Manchester United goalkeeper Anders Lindegaard claims neighbours Manchester City are under pressure as the Red Devils continue to keep pace with the league leaders.
Since United’s heavy defeat at the hands of City at Old Trafford, they have gone on to win seven games and draw just one in the league.
And the Dane believes the onus is on Roberto Mancini’s men to avoid any slip-ups with their rivals consistently picking up results and just two points behind them.
He told MUTV: “I think City are already under real pressure. Ever since the City match we have performed well.
“We were unlucky to go out of the Champions League and we can only blame ourselves for that, but apart from that we have performed very well – especially recently.
“We have played some really good games; we haven’t scored as many goals as we should have but we have played some good football.
“As far as I know, United have a tradition for being strong in the winter programme, so it is going to be a very tight spring to decide who will be champions.”
Lindegaard has been used in rotation with fellow goalkeeper David De Gea this season, with the pair keeping 11 clean sheets in total.
The Dane insisted he is happy to be used as part of a squad which is full of quality.
“Every position has two world-class players and the manger is not afraid of using the whole squad,” he said.
“I am one of the players who is very glad he is doing it like that.”