Manchester City refute suggestion from Emmanuel Adebayor that they could descend into infighting against Tottenham

Brian Kidd says that City's title hopes are not over

Emmanuel Adebayor with Spurs manager Andre Villas-Boas (GETTY IMAGES)

Roberto Mancini’s assistant Brian Kidd today dismissed Emmanuel Adebayor’s claims that Manchester City’s players will start fighting if the pressure is on at White Hart Lane on Sunday, declaring that the Togolese had not even played for the club in two years during which they have won trophies.

“You’ve only got to think about the manager and players we’ve got and they don’t like to lose,” Kidd said. “Ade has not been around in the last few years and the boss has put silverware on the sideboard in the time. I hope they carry on fighting!”

Kidd said that City’s title hopes are not dead – contrary to their manager’s claims that the race is “finished” ahead of the Spurs/City clash.

“We are champions and we want to fight until the end. We’ve got to accumulate as many points as we can because we’re champions and we’ve got to take pride in it that. I hope the players believe that, too. It is United’s to lose but make no mistake there will be some jittery moments there with what happened last year. It was a bad experience for them.”

United were eight points clear with six to play last season and still managed to lose the title. They lead by 13 points with City six games from the finish and United five. If City lost at Tottenham, United will reclaim the championship by winning at Aston Villa on Monday evening.

City today joined the chorus of indignation about the FA Cup final kick-off time which will strand Wigan fans and their own with no train home on May 11. “People have grandchildren like I have and you want them to be there,” Kidd said. “You do feel for both sets of fans.”

Kidd said David Silva will probably not be fit for the game against Tottenham this weekend, though suggested Sergio Aguero will have shrugged off a hamstring injury in time.