LONDON (Reuters) – Manchester City defender
Micah Richards says his team’s faltering form which has allowed Manchester United to take a virtually unassailable lead in
the Premier League title race, hurts so much that he “wanted to cry”.
against Swansea City during their English Premier League soccer match at the Liberty Stadium in Swansea, March 11, 2012.
REUTERS/Andrew Winning
City, who won the last of their two English league titles in 1968, appeared on course
for a long-awaited third when they led for a majority of the season, until United surged ahead of them a month
ago.
With six matches remaining, United have moved eight points clear of City and are in prime position to clinch the
title for the 20th time in their history with a successful defence of their Premier League crown.
When United scored
two late goals to beat Blackburn Rovers 2-0 last week, City’s destiny was no longer in their hands and the 23-year-old
Richards told the Daily Mail he realised then just what had been lost.
“At halftime and at 60 minutes, I thought:
‘You never know’, but United do always look like they will score,” he told the newspaper. “So I knew it was going to
come.
“But when they got it and went further clear of us, I actually wanted to cry and I haven’t done that or felt
like that in years.
“Football is full of emotions. You get angry and happy but I have never wanted to cry before. This
time I did as that’s how much it means.
“I have been grafting so hard this season, we have played unbelievable
football and to see United come like this is horrendous. It kills me.”
Although the sides are still to play each other
at City on April 30, Richards admits their chances of winning the title are now slight.
The situation could change
later on Wednesday when United play at Wigan Athletic and City host West Bromwich Albion, but the champions would need to
suffer a major collapse to relinquish the title.
Richards added that City’s 6-1 win at Old Trafford in October now
seemed like a very long time ago but it could have settled the title race had United been managed by anyone other than Alex
Ferguson.
“Fergie has got to be one of the best managers that I’ve ever come across because, if we had got beaten 6-1
that day, United would have been 20 points clear by now,” he added.
He also agrees that United are a very special
club.
“They used to have Rooney, Ronaldo, Tevez and Berbatov,” he said, “It was terrifying.
“Now, if you are
talking about really special young players, then they only have Wayne Rooney. But as a team they are unbelievable. They know
how to win. If we can learn some of what they have, then next season we will be twice the team we are now.
“And then
we will take some stopping.”