Mancini calls for restraint

Roberto Mancini has urged his Manchester City side to adopt a cautious approach against Dynamo Kiev despite going into the game 2-0 down on aggregate.

City managed a tense 1-0 win over Championship side Reading in the FA Cup at the weekend, only breaking down the visitors after 74 minutes from a well-worked set-piece.

Mancini knows how much City fans want to end their 35-year wait for a trophy yet he still will not endorse an attacking approach despite the first-leg defeat in Kiev in their Europa League tie.

“At the start of the game we just tried to score, score, score but I think we should play our game and not concede which I think is very important and then we can score one or two goals,” he said.

“It’s not important if we score after five minutes or half an hour. It’s important that we play as a team and play strong and we do not concede because Kiev are a team that plays on the counter attack and it will be important to pay more attention tomorrow.”

In spite of City’s continuously cautious approach, with over 100 million pounds of attacking talent at their disposal, Mancini wants the silverware-hungry supporters to get behind his side.

“It’s important our supporters play close to us like they did against Reading and then we can play our game,” Mancini added. “I think we have a chance to score I think if we play our game we should win,” he said.

Mancini has bemoaned the injuries that have affected his side but there is hope on the horizon.

“James Milner is not 100 percent but he can probably go on the bench,” he said.

“I hope that Nigel De Jong will be feeling good after playing in the Reading game because he had a problem with his ankle in the last 10 minutes. Adam Johnson has been working with the team for four days but he will not be ready.”

Meanwhile, City defender Vincent Kompany said he expected his team would progress despite being down in the tie.

“Obviously it was not a good result but having said that it is a home tie now and we expect to do the same to them as they did to us and possibly more,” he said.

“If they believe they can score one goal then we will have to score four but we are confident and we know the fans are going to give us support and it is going to be a special game.”

“It is down to the manager which fashion we play in, we believe that whatever way we play there is a lot to play for. We should use our head and remember that we have the 12th man in the crowd and use that to our advantage and not make mistakes. I am confident that we have enough to go and score goals.”