Former Arsenal and Aston Villa star Paul Merson reckons Roberto Mancini could be sacked before FEBRUARY!

In his column for the Daily Star, Merson says the manner of Mancini's arrival at City "stinks".

He wrote: "The new Manchester City manager really needs to hit the ground running and he has been given some plum fixtures to do that.

"City face Stoke twice, Wolves, Blackburn, Everton and Portsmouth before the end of January, so Mancini has been given a great chance to make a good start.

"And that is what stinks with me. The City board have obviously looked at the fixtures and thought, 'Let's bring him in now'.

"But if he doesn't make a good start, the fans could turn against him and the City board have shown they aren't afraid of getting rid of a manager."