Mancini demands City perfection

Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini insisted that his side must play flawlessly this season after their 3-1 win over Wolves on Saturday.

The victory – City’s fifth in succession in the Premier League – increased the home side’s lead at the top of the table back to five points after Manchester United had brought the gap down to two with a lunchtime win over Everton.

The Italian’s side toiled in the first 45 minutes and went in at the break goalless at half time, but strikes from Edin Dzeko, Aleksandar Kolarov and Adam Johnson were enough to secure all three points for the hosts despite Vincent Kompany being sent off and giving away a penalty in the 75th minute.

When asked whether his side had to be patient, Mancini replied: “Yes, but it’s impossible to always score four or five goals all the time. I don’t know how many chances we had in the first half but today their keeper saved everything.”

“In the second half we played very well, like the first half but sometimes it’s difficult to score. It was important to beat Wolves today.”

“After (beating) Man United I don’t want them (the fans) thinking that every game will be easy. In every game you should play 100 per cent because if not, like today, in every moment the game can change because after the sending off it was very difficult.”

The home side should have been awarded a penalty in the first half after Richard Stearman tangled with Dzeko in the area and whilst Mancini insisted that he ‘didn’t want to speak’ about referee Stuart Attwell’s performance, he admitted he had no complaints with Kompany’s sending off.

Mancini’s side travel to Villarreal for a vital Champions League tie on Wednesday and the Italian feels that the Belgian’s dismissal may have fatigued his side.

“Playing with 10 men is very hard for the players and now we need to recover very well,” Mancini said.

“I can play with three strikers and Sergio (Aguero) needs to play after injury, Dzeko played well on Wednesday and scored two goals and for Mario sometimes it’s important to rest, and we have a game in three days.”

Wolves manager Mick McCarthy stated that his custodian in goal Wayne Hennessey was not to blame for the three goals conceded, despite City’s opener coming from a blatant error from the shot-stopper.

“(Hennessey) was fabulous; one of the saves he made in the first half was outstanding and he has been all season, he’s been brilliant,” he said.

“No recriminations from me on his part but it’s another mistake that’s let the opposition get the lead after we’d been doing OK, we’d been doing fine.”

“I heard the crowd booing coming off at half time and I think there was a lot of anxiety and a lot of frustration.”

“For an away side coming off, especially here against that team, to generate an atmosphere in the stadium by our performance is good.”