Sack me and you should sack everyone, says Roberto Mancini

Mancini, whose side host Leeds United in the FA Cup fifth round on Sunday, has faced increased pressure after City fell 12 points behind Manchester United in the race for the Premier League title.

Defeat to Leeds would only intensify speculation over the Italian’s future, but Mancini believes his plans for the club still have a long way to run.

“We started our project three years ago,” he said. “In three years we are always on the top — we fight for the title, we won three trophies, we have the chance to win more this year.

“All the people who talk about this don’t understand football. Because if Manchester City should sack me, the other 20 teams in the Premier League should be without a manager.”

Elsewhere Luton host Millwall in tomorrow lunchtime’s kick-off, with the Conference side aiming to cause an upset by defeating their Championship visitors.

Later in the day, Arsenal, who host Bayern Munich in the Champions League on Tuesday, will be hoping for no slip-ups when Blackburn make the trip to north London.

Milton Keynes, who are currently 12th in League One, host Championship strugglers Barnsley, while Everton travel to Oldham, who accounted for city rivals Liverpool in the last round.

Sunday sees Chelsea hoping to finish the job against fellow west London club Brentford in a fourth-round replay, while back in the fifth round Huddersfield will be hoping to cause an upset when they take on Roberto Martinez’s Wigan Athletic, who are currently 19th in the Premier League.