Mancini knows time is against him at City

Roberto Mancini will be confident he can make an immediate impact as the new manager of Manchester City.

With City lying sixth in the English Premier League table, six points adrift of fourth spot, the season remains very much alive despite Mark Hughes’s sudden dismissal after a 4-3 home win over Sunderland here on Sunday

Mancini will know by the ruthless way in which Hughes was sacked that time will not be on his side as he aims to make a quick impression at Eastlands.

But with qualification for next season’s Champions League still on the agenda, the former Inter Milan manager could not wish for a better run of games as he adapts to his new role as a Premier League manager.

The 45-year-old Italian’s first test is against mid-table Stoke City at home on Saturday followed by an away match at struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers two days later.

And with fixtures against Blackburn Rovers, Everton, Stoke again, Portsmouth, Hull City and Bolton Wanderers to come, Mancini has a chance to become a big favourite with fans, who were becoming increasingly frustrated with their team’s stuttering form under Hughes.

Indeed, Mancini’s first Premier League test against one of the so-called ‘Big Four’ is not until February 21 when City entertain Liverpool – the team they are trying to replace in English football’s leading quartet.

Related article: Mancini has lots to prove at City

Mancini, who steered Inter Milan to three Serie A titles during a four year stint in charge, could yet be walking out at Wembley on February 28.

For all City’s stuttering league form under Hughes, the former Wales manager did manage to guide them to the semi-finals of the League Cup – a tournament that provided the club with their last major trophy back in 1976.

They face local rivals Manchester United over two legs in January, a place in the final awaiting the winners.

Mancini, who is set to hold his first press conference as City boss on Monday, will also be judged on the way he handles star players such as Robinho.

The 32.5-million-pound British record signing is widely believed to have been brought to Eastlands with no input at all from Hughes.

And while the Brazil ace turned in some fine home displays, the fact he was so often anonymous away from Eastlands did little to help Hughes’s cause.

Yet as City fans come to terms with the dramatic events of Saturday, the speed of Hughes’s sacking has stunned his managerial rivals.

Hughes lost only two league games – three fewer than United’s Sir Alex Ferguson and five fewer than Liverpool’s Rafael Benitez – this term.

Yet Hughes, who spent 130 million pounds on players in the pre-season, paid the price for failing to deliver enough victories at the world’s richest club.

“A return of two wins in 11 Premier League games is clearly not in line with the targets that were agreed and set,” said City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak in a statement explaining Hughes’s departure.

“Sheikh Mansour (City’s owner) and the board felt that there was no evidence that the situation would fundamentally change.”

Sunderland manager Steve Bruce, who played alongside former striker Hughes at Manchester United, described the decision to sack the Welshman 90 minutes after City’s win over the Black Cats as “ridiculous”.

Bruce said: “I haven’t spoken to Mark but I’ve been made aware of the situation. It’s ridiculous.

“We all need time, but when you see the stats, it’s about 18 months (for a manager) in the Championship and slightly better in the Premier League because of Sir Alex and (Everton’s) David Moyes.

“But I’m disappointed for Mark, really disappointed.

“There’s a clamour that if things aren’t going well we hammer the manager. It’s unbelievable. It will stop a young British coach who’ll think, ‘what the hell’s the point going into that’.

“There just isn’t enough time. Nothing surprises me anymore.”