Soccer:Roberto Mancini says if Manchester United win their two Premier League matches this week the title race is over.

After Manchester City drew 3-3 with Sunderland on Saturday, United take a two-point lead into tonight’s clash with Blackburn Rovers and then face QPR on Sunday before Mancini's men return to action against Arsenal.

The Italian feels maximum points for United, which would see them go eight points clear, would end his side's hopes of winning the title.

"If we go eight points behind then it is finished," said Mancini. “It's clear we are disappointed. We have made some mistakes, me and the team.

"We have also been unlucky, like losing three or four key players at an important moment. But when you are a strong team you should be able to pass these difficult moments.

"Yet football can change in two or three games. I had an experience in Italy with Inter Milan when we were five points behind with five games to go yet we still went on to win the title."

City striker Edin Dzeko is determined to fight to the finish. He accepts City were not at their best on Saturday, but insists there's a way to go yet.

"There are seven games to play, and the way we dropped points, United can drop points as well, so everything is still open," the 25-year-old said. "We need to go from game to game and try to win every match.

"The next is Arsenal. We will play to win and then we will see. They are fighting for a Champions League place and are a top team, so it won't be easy. It should be a good, open game. Maybe we thought Saturday was going to be easy. We had won all our home games so maybe we thought we could count on all three points - but it's not like that, and you have to fight for every point."

Dzeko added that tonight's match "is an important game for Blackburn as well, so everything is possible".

Dzeko was at the centre of controversy on Saturday over the penalty which led to City's first equaliser. Sunderland's players complained the Bosnian dived to win the spot-kick but the City forward was insistent he had been fouled by Craig Gardner.

"It was a penalty - I still have pain in my leg," said Dzeko, who became involved in an argument with Sunderland defender Phil Bardsley over the matter after a later stoppage in play.

On that, Dzeko said: "One guy pushed me away and said, 'Why are you cheating?' So I asked him what he was talking about and said it was a penalty. That's why I was angry. He said I was cheating. He can say what he wants, but should never touch me. Mario [Balotelli] told me to stay calm, but I was calm - they can't push me and touch me that way."