Mancini admits he is facing the sack at City

Roberto Mancini admits he could be sacked in the summer, despite the progress his Manchester City side have made this season.

City look to have blown their chance to win the title, with rivals Manchester United five points ahead with seven games to go.

That said, they are on course for their highest Premier League position and biggest points haul - proof of their continued progress under Mancini.

But the Italian knows from bitter experience that there are no guarantees in football, having seen a trophy-laden spell as Inter Milan come to an abrupt end when he still had four years remaining on his contract.

Mancini insists the club's hierarchy are aware of how far the Blues have come under him, and of the importance of stability.

“I hope they do, because of what’s happened over the last two years here,” he said. “But I know football very well.

"I left Inter after winning seven trophies and I still had a four-year contract. So in football anything can happen in any moment. Like the title race, things can change in one week.

“It’s the same regarding my future. When you choose this job you know anything can happen.

“I don’t have a problem with this because when you work hard for your job and improve your team, that’s the important thing.”

Asked if he felt it was unfair that his future at City was being questioned, when the club is still pushing for the title, Mancini, who has splashed out £240million on players since being hired in December 2009, said: “For me it’s not important.

“I have one year left on my contract. I started this job two-and-a-half years ago and since then we have improved a lot as a team, as players and as a club.

“This is important when you have a new team. I’ve been in this world a long time and I know that you can lose this title [job].

“But what’s important to me is that the squad has improved a lot over the last two years.

“I think we’re progressing, but I don’t decide this. I do the best in my job and after I don’t decide the situation.”

When Mancini took over from Mark Hughes, City were in sixth place.

The Italian steered them to a fifth-place finish and then made great strides last season, winning the FA Cup and finishing third - level on points with second-placed Chelsea.

Although City had a disappointing debut Champions League campaign and are now behind United having led the Premier League for most of the season, Mancini said chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak knows it is only a matter of time before the club wins the title.

“My relationship with Khaldoon is fantastic,” he said. “Even if he sacked me at the end of the season or next year, I would say that any manager who works with him is very lucky.

“He’s a really good man. This doesn’t change my opinion about him or the club. But I don’t have this problem because I will continue in my job.

“I’m sure that this club has arrived at the top. With two or three more players after this year, the club will start to win, and then it will win two or three trophies every year.”

Mancini accepted City’s title hopes will be over if United beat QPR in Sunday's early game and City lose at Arsenal in the day's later match, leaving an eight-point gap the Italian claimed would be too big to close over the remaining six fixtures.

But while there is still a chance of the title, Mancini is refusing to give up.

"We can’t think like that now,” he said. “All we should be thinking about is how we can still win the title. There are seven games to go, with a derby at home.

“I still think we can win the title. It’s important we take maximum points.

"Last season we got 71 points. Now we have the same - with seven games left.”

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