City board must answer questions

One of these days, the inevitable meeting is going to take place between the owners of Manchester City , the sporting directors and the head coach, Roberto Mancini. The pleasantries, presumably, won't last too long. They need to get down to business. And business does not look hunky dory at the moment. Manchester City's predicament was epitomised by a handful of striking images this weekend: Mancini's eyes grew unnaturally wide as he confronted awkward questions about whether the title race was over now. Gareth Barry and Joe Hart looked like they wanted the pitch to open up and eat them as they digested the meaning of their mistakes. Robin van Persie, a player City tried and failed to buy last summer, confidently celebrated another goal in the red shirt of the neighbourhood rivals. A tabloid newspaper declared February 10th as "the day United won the title". A number of bookmakers announced with a gritted-teeth smile that they would be paying out on bets placed for Manchester Unit...