Man. City deny chief executive lied to fans

Manchester City insisted yesterday they had not lied to their supporters over when they approached Roberto Mancini to become their new manager.

In a prepared statement at Monday's news conference to present Mancini as the replacement for the sacked Mark Hughes, City chief executive Garry Cook claimed the Italian had agreed to join the club on Friday, two days after a 3-0 defeat to Spurs.

Mancini appeared to contradict that statement, however, by revealing that he had first met with City chairman Khaldoon Al-Mubarak in London a fortnight ago.

British press reports yesterday were overwhelmingly critical of the way in which City had gone about sacking Hughes and bringing in Mancini, while fans phoned up Eastlands to complain about the club's conduct.

But in a statement yesterday, City denied supporters had been misled.

"Yesterday, CEO Garry Cook and new manager Roberto Mancini together took to the stage to give journalists and, more importantly, our fans the complete picture of the events of the past few days and week," the statement said.

"The outcome was characterised in a way which has suggested that the football club and Garry Cook has lied to its fans. Manchester City Football would like to point out that this is absolutely not the case."

City's Abu Dhabi-based owner Sheikh Mansour, has already spent some £200 million on bringing new players to Eastlands.

No side has lost fewer games in the Premier League so far this season than City, who've been beaten just twice and lie sixth in the table, 11 points behind leaders Chelsea.