Manchester City players fear the decision to allow Emmanuel Adebayor to join Tottenham on-loan has cost them the title.

The Daily Star says some of Roberto Mancini's squad reckon the move has come back to haunt the Italian, who is facing a striker crisis as City's title challenge goes into meltdown.

Sergio Aguero has been sidelined with blistered feet, Edin Dzeko has failed to score in seven games, Carlos Tevez has been missing for most of the season and looks off the pace and Mario Balotelli has become a liability.

Adebayor was popular in the City dressing room and Mancini's treatment of the former Arsenal star last summer angered most of the squad.

A club source said: "Ade is a very popular lad and his team-mates were ­genuinely sad to see him loaned to Spurs at the start of the season.

"What really annoyed the players was the fact the manager made him train with the kids and completely blanked him once he decided he was not in his plans.

"He was basically made to feel like a second-class citizen.

"The players would have Ade back in a heartbeat. We are crying out for a ­regular goalscorer and a lot of the problems are in the striking department.

"The players say they miss him and have been impressed by his all-round contribution at Spurs."