Manchester City 2 Chelsea 0: Roberto Mancini says Citizens will fight till the end after Yaya Toure and Carlos Tevez seal win

Second-half goals from Yaya Toure and Carlos Tevez ensured the Citizens didn’t lose further ground in the title race while Chelsea are now seven points behind the champions in third.

City boss Roberto Mancini paid tribute to retiring Pope Benedict XVI afterwards, but despite the win City are still looking for divine intervention as they still find themselves well out of touch of their famous rivals at the top of the table.

But Mancini was defiant, saying: “I think that football is finished when it is finished, the last minute of the last game.

“If we arrive with four games to go with United ahead 12 points then it is finished.”

The Citizens had several chances to take the lead before the visitors won a penalty early in the second-half after Joe Hart was adjudged to have pulled down Demba Ba inside the area.

Frank Lampard, who was making his 550th league appearance, stepped up to take the resulting spot kick but was denied his 200th Chelsea goal by the outstretched hand of Hart.

But midway through the second half the home side made their chances count as Toure put Mancini’s side ahead before Tevez, who had failed to score in his last eight league appearances, made sure of the points with five minutes left to play.

Chelsea sit just one point ahead of Spurs, who have a game in hand. But despite defeat under-fire interim manager Rafa Benitez, who is almost certain to be replaced in the summer, remains positive that they can secure a Champions League place next season.

He said: “We have to carry on trying to win our games and hopefully if they (Manchester City) lose some points we can be closer and, if not, we still have to do our job because Arsenal, Tottenham and Everton are close.”