Mancini Defends City Tactics, Warning 'If Players Don't Get It They Don't Belong in a Top Team': The Daily EPL

After initially coming out and blaming himself for Manchester Citys defeat against Ajax mid-week, Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini has now gone on the offensive by warning his players that “If [they] don’t get [his tactics and formation changes], they don’t belong in a top team.”

The comment is a veiled threat not only at Micah Richards, but at the other City players including Joleon Lescott and Gareth Barry.

Mancini’s comments are opposite to the style of Sir Alex Ferguson and Jose Mourinho, who prefer to protect their players from public criticism. It looks Mancini is running out of patience. A convincing win against Swansea tomorrow is a must to keep everyone satisfied — from the supporters to the players to the manager to the owner.

Here are the Premier League news headlines today:

• Mancini defends Man City tactics, warning ‘if players don’t get it they don’t belong in a top team’ — The Telegraph
• All-star charity single for Hillsborough families bidding for Christmas number one — The Daily Mail
• Bacary Sagna may return to bolster Arsenal defence for visit of QPR — The Independent
• Arsene Wenger and Steve Bould have a rift, says Stewart Robson — The Daily Mail
• David Silva remains sidelined for Manchester City for Swansea match — The Independent
• Sunderland sign James McFadden on a short-term contract — The Telegraph
• Has John Terry blown his chance to manage Chelsea? — Life’s A Pitch
• Stoke’s Cameron Jerome to join Blackburn on loan — The Daily Mail
• Man United’s Kagawa out for ‘three to four weeks’ — Premier League
• New Nike Maxim ‘Hi-Vis’ Premier League Ball To Roll Out This Weekend — Who Ate All The Pies
• Mapping the BBC’s price of football data — The Guardian
• Warning: the Premier League’s star is beginning to wane — The Telegraph
• Ferguson on ‘interesting’ Chelsea formation (Video) — BBC Sport
• Anzhi confirm interest in Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney — Manchester Evening News
• Emile Heskey scores twice for Newcastle Jets — Who Ate All The Pies
• United row goes full circle as Ferguson backs Rio Ferdinand actions — Manchester Evening News
• Cardiff City sign Fulham midfielder Kerim Frei on loan — BBC Sport

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