Manchester City striker Edin Dzeko has called on his team-mates to keep up the pressure on Manchester United after cutting the gap between themselves and the league leaders to five points.
A 2-0 victory over Fulham on Saturday left United needing to beat Tottenham at White Hart Lane to restore their seven-point lead, but Clint Dempsey’s injury-time equaliser cancelled out Robin van Persie’s first-half opener to leave last season’s runners-up with just a point after a 1-1 draw.
David Silva scored twice for City in a turgid display to see off Martin Jol’s charges, and Dzeko believes playing 24 hours before their title rivals gave his team a mental edge.
“We have to just keep doing what we’re doing,” Dzeko told the club’s official website.
“I think Manchester United will drop points sooner or later but we just need to keep winning and keep the pressure on them.”
City top goalscorer Dzeko failed to hit the back of the net against the Cottagers, while Silva missed an opportunity to seal a hat-trick and boost the club’s goal difference, but the 26-year-old was happy enough to claim all three points.
“David took his goals really well and he is disappointed he didn’t maybe get a third, but I’m really pleased for him and that the team won,” Dzeko added.
“We are a bit disappointed we didn’t score more goals after taking the lead so early in the game and I think if we’d scored again in the first half we’d have gone on and won by more but sometimes it doesn’t pan out like that. We got the second at a good time so we have to be happy.
“I’m disappointed I didn’t score, but I think I played okay. As long as we keep winning, I’m happy.”