Mancini targets top four

New Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini has set himself the target of finishing in the top four of the Premier League before winning the title next season.

The former Inter Milan boss was appointed on a three-and-a-half-year contract on Saturday as Mark Hughes was sacked only hours after a 4-3 victory over Sunderland.
Mancini is City's 17th manager in 20 years after Hughes paid the price for failing to meet goals that had been agreed with the club's mega-rich owner Sheikh Mansour.
City aim to have achieved a total of 70 points by the end of this season, but Mancini believes UEFA Champions League qualification is also possible before then turning attentions to winning the league in 2010/11.
"I believe in my position," he told a press conference shown live on Sky Sports News "I think that I can do a good job because we have good players."

Sympathy

He added: "My target is to arrive in the top four. That is my target, I think it is possible.
"Next year we want to win the Premier League."
Hughes was only offered 18 months in charge of City after leaving Blackburn, but Mancini expects to have a long career in Manchester.
"I think, and hope, to stay here for many years and I want to win many trophies," he said. "City has great supporters and I hope we do a good job for them."
He added: "My job is to work hard every day to improve the play, to improve the victories. This is all."

Rebel

Mancini took training with the City players, who did not rebel against the sacking of Hughes, according to City chief executive Garry Cook, for the first time on Monday.
"I told them to believe in ourselves and they are great players and we can win if we work hard every day," he said.
When asked about possible January signings, he added: "I want to see this week the players and after we'll make a decision."
Mancini expressed sympathy for Hughes, but is now looking forward, saying: "I'm sorry for Mark but when we start this job, this situation is possible.
"My job is a manager. I stayed in Italy for four years and I won seven trophies.
"At the end of the season they sacked me. This is our job. I don't want to look back."