Roberto Mancini leaves the
field dejected after defeat to Wigan in the FA Cup final

Manchester City have sacked
Roberto Mancini 12 months after
he guided the club to their first
league title in 44 years.
Having failed to mastermind the
retention of City's Premier
League title this season, losing
out to rivals Manchester United,
Mancini was under pressure to
deliver silverware in the form of the FA Cup. However, a shock 1-0 defeat to
Wigan in Saturday's final
immediately led to renewed
speculation that the Italian was
on his last legs at Eastlands. And so it proved to be, with
Mancini axed by City after three-
and-a-half years in the Eastlands
hotseat. Malaga coach Manuel
Pellegrini is currently the
favourite to be named his successor. A statement on the club's official
website read: "It is with regret
that Manchester City Football
Club announces that Roberto
Mancini has been relieved of his
duties as Manchester City Manager. "This has been a difficult decision
for the owner, Chairman and
Board to make and it is the
outcome of a planned end of
season review process that has
been brought forward in light of recent speculation and out of
respect for Roberto and his
extensive contributions to the
Football Club. "Despite everyone's best efforts,
the Club has failed to achieve any
of its stated targets this year,
with the exception of qualification
for next season's UEFA Champions
League. This, combined with an identified need to develop a
holistic approach to all aspects of
football at the Club, has meant
that the decision has been taken
to find a new manager for the
2013/14 season and beyond. "Assistant Manager Brian Kidd will
take interim responsibility for the
remaining two games of the
season and the post-season tour
to the United States." Chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak
added: "Roberto's record speaks
for itself and he has the respect
and gratitude of Sheikh Mansour,
myself and the Board for all of his
hard work and commitment over the last three and a half years.
"He has clearly also secured the
love and respect of our fans. He
has done as he promised and
delivered silverware and success,
breaking the Club's 35-year trophy drought and securing the
title in 2012. "I would like to personally and
publicly thank him for his
dedication to the progress that
he has overseen and for his
support and continued friendship." Mancini arrived in Manchester in
December 2009, with City's Abu
Dhabi owners choosing the former
Inter Milan boss to replace Mark
Hughes. It proved an inspired choice as
Mancini led City to FA Cup glory in
his first full season in charge, the
club's first piece of major
silverware since the 1976 League
Cup. He went one better the following
year, ending a 45-year wait for
the English league title in
dramatic style - the last kick of
the season from Sergio Aguero
securing the trophy on goal difference, most satisfyingly at
the expense of United. After achieving domestic success,
European domination was on the
mind of City's wealthy Abu Dhabi
owners but Mancini failed two
years in a row to guide City
through the Champions League group stage. The former Lazio and Italy
striker's struggles on the
continental stage left him needing
to impress again on the home
front. City, though, were unable
to rein in neighbours United in the Premier League and the FA Cup final upset proved the last
straw for the club's hierarchy.