Midfielder Nigel de Jong believes Manchester City have a "good chance" of finishing fourth in the top flight.

The race for the last UEFA Champions League qualification spot via the league is hotting up, with City, Spurs, Liverpool and Aston Villa all in the running, with just four points separating the four contenders.

Fifth-placed City have the same number of points as Spurs, with a game in hand.

And Roberto Mancini's side were handed a big boost on Tuesday when sixth-placed Liverpool lost 1-0 at Wigan.

De Jong believes that defeat has handed the initiative to his side, who are also boosted with an upcoming home match against Villa, with Martin O'Neill's team currently four points behind City with a game in hand.

The Dutchman told Sky Sports News: "(We have a) good chance, I mean Liverpool lost so it's going to be a tight race at the end.

"Everybody goes for fourth place of course but I think we can do it.

"We've got one game in hand (over Spurs), we've got a couple of good games against our opponents as well at home so you've just got to try to keep going and focus, try to get those three points in every game and we'll see where we end (up)."