With a yawning 15-point gap to make up, Manchester City will know nothing short of three points will be acceptable in their English Premier League game against Newcastle.
Manchester United have as good as won the title, and currently lead their title rivals by 15 points with just nine games remaining.
Roberto Mancini is not one to give up easily, but admitted City's chances of retaining their title were now gone.
City will now need to concentrate more on picking up points in the final nine games -- starting with Newcastle United at the Etihad on Saturday -- not to close the gap on United but to ensure the likes of Chelsea, Tottenham and even Arsenal do not challenge them for second.
"It's over but this doesn't change anything because we should do our best from now to the end," Mancini said of the title challenge.
"Every top team, when they can't win a title, should still try to play well and win all their games.
"This is different. I don't know how we will finish this season, because we have Chelsea four points behind us and Tottenham five points behind.
"We have nine games left and for this reason it's important we keep working hard and well."
The reigning champions will need to put in a much better performance than the one against Everton a couple of weeks back, though, where almost the entire playing XI failed to show up.
City have had too many of those games this season, which is a major reason why they find themselves so far behind United.
However, in Newcastle United, City have one of their favorite teams. The Premier League champions have won their last six against the Magpies and are unbeaten in 12, a record that goes all the way back to 2004.
City are expected to welcome back skipper Vincent Kompany, who has not played a game since the end of January due to a calf problem. Mancini, though, was not happy with his captain's decision to play for Belgium in the World Cup Qualifier against Macedonia.
"I said to him, 'Stay here to have more treatment but don't go to play because it would be taking a risk for us because these next two months are really important.' He said that the manager called him and he should go," Mancini said.
"I can't put him in jail for two weeks, can I? It is OK for him to go there and have a fitness test with their medical people but after that he should come back.
"It was important that Vinny worked here and prepared well for the last two months of the season because he hasn't played for us for 60 days."
Kompany was untroubled in a training session on Thursday, though. Sergio Aguero could also be back in the starting lineup, but Jack Rodwell, Micah Richards and Maicon are ruled out.
Newcastle have plenty of injury problems of their own with Tim Krul, Massadio Haidara, Fabricio Coloccini, Davide Santon, Cheick Tiote and Mathieu Debuchy sidelined against City.
Expected lineups: Manchester City: Hart; Zabaleta, Kompany, Nastasic, Clichy; Barry, Toure; Milner, Tevez, Silva; Aguero.
Newcastle: Elliot; Simpson, Taylor, Yanga-Mbiwa, Perch; Anita, Cabaye; Gouffran, Sissoko, Guttierez; Cisse.
Prediction: 2-2
