Wednesday 16 March 2016 23:45, UK
Sergio Aguero has admitted Manchester City's title hopes are slipping through their fingers and they must now be wary of losing fourth spot to Manchester United.
The bitter rivals clash at the Etihad, live on Sky Sports 1HD on Super Sunday, with City 12 points behind Premier League-leaders Leicester with nine games remaining.
Yet just as significantly, City are only four points ahead of sixth-placed United after 29 games and striker Aguero insists they "have to win" to prevent a cataclysmic slide out of the Champions League places.
"We have to win even more so because the title is slipping further and further away and we have to make sure we take fourth place," the Argentina international said.
"We want the title, but we have to take into account that United are right behind us and it will be a tough game. We will have to play intensely.
"I think that over the last five years City have always competed hard in the derby. At one point United were huge and City have invested a lot of money to bring in quality players, and that has levelled the playing field.
"But I don't know what is happening at United. I focus on City and Sunday, and we are thinking about winning and nothing else."
Aguero, who signed for City from Atletico Madrid in 2011 and signed a renewed five-year contract in 2014, said last week that he intends to finish his career at boyhood club Independiente.
But he hopes to win the Champions League before he goes, most likely in 2019 when his current contract ends.
"You are born in one club as a kid and you always want to return to where you started. I have always said it, I will go back," he said.
"But right now I am thinking about winning the Champions League with Manchester City. We will see what happens in the future."
