Report: 'City players want Mancini out'

Several Manchester City players want boss Roberto Mancini sacked, according to a newspaper.

The report also claims some stars are guessing when the Italian will get the boot and says he has lost the dressing room as morale collapses.

The Sun quoted a City insider as saying: "The place is in a complete mess. There is hardly a player in the dressing room who has any time for Mancini.

"Team spirit is falling apart because there is no respect for the manager and some players are even guessing when he could go."

Another source is said to have told the paper: "The players don't like his confrontational style. They're also baffled by him tactically."

City slipped eight points behind leaders Chelsea with Saturday's shock defeat at Wolves and have now lost three Premier League games.

But defender Kolo Toure denied that there are any rifts in the City camp, saying, "No, not at all. We are a team and in any team there are problems. But the important thing is to try to resolve them in the dressing room and the training camp."

City travel to Lech Poznan on Thursday in the Europa League before meeting West Brom - who would go above them into fourth if they beat Blackpool tonight - at The Hawthorns on Sunday.