Top four or cheers!

New Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini has been told in no uncertain terms that anything less than a top four finish this season and he’ll be looking for a new job. The Italian was appointed as a replacement for Mark Hughes who was sacked last weekend. His 3½-year contract however has a clause written into it allowing both himself and City to part company after six months if results don’t go their way. For this reason, Mancini will not be moving his family to Manchester until next season at the earliest. City’s wealthy Arab owners are expected to make money available to spend heavily in the January transfer window in order to ensure the ambitious club secures a place in next season’s Champions League. Mancini’s first game in charge is at home to Stoke on Boxing Day.