Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini remains hopeful of Manchester United hitting a form slide.

Mancini is relying on favours from elsewhere and hopes United's Champions League exertions - they face Real Madrid this week - will catch up with them.

He said: "I think every game could be difficult when you play every three days and at the moment Manchester United have a lot of games, important games, Champions League, FA Cup.

"We hope they can lose points but we don't know when or where."

United went 15 points clear of City at the top of the table after victory over Norwich City yesterday.