Samir Nasri is determined to help Manchester City defeat Sunderland in Sunday’s Capital One Cup final at Wembley because he fears defeat could wreck their entire season.
The France international midfielder is looking to create history by helping Manuel Pellegrini’s men secure silverware on four fronts this season.
Their first opportunity comes this weekend when Manchester City are well fancied to go to Wembley and defeat Gus Poyet’s struggling Sunderland to secure the League Cup.
However, Nasri knows from past experience that the outcome is not a foregone conclusion after losing the 2011 final with Arsenal when they were up against a Birmingham side which was eventually relegated at the end of that season.
More recently Wigan pipped City to last season’s FA Cup when they too were relegated from the Premier League.
In the case of the Gunners’ defeat three years ago, Nasri claimed it had an impact on the rest of the north London outfit’s season.
And he does not want the same to happen to City who are also well placed for the Premier League title and FA Cup, while they trail Barcelona 2-0 going into the away leg of their Champions League last-16 tie in Spain.
“I have the experience of losing the Carling Cup in 2011 with Arsenal,” said Nasri. “After that we only won two games in the league, so a win would be really important for us and the confidence.
“I don’t have good memories of Wembley with clubs. I have lost a final there with Arsenal and with Manchester City, but I won there with the national team against England. I hope it is going to be the same kind of game.”
City are 1.14 to win the Capital One Cup while Sunderland are 5.54 outsiders.
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