Manchester City chairman Khaldoon Al-Mubarak is ready to take the heat over Roberto Mancini's appointment.

The Times says as Mark Hughes took a parting shot at the City hierarchy yesterday - effectively accusing them of stabbing him in the back - al-Mubarak's future as chairman may hinge on Mancini's success at the club.

Al-Mubarak is understood to have been the one who drove through Mancini's appointment, despite the initial scepticism of Sheikh Mansour. But while it is unlikely that City's billionaire owner would ask his close friend to stand aside if the former Inter Milan coach fails to deliver Champions League football for next season, al-Mubarak is likely to view it as an admission of failure on his part if that happens and step down.

If al-Mubarak were to leave City, the futures of Garry Cook, the chief executive, and Brian Marwood, the football administrator, would almost certainly come under threat.