Are Roberto Mancini's days at Manchester City numbered already?
Roberto Mancini's tenure at Manchester City is coming under intense boardroom scrutiny for the first time after a dismal run of two wins in eight matches which has left the world's richest club in danger of ending the season with nothing.
Sportsmail understands that there is increasing anxiety, with executives questioning for the first time whether they made the right choice when replacing Mark Hughes with the enigmatic Italian at the end of last year.
City lost 3-1 after extra time at Stoke City on Wednesday to crash out of the FA Cup. That came on the back of an exciting but disappointing Carling Cup semi-final defeat by Manchester United at the end of last month.
The only challenge that remains is for Mancini's City to try to qualify for the Champions League. Such an achievement would undoubtedly secure Mancini's future but anything else is increasingly likely to see him on his way back to Italy after six months.
City's official line on Mancini - who has thought from the start that he would be on his way this summer if he did not finish in the top four - is that he will remain in charge into the summer and beyond.
However, the official line on Hughes was that he would not be sacked, at least until a few days beforehand.
City executives are also disturbed by the mundane, unambitious football that has recently begun to characterise his reign.
Failure: Stoke dumped City out of the FA Cup on Wednesday
Since Mancini arrived at the club, only three of his 15 games have offered any real encouragement of a bright future. These were a 3-0 win at Wolves, a 2-1 Carling Cup first-leg win over neighbours United and a 4-1 home win over Blackburn. The rest, even the victories, have been mundane and unconvincing.
Mancini's harshest critics suggest City have not beaten anybody of note in the League since his arrival and that he is likely to be found out against Chelsea, United, Arsenal, Aston Villa, Everton and Spurs.
Discontent? Craig Bellamy
On the credit side, Mancini has gone some way to making City a better defensive unit. But, in the other half of the field, City players have been sapped of confidence.
Details of dressing room unrest and players objecting to Mancini's training regimes are well documented and do not always merit undue attention. Players moan about training at every club.
However, the griping has been particularly intense at City in recent weeks and some senior players are suffering. The form of Stephen Ireland and Shaun Wright-Phillips has disappeared this season.
It was not impressive under Hughes but has got worse since the Welshman left. Indeed, one only had to observe the body language of players as Mancini tried to deliver a team talk before extra time at the Britannia Stadium on Wednesday to see that some players are simply not listening.
Craig Bellamy, meanwhile, did not seem too bothered about listening to Brian Kidd, the assistant Mancini was presented with by the City board when he arrived.
Another problem that City would have as they tried to move forward is in identifying a successor. There is an overwhelming fondness for Inter Milan boss Jose Mourinho - which is hardly surprising - and City's football administrator Brian Marwood would love to tempt Arsene Wenger from Arsenal one day.
Away from football, Mancini is flat-hunting in Cheshire. He may be advised to wait a while.
Family comes first for Carlos Tevez as Manchester City star returns to face Chelsea
Carlos Tevez flew back from Argentina last night after visiting his wife following the premature birth of their second daughter.
The Manchester City striker has been away for 10 days on compassionate leave but is in contention to face Chelsea tomorrow.
He said: 'When there is a family issue, football takes a back seat. I went to the hospital five times a day to feed the little girl. I'd come and go, I couldn't watch any football.'
Tevez's adviser Kia Joorabchian earlier reiterated the striker is a family man first and a footballer second.
His baby daughter Katie has been in intensive care after being born prematurely and it had been unclear when Tevez would return.
But the Iranian businessman told Argentinian newspaper Ole: 'Thank God, Katie is getting better despite still being in hospital.
'So Carlitos told me he was going to fly back to England in the next hours and will play Chelsea on Saturday.
'It has not an enjoyable trip home, but Carlitos had to stay because of problems, not because he did not want to play. It proves the sort of man he is. Family first.'
TRANSFER BOLLOX
Barcelona defender Dani Alves has ruled out a move to Chelsea but has admitted to being flattered with their reported interest in him.The Independent
Former Notts County director of football Sven-Goran Eriksson had planned on luring LA Galaxy and England midfielder David Beckham to Meadow Lane as a part of ex-owners Munto Finance's ambitious plans for the club. This was before the full extent of the financial problems at Notts became clear and Munto sold the club. Daily Telegraph
OTHER BOLLOX
Manchester City defender Wayne Bridge quit England because of ex-Chelsea team-mate John Terry's failure to apologise over his alleged affair with his former partner, Vanessa Perroncel. Daily Mail
England coach Fabio Capello will try to persuade left-back Bridge to change his mind and join the Italian's World Cup squad for South Africa this summer. (Various)
Everton left-back Leighton Baines is likely to benefit from Bridge's decision to quit the national squad by being given a call-up to face Egypt in a friendly on Wednesday 3 March. First-choice left-back Ashley Cole is out after undergoing surgery on a broken foot. Daily Star
Alternatively, Capello could turn to Aston Villa left-back Stephen Warnock, who has recovered early from a shin injury that threatened to end his season. Daily Express
"Friends" of Terry claim Bridge has long been considered a "bottler" in the dressing room as the bad feeling between the pair shows no sign of abating. The Guardian
Arsenal forward Theo Walcott is set to deputise for Tottenham's Aaron Lennon on the right wing for England's friendly against Egypt in five days time. Daily Mail
Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand is definitely out of his side's Champions League second leg match at Old Trafford against AC Milan on 10 March.
Daily Mail
Bournemouth have been served another winding-up petition by Her Majesty's Revenue & Customs, with a hearing set for 31 March over an outstanding debt of £314,000 the club owes in tax.
Bournemouth Echo
The Football Association is considering switching the majority of FA Cup matches to midweek to make it "more relevant".
Daily Mail
Neil Warnock has moved a step closer to becoming the new QPR boss after beginning compensation talks with current employers Crystal Palace.
Daily Mail
England boss Fabio Capello's World Cup worries for the summer tournament in South Africa mounted last night as it emerged the England WAGs are planning their own base-camp 15 miles from the squad's Rustenburg headquarters.
Daily Mirror
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