Roberto Mancini proudly holding the Premier League trophy is a sight many City fans at 4:45pm that Sunday didn't think was possible. We all know the rest as City fought back from 2-1 down to QPR to win 3-2 and the euphoria that followed was richly lapped up by Mancini and his team.
They say the best team always wins the league and based on the generous reaction I've had from friends who are Utd fans they have been saying exactly that. It didn't seem possible just a month ago as Utd pulled away the press were saying Fergie had won the mind games and Mancini had bottled it. Mancini stood there and didn't make any excuses as he conceded the title to them. Then the results turned City kept winning as Utd began dropping points, even going into the derby at the Etihad Mancini said because they were 3 points clear it was still Utd's title to lose...City won and Mancini even went toe to toe with Fergie which went down well with the fans. Even post match Mancini wouldn't admit City were now favourites as he knew Newcastle away was far from an easy game. In the end City were comfortable 2-0 winners.
During that game as at the derby Mancini was brave with his tactics pushing Yaya forward and that paid off big time. That said he hasn't been afraid ti make changes when they've been needed domestically. There have been mistakes and Mancini was quick to always blame himself not his players. He is always evolving and learning and that makes City a dangerous side for the Premier League and Europe.
Could it just be Mancini out mind gamed the master?? It sure looks that way over the course of the season Mancini has taken the blame for poor results like Everton saying "he got it wrong" so in conceding the title was Mancini once again taking the pressure off his players? Given the interview chairman Khaldoon Al-Mubarak gave to City TV this would indeed appear to be the case. The players could have felt sorry for themselves but instead they rose to the challenge and in the end got the rewards they deserved. And that is credit to Mancini though I think even he would have preferred a more comfortable win than the drama that unfolded at the Etihad.
Only Mancini will know but in the end the record books show Premier League champions 11-12 which now means Mancini has 2 trophies in 2 and a half seasons at City which is a brilliant return to have got success so quickly and man managed the squad to get them to the top.
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