City defeat hits top four hopes

MANCHESTER City boss Roberto Mancini said fatigue played a major role in his side's 2-0 defeat at Chelsea.

The reigning Premier League champions left it late before David Luiz and Ramires sealed a victory at Stamford Bridge which lifted them above their opponents into third place and moved them back within nine points of Manchester United with a game in hand.

City were missing skipper Carlos Tevez, who succumbed to an injury, and without him transfer-window signing Edin Dzeko again failed to find the net for his new club.

And Mancini felt his side's efforts when crashing out of Europe on Thursday — despite winning 1–0 against Dynamo Kiev at Eastlands — caught up with City late in the game.

"We played a good game," he said. "But we played three days ago against Kiev. In the last 20–25 minutes we were so tired.”

The defeat all but kills off City's own slim title aspirations and also casts a doubt on their top–four credentials.

Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti challenged his players to complete one of the great title comebacks after watching them maintain their faint hopes of retaining their crown by beating City.