ROBERTO MANCINI is heading for the Manchester City exit following their disastrous FA Cup final defeat against Wigan.
The Italian’s fate was sealed at a board meeting held by the club’s hierarchy just hours before their appearance at Wembley.
And it is understood even a convincing win over the Latics would not have been enough to save the former Inter Milan coach from the chop.
Now the axe could fall as early as Monday, which will be exactly a year to the day after the club lifted the Premier League trophy.
Mancini, 48, is expected to be replaced by Malaga’s Chilean coach Manuel Pellegrini — certainly by the time the club depart on a post-season trip to New York next Monday.
Before then the out-going champions have two more league fixtures to fulfil against Reading on Tuesday night and then at home to Norwich next Sunday.
Mancini could yet be in charge for those matches as compensation for the four-year deal he agreed last summer has yet to be finalised.
If he departs beforehand, assistant boss Brian Kidd could take charge as City need one point to ensure they finish runners-up to Manchester United.
Speaking after the 1-0 defeat to the Latics, Mancini said he expects his fate to be known "within the next two weeks".
He also took a swipe at club officials for failing to stamp out rumours claiming he would be replaced by Pellegrini after they first came to light in February.
The rumours intensified on the eve of the cup final with odds on the former Real Madrid boss taking over at the Etihad slashed to an amazing 10/1 ON with some bookies.
And late on Friday night, reports emerged in Spain that a deal had been agreed by City’s director of football Txiki Begiristain for Pellegrini to take over.
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