The easy smile seemed a little forced, the customary charm and coolness under pressure subsiding just long enough to reveal the occasional flicker of concern.
For the first time in his nine-week tenure as Manchester City manager, Roberto Mancini did not look entirely comfortable yesterday as he faced up to a catalogue of problems — some self-inflicted, others not — that threaten to undermine the club’s pursuit of Champions League qualification.
A season that promised so much has reached a defining juncture, with City’s Barclays Premier League game at home to Liverpool tomorrow the first of four matches that will go a long way towards determining whether the club can finish in the top four this season and keep alive hopes of ending their 34-year