Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini believes Manchester United striker Robin van Persie is the difference between the two teams at the moment.
Van Persie chose United over title rivals City when he left Arsenal in a reported £22m deal last summer.
Mancini has previously admitted he was interested in signing the 29-year-old but has only now indicated how strongly City pursued him.
The Italian said: "We wanted Van Persie because we knew he could be an important player.
"He is totally different from our other strikers. We wanted him for the Champions League and for the Premier League.
"We were very close. We were sure he was for us but this did not happen and now we can do nothing. We were very close three or four months before he joined United.
"I think Van Persie, for United, is an important player. It is clear he changed this situation. In this moment, the difference is this."
what do you think?
Andy Smithies
He needs to be "Taken Out"!! LOL Come on you wuss premiership centre cracks do your job!!!
andy johnson
great players go to great teams-- nuff said
brian foster
How many strikers does this man want,with all the money in the world UNITED would be the preference for most players to play the game. Mancini will not win any silverware this year and that will cost him his job.
Daniel smith
11:43am on 1/1/2013
oww dear Roberto, making excuses already ay?