Carlos Tevez limps off the pitch during Manchester City's 3-0 defeat to Liverpool at Anfield.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini accepts blame for his team's performance
• City drop to fourth in table, having played a game more than fifth-placed Tottenham
• Carlos Tevez looks likely to miss Saturday's FA Cup semifinal against Manchester United
• The Argentine injured a hamstring during Monday's 3-0 defeat to Liverpool

(CNN) -- Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini has accepted the blame for his team's 3-0 English Premier League defeat at the hands of Liverpool on Monday.

The Eastlands outfit found themselves three goals behind by halftime against Kenny Dalglish's side, after a brace from $57 million January signing Andy Carroll either side of a strike from Dutchman Dirk Kuyt.

Mancini, 46, said his players could have performed better during the match at Anfield, but admitted the blame for the performance lay with him.

"We did not play for the first 20 minutes, when Liverpool played very well," the former Inter Milan and Lazio boss told the club's official website.

"But I made some mistakes, so it is my fault. The players could do better, but I made mistakes.

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We only have five days before then, we will try but we probably need another two weeks
--Roberto Mancini on Tevez injury

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"With all the other teams having won at the weekend, it was important to win this game, but it is important we forget this."

On a bad night for the visitors, captain Carlos Tevez sustained a hamstring injury which looks set to rule him out of Saturday's FA Cup semifinal clash with cross-city rivals Manchester United.

The Argentina striker has scored 19 goals in 28 EPL games this season, but the ex-United forward is now likely to miss the tie after going down in the build-up to Carroll's opening 13th-minute goal for Liverpool.

"It is his hamstring, and I think it will be very difficult for Saturday. We only have five days before then, we will try but we probably need another two weeks," Mancini said of the 27-year-old's injury.

Carroll hits double as Liverpool defeat Man City

The result left City in the fourth and final qualifying position for next season's European Champions League, but they are now just three points clear of fifth-placed Tottenham Hotspur, having played a game more than the north London side.

The two teams will meet on May 10 in what looks like being a decisive match in the race for a berth in Europe's premier club competition.

It will also be a repeat of the match-up that came in May 2010, when victory for Harry Redknapp's side secured a place for Spurs in this season's tournament at the expense of Mancini's team.

While City may be without Tevez for Saturday's last-four showdown, United boss Alex Ferguson will be missing the suspended Wayne Rooney.

The England striker is serving the second match of a two-game domestic ban for swearing at a television camera during the Premier League leaders' 4-2 win over West Ham on April 2.

Mancini's team will want to emerge victorious from the Wembley Stadium showdown as they look to end a 35-year wait for a trophy.