Roberto Mancini has questioned Pep Guardiola's work at Manchester City.

Guardiola's come under scrutiny because City are out of the Champions League and unlikely to win the league in his first season in charge.

Speaking to the Sunday Post, Mancini said: “I was lucky enough to experience an exceptional period with City. We won so much and played great football.

“Now they have Guardiola, who I consider a good coach. But they are struggling a little and there is a reason.

“In Spain, as coach of Barcelona, he had Messi, Iniesta and a phenomenal team. Plus La Liga is always a two-horse race with Real Madrid, the only rival.

“Then he went to Germany, where Bayern Munich always wins and therefore he did not have a difficult life.

“But, in England, it is a different story because you can have as many as six Premier League clubs who can vie for the title and now there are the problems.

“Still I am a little surprised because I think that from 2012, Manchester City is the strongest."