Mancini expects Villas-Boas to survive criticism

Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini expects Chelsea counterpart Andre Villas-Boas to ride through any criticism.

Mancini has high regard for the Portuguese, who hit back at his media detractors after his side qualified for the Champions League knockout stage in midweek.

Despite the former Porto boss being just months into his job at Stamford Bridge, Villas-Boas’ future had been questioned after a start to the season below the usual standards of the London club.

But Mancini, who has needed time to establish himself at the Etihad Stadium, believes the 34-year-old will deliver if people show patience.

Mancini, speaking ahead of his side’s trip to Chelsea on Monday, said: “I don’t know their situation so it is very difficult for me to say something about this.

“But when you manage a top team and have top players, you should be strong enough for this and I think he is strong.

“He was managing Porto, a top club in Europe. He is a good manager.

“I think if you choose this job you should expect to be criticised, this is normal, but when you arrive at a new team you need time.

“For all managers, it is difficult to change everything in two or three months, it is impossible.

“Now I think Chelsea have improved in the last three or four weeks.”

Mancini found himself in the firing line this week as former Arsenal and Germany goalkeeper Jens Lehmann launched a scathing attack on City following their failure to join Chelsea in the Champions League last 16.

In an extraordinary outburst, Lehmann claimed the Barclays Premier League leaders play “very, very boring football”, “make their opponents fall asleep” and that people “don’t want to see” them in the Champions League.

Mancini was not perturbed and uses such remarks to motivate his players.

The Italian said: “I think we need to respect all people when they say their opinion.

“For us this could be important because we can push more and become stronger for this.

“When you are criticised or lose an important game, I think you can improve. You can get stronger as a team, as men.

“We will work hard and continue to improve to make sure we are a top team.”

Chelsea eased the pressure on Villas-Boas with a 3-0 win at Newcastle last weekend before they crushed Valencia by the same scoreline to make Champions League progress.

That was widely regarded to be their best performance of the season and Mancini knows his side’s title credentials will be tested.

He said: “It will be a tough game because they are in good form but it will be a good game because two strong teams are playing.

“We will try to go there to win but we know it will be a difficult game.”

Unbeaten City have dropped only four points in a flying start to the season and have scored a remarkable 48 goals in 14 games.

That has put them well on course to beat Chelsea’s Premier League record of 103, set in their title-winning 2009-10 campaign.

Yet aside from that, Mancini has been irritated by his side’s failure to keep clean sheets.

City thrashed Norwich last weekend but the 5-1 scoreline meant a seventh successive league game in which they had conceded.

Mancini said: “We did well against Norwich – scored goals – but I think when we are 3-0 we should continue to keep our concentration and not concede.

“I think all the team played well but it is not important we score many goals. It is just important we win in the end.”

In-form right-back Micah Richards is again likely to be missing on Monday as a result of the calf injury that kept him out of Wednesday’s Champions League win over Bayern Munich.