Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini has again declared Robin van Persie as the difference in Manchester United's title bid this season.

Mancini has since described the 29-year-old as the main difference between the sides and, by implication, the chief reason why United have reasserted themselves after being beaten to the title by City last year.

He said: "We hope it will be 10 games. I don't know (the reason for the scoreless run), he is a top player. He can score in every moment in every game.

"This can happen to every striker, you can score every game for 20 games then after that for five, six, seven games you don't score.

"The difference is that we have scored 20 goals less than last year - only this difference.

"The goals we have conceded are the same - we have the best defence.

"This is probably the difference, the goals we didn't score."