Nistelrooy played alongside Van Persie for Holland so knows exactly what United’s summer signing is all about.

That is why he considered the £22million Alex Ferguson shelled out on the 29-year-old Arsenal star was never going to be a gamble — as some thought.

Van Nistelrooy said: “He’s proved those people wrong already. I was close to him in the national team and was convinced of his qualities then.

“He fits into United’s playing style. He’s everywhere, involved in the play and the finishing — so that makes him special.”

RVP has made a stunning start at United with 11 goals from 17 games already as the Red Devils have powered to the top of the league.

RVN added: “I spoke to him a while ago and congratulated him on his fantastic start. I wished him well and told him to continue like this.

“It feels like he’s been here for ever. He started scoring, got his first goal quickly and has never stopped since. It’s important for a striker when he goes to a new club to start getting goals.”

Van Nistelrooy, 36, was back at Old Trafford last week as a guest of the club for the unveiling of Fergie’s statue and stayed to watch the QPR game.

His 150 goals in 219 games between 2001-06 make him a United legend.

But he would leave in disappointing circumstances after falling out with Ferguson, although they have patched things up.

Van Nistelrooy said: “I left quickly. It was sad leaving without saying thanks to the fans and everyone that supported me all of those years.”

Van Nistelrooy left United for Real Madrid and then joined Hamburg before retiring in the summer after a year at Malaga.

He said: “It’s my first year not playing in 20 seasons but I’m enjoying it.

“I don’t miss playing because I went right through to the end and realised enough was enough.”

But RVN cannot believe Ryan Giggs — who is 39 tomorrow — still has not hung up his boots.

He added: “My first game was his testimonial against Celtic! That was in 2001 and he’s up for another one!”

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Wayne Rooney warning over Hammers ace

Burly striker Carroll is expected to line up for West Ham as the East Londoners head to Old Trafford for tomorrow night’s league clash. Rooney knows the pony-tailed powerhouse well from England duty and says his defensive colleagues must be mindful of the £35million man’s capabilities. The United ace said: “Andy Carroll is a handful. “I am sure if you ask any defender, they find it difficult to play against someone like that who is good in the air and on the floor. “He is physical and makes it hard for opponents. “That type of player doesn’t always get all the goals but they can cause trouble up front and create problems. “I am sure that is what Sam Allardyce wants him to do.” Carroll is an obvious threat given United’s Achilles heel of conceding the first goal.

It has happened on an incredible 13 occasions this season, including in their last five games. United have somehow managed to clamber to the top of the table despite managing just a single clean sheet, against Wigan at Old Trafford in September. It is a record Rooney accepts must be rectified if United are going to maintain their present status. He explained: “Clean sheets are the foundation we try and achieve because we have plenty of players who can score goals and win games.

“As a team we are playing some good stuff at times but we are having to grind out results as well. “Losing three games already is something we need to put right. “We have been lucky that we haven’t drawn any matches and we need to kick on from here and go on a good run.”

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Adel’ll do for Fergie

The Morocco play-maker impressed Manchester United’s boss and coaching staff in the Rs’ 3-1 loss at Old Trafford on Saturday.

And with Fergie set to offload Portugal winger Nani while also losing faith in Ashley Young, Taarabt is being looked at as a possible replacement.

The 23-year-old was not a favourite of new QPR chief Harry Redknapp during their time at Spurs.

Redknapp never started Taarabt in a Premier League game and allowed him to go on loan to Loftus Road before he was sold for good in a bargain £1million deal prior to the 2010-11 season.

So if Redknapp could get good money in for the mercurial but inconsistent Taarabt, he would be tempted to let him go.

Ferguson knows Taarabt is still a work in progress but also recognises that, on his day, he is capable of running a game against the best sides the Premier League has to offer.

In contrast, Nani and Young have failed to set the world alight for United in recent months.

Nani has made just 15 appearances in all competitions this term, scoring two goals.

England international Young, meanwhile, has played five games fewer than Nani and has yet to score.

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