Monday 8 April 2013 19:24, UK
Roberto Mancini goes into tonight's Manchester derby insisting City are every bit as good as champions-elect United.
However, Mancini wants to take a leaf out of United's book to ensure his side bounce back from this season's disappointing title defence. The Italian said: "Last year United didn't win anything - Community Shield yes - but they continue to improve their team. "This can happen, you can't win every year. This is impossible in England. For this, I think we need to do better next year." Mancini failed to land all his prime transfer targets last summer, but with new administration at the club he is confident of doing better this time around. City did strike one important blow last week when Yaya Toure, after speculation he could leave, signed a new four-year contract and spoke of his confidence in the club's future. Mancini said: "This is important for the club, it is important that they sign new contracts. "We know that we should buy important players for next year if we want to improve. "In football you can buy good players and afterwards you don't win - this is football, it is incredible. "But I am sure we can do well this year, we can do a good job in the market." Ferguson's success over the past two decades has owed much to his ability to continually refresh his side. Having only emerged from a 35-year run without a major trophy in 2011, City are still to get to grips with this process. Mancini said: "I think we need to improve as a team, as a club, but for this we need more years. "We can't do this in two years. For 10 years, if we improve, if we win every year, probably it will be the same also for us."
