Zabaleta puts the boot in to hasten Mancini departure

Pablo Zabaleta did not have the look of a man who had just got his manager the sack, but the Argentina international knows his reckless actions at Wembley could well have hastened Roberto Mancini’s route out of Manchester City.

Mancini came into the game amid headlines the club had already lined up Malaga’s Manuel Pellegrini. He angrily denied the reports afterwards, but Zabaleta was Wembley-weary enough to know this shock defeat could spell the end for many faces at the club.

Zabaleta hacked down Callum McManaman to earn his second yellow card with seven minutes to go and would have taken up a near post decision to defend the corner from which Wigan scored, had he remained on the pitch.