Manchester City fans are key to Roberto Mancini holding onto his job.

The Telegraph says within the dressing-room, Mancini is unpopular due to his authoritarian approach. His withering post-match comments following the Southampton defeat, when he refused to protect the likes of Joe Hart, was not the first example of Mancini publicly turning on his players.

Mancini is by no means certain to keep his job having failed to meet his objectives, yet the one constituency where he does command huge support is among the supporters.

The Abu Dhabi regime has always stressed its aversion to Roman Abramovich's hire-and-fire approach at Chelsea, but if Mancini is dismissed for finishing second, with two trophies on his City record and the backing of the fans, it will be an interesting summer.