The Italian will take centre stage on Boxing Day, when City's home game against Stoke is among eight Premier League fixtures.
"I am very excited. I hope for the supporters it will be a good day and I hope to win for them," he said. "Stoke are a good, physical team - typically English. It is a hard match."
Mancini was named City boss last Saturday, but his arrival was overshadowed by the furore over the handling of predecessor Mark Hughes' sacking. That led to reports claiming several players were unhappy about Hughes' treatment, but Mancini says he has been pleased with their attitude in training.
"I thought the players trained very well. I think I have a good team and we have only one problem and that is many players injured," said the Italian. "I have a good relationship with the players. I appreciate some players are close to Mark but that is a good thing for a manager." He went on to joke: "When I go away from Manchester City in 15 years after five Premier League titles and four cups the players will have the same situation with me." (Why is that a joke?)
Victory for City is vital if they are to keep pace with the top five, and they could even make up ground with fifth-placed Tottenham facing what looks like a difficult trip to fellow Londoners Fulham.
BBC Video link: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/footbal ... 430108.stm
WAG OF THE DAY
You might, but probably don’t, remember Bleakley from her stint on Strictly Come Dancing, where, per the reality show tradition, she was beaten in her final dance off by a Rage Against the Machine song. Or you might recognise her from her role as front man in BBC’s One Show, where she is happy to partner, up front, Adrian Chiles, with whom she was also romantically linked with following his divorce, on BBC’s One Show.
Childs, displaying the kind of strained and blokey affability for which he is famed and for which most now choose to Sky Plus Match of the Day 2 and fast forward his and Lee Dixon’s links commented: “That’s like West Brom being linked with Ronaldo. It would be nice, but it’s never going to happen.” Not sure how Cristiano Ronaldo will feel about being compared to Adrian Chiles, mind. Nor how Christine Bleakly will feel about being compared to West Brom, come to think.
But the point remains, and for Ronaldo, read Lampard. Christine and Frank have been ‘stepping out’ together recently, which, Bleakley confirms, means ‘dating’, and not some kind of infringement in or around the area that necessitates the retaking of the penalty kick.
Ooops I can smell burning Turkey ... more later!
