Mancini backs City strikers

Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini has vowed his side can improve further after demolishing Aston Villa 5-0 on Saturday.

City struggled in the first half against a resolute Villa back line, but
got the break just before half-time as David Silva tapped in following a
goalmouth scramble, and Carlos Tevez and Sergio Aguero split four goals
between them after the break to seal a resounding win.

“We
played well, created a lot of chances but we also missed one or two
opportunities in the first half,” Mancini told reporters.

“We can
do better, but I hope we are starting to find the form of last season.
We started to change things a few games ago and it seems to be paying
off.”

The Italian had special praise for the club’s attackers who have begun to find the net on a regular basis.

“I’m very pleased that our strikers have now scored six goals in the last two games,” Mancini said.

“It is important they are in good form and are finding the net on a regular basis.”

Villa
manager Paul Lambert lambasted the assistant referee for his decision
to award City a penalty in the 54th minute for an apparent handball by
Andreas Weimann.

“That’s never a handball,” Lambert said.

“What the linesman saw there I do not know, (but) he saw something that 50,000 other people never saw.”

Villa
were not out of the contest at that point and had managed to frustrate
City for large parts of the game, but that decision seemed to dent their
confidence and they crumbled under the pressure from the home side.

“I thought Joe Hart did a brilliant save from Christian’s (Benteke) header (in the first half),” he said.

“So we were well in the game, but the penalty was a real shocking decision.

“He
(the assistant referee) said he was 100 percent sure it hit his hand,
(but) he (Weimann) jumped with his hands to try and get leverage but the
Man City lad behind him was heading it so that to me is a guess.”