De Jong: Every game is a final

Manchester City’s Nigel de Jong believes his team must win all of their remaining 11 games to ensure they are crowned champions.

The Netherlands international has rubbished suggestions Roberto Mancini and the players are feeling any pressure being put on them by fierce rivals Manchester United, who are only two points behind on the English Premier League table.

The blue side of Manchester make the trip to Swansea on Sunday, where only the red side of Manchester and Norwich have so far come away with all three points.

De Jong told The Sunday Mirror: “It has come down to the last 11 matches. We have 11 cup finals – and so have United. From now on, every game is a final.”

“We can’t afford any mistakes because we know that United are right behind us. Can we feel them? Not really, we just look at the table and see the gap is just two points.”

“United are two points worse off so they also know that any mistake could really hurt their chances. It is brutal. What we must do is concentrate on us rather than them.”

“If we win 11 games then we are the champions. People talk about pressure. But pressure is only what you put on yourself.”

“United haven’t put us under any extra pressure. They have been right behind us all the way.”

“They have won some good games recently, but we expected that. We are prepared for this fight to go all the way to the very end.”

De Jong said he was not expecting to the win the title without a desperate fight from Unite, who have been champions 12 times since the start of the Premier League era in 1992.

“United are United. They are not going to give up the title easily, but they must know that they are in for a big battle from us,” he said.

“We aren’t going to go away either.”

“We’re not thinking of the derby at the end of the season. What is the point of that? We start with Swansea and we take it from there.”

“It is going to be tough. Swansea are new to the Premier League, but they have shown that they are good enough for this level. We have to take care ¬because beating the leaders would be a massive result for them.”