• Premier League

Platt insists City will not be going away

ESPN staff
April 9, 2013
David Platt feels Manchester City will become stronger © PA Photos
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Manchester City are "not going away" and will continue to get stronger despite a disappointing defence of their Premier League title, according to assistant boss David Platt.

Roberto Mancini's side beat Premier League leaders Manchester United 2-1 at Old Trafford on Monday, but remain 12 points adrift of their neighbours.

Platt believes the deficit should not distract attention from the bigger picture - which was that City would be a force for many years to come.

"The potential is being realised," the ex-England midfielder told City TV. "It is a very good team, it is a very good football club. It is not going away - that is the main message.

"Regardless of what happens in the league this season, we aren't going away. We will be there next year, and we will keep getting stronger and stronger."

He praised City's performance, which saw a James Milner goal and a superb late Sergio Aguero effort clinch victory, saying they had worked well to restrict United's chances.

"The opportunities they did have were on the counter-attack, which you expect from a team like them, but we took the game to them, we had territorial advantage, we created opportunities," he explained.

"We were composed throughout, but we showed character as well. Having conceded the goal to go 1-1, we showed the character to continue to go and finished it off with a great goal from Sergio."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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