Mancini convinced City will not sack him

Manchester: Roberto Mancini is adamant he is not in danger of losing his job because of Manchester City’s faltering attempt to retain their Premier League title.

Mancini has revealed how his chairman, Khaldoon Al Mubarak, is suffering the pain of the club’s recent setbacks but insists he retains the support of his board. The Italian suggested if he was sacked, managers of “the other 20 teams in the Premier League” would also be out of a job in the near future.

In a defiant defence of his reign, Mancini said his regular conversations with his chairman had convinced him there was no prospect of him paying the most severe price if City failed to catch Manchester United. “I speak with Khaldoon every week. He is like me. When we lose he has my mentality, he is upset and disappointed,” said Mancini. “After you lose you can’t be happy for 24 hours. After that you need to think about the future. We have a good relationship. At this moment they are not happy because when you lose you can’t be happy, but I think they are happy with our job over the three years.

“In three years we are always on the top, we fight for the title, we won three trophies, we have the chance to win more this year. All the people who talk about this don’t understand football. Because if Manchester City should sack me, the other 20 teams in the Premier League should be without a manager.

“Maybe we won the Premier League too quickly because usually it is four or five years for a team like City to do this. I think that we have some players that can do better than this year but I am sure I have a good team and we will win something.”

City host Leeds United in an FA Cup fifth-round tie on Sunday, with Costel Pantilimon replacing Joe Hart in goal, as in previous rounds. City captain Vincent Kompany will again be absent due to a calf injury while Gareth Barry is sidelined with an ankle problem. However, Serbia defender Matija Nastasic is available again after missing the trip to Southampton through injury.

Leeds have already pulled off several cup surprises this season. As well as knocking Tottenham out of the FA Cup, they also beat Everton and Southampton in the League Cup.

Leeds manager Neil Warnock has taunted Mancini by claiming he could not handle the manager’s job at Elland Road as he has only been successful when he has had unlimited financial resources.

Warnock said: “People like Roberto Mancini, and I’m not being disrespectful, they need financial support. Like [Jose] Mourinho and all them, I don’t think they could manage at Leeds in the current climate, or manage anywhere else other than the top of the top level.

“Mind you, I don’t think I’d be able to cope if we did a job swap. I don’t envy Roberto, dealing with 11 to 12 world-class players who think they should be in the side and agents who think their players should be in the side. They’ve got two teams. That’s a major issue to deal with for managers like that. I wouldn’t enjoy it at all. Good luck to him. They’re under pressure because they’re second in the league. They’re not going to win it.”