Assistant manager David Platt wants Manchester City to use the pain of losing their Premier League title to inspire them until the end of the season.
Defeat to Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United’s win against Aston Villa ensured the Blues’ reign as champions only lasted one season.
However Platt – who admitted United deserved the title – called on the players to stay focused with the FA Cup final still to play for in May.
“There has to be a determination amongst ourselves,” he told Sky Sports. “It is not good when you hurt, when you lose it.
“When you set a season off and you think that you have an opportunity to win it like we did, and like they did last year, that feeling, that hurt is much deeper and more profound than when you win it.
“I think we have had a little bit of a lack of consistency and not won as many games as we could have but you have to give Manchester United credit for the pace they set.
“The football club is obligated to win matches and that is the focus and we have an FA Cup final, and so six games to win and that is our intensity.”
Platt also downplayed the rivalry between City boss Roberto Mancini and his United counterpart Sir Alex Ferguson.
The ex-England international, who started his career as a youth player at United but left before Ferguson’s arrival, insisted the two managers hold a deep respect for each other.
“The problem Sir Alex and Roberto have is that the media will write certain things and ask certain questions and both managers will give honest answers of what their opinions are, what they believe and then that question gets fired back as a quote,” he said.
“And if we are not careful we get into the realms of tit for tat, and you said this and I said that.
“I think there is a deep respect from both managers for each other, I think there is a deep respect from both sets of players and both football clubs – there is a rivalry as there should be in the main city.”
Image courtesy of mcfcofficial, via YouTube, with thanks.
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