Mancini raises glass to wonder of Roo

FOR a manager who has spoken long and often about the booze culture he encountered when he took over at Manchester City, Roberto Mancini’s instructions for his shellshocked players to go home and enjoy a relaxing drink on Saturday evening may have sounded strange, misguided, hypocritical even.

In the Italian’s defence, however, what else was there for him to do to lessen the sickening blow of his players going toe-to-toe with the league leaders, on the enemy’s territory, only to be undone by a goal of stunning and sublime excellence by Wayne Rooney?

Mancini spoke at length, as he has done so often on occasion, about how City are closing the gap on a club searching for a record 19th league title this season. He spoke of how proud he was that his squad of expensively-assembled individuals played like a team, how hard they fought on such tough territory and how only a moment of sheer genius had defeated them.