AS the Manchester United first team filed in from training at the Cliff, a young Kevin Grogan stood hopefully with his autograph book at the bottom of the stairs.

MANAGER Roberto Mancini has defended his decision to allow three senior Manchester City stars to leave on loan in January but now bemoans a lack of bodies as a reason for some of his side’s more stuttering performances in recent times, including their 2-0 first-leg defeat to Dynamo Kiev in the Europa League last-16 clash last week that they must try and correct tonight.