Manchester City tell Roberto Mancini he must change before they offer him a new deal

Manchester City are expected to offer Roberto Mancini a new contract at the end of the season but they are seeking assurances from him that he has taken on some of the club’s concern about his management style.

Left field: Manchester City hierarchy have questioned manager Roberto Mancini's management style 

The Italian’s current deal has a year to run and the City hierarchy are expected to review the situation at their quarterly board meeting at the end of the campaign.

The club are happy that the first team have shown clear signs of progress and want to give him a new deal irrespective of whether they win the title but they feel there is a need for the manager to refine his abrasive man management approach, to be more discreet about any issues he has with the club and to work with the club on ensuring transfer policy falls into line with the demands of Financial Fair Play.

There has been speculation that City would look to a new manager such as Jose Mourinho this summer but there is no appetite in the hierarchy to create an unstable situation at the club at a time when progress is clearly being made.

Mancini, whose side are two points behind Manchester United in the title race with four games to go, has given every indication that he is prepared to sign a new deal.

“I am confident that I will continue to do this job next year,” he said. “I don’t think we have any problems because I think we have done a good job.”

Manchester City fans start campaign for Roberto Mancini

Manchester City supporters have started a campaign to show their support for manager Roberto Mancini.

The fans have set up a "Respect Roberto Mancini" petition and organised a campaign on Twitter urging the club to retain him as manager even if City fail to win the Premier League title.

Mancini has seen his side's challenge falter and they are now five points behind leaders Manchester United.

There has been speculation linking Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho with his job. Mchester City's 6-1 victory over arch-rivals Manchester United in October put them five points clear at the top of the league and they remained there until March, when a run of just one win in five matches saw their title hopes fade.

Mancini's City record

• Games played: 137
• Won: 81
• Lost: 30
• Drawn: 26

Mancini, who has one year remaining on his contract, has endured a difficult year after high-profile arguments with strikers Carlos Tevez and Mario Balotelli.

However, despite increasing speculation about Mancini's future, a group of Manchester City fans believe the Italian, who ended the club's 35-year wait for a trophy with last year's FA Cup triumph, is still the right man for the job.

"I'd be devastated if he left and a lot of City fans would be," said mcfcforum.com part-owner Andy Savage, whose website has helped with the campaign.

"At the moment he's not committing his future, so the campaign is to show our support. We'd love him to stay and the majority of fans want him to stay. He knows the fabric of the club and gets on really well with the fans."

The petition to keep the 47-year-old former Inter Milan boss has so far had more than 1,000 signatures.

"The campaign is to show support for what he's done as he has not been getting enough respect. We'd like him to at least see out the remainder of his contract, but ideally get a new one," added Savage.

However, Savage insists the fans' campaign is about showing their support, rather than criticising owner Sheikh Mansour, who brought in Mancini after sacking Mark Hughes in December 2009.

"It is not about criticising the owners or putting pressure on them," he said.

"Over the past few months, journalists have been having a go at Mancini and put pressure on him by saying his job is not safe. But the last thing we need is to be chopping and changing our manager.

"I can't see the owners doing it to be honest. They've brought him in, he's their man and I genuinely feel they've got a great relationship."

Man City's Mario Balotelli avoids ban for Alex Song tackle

Manchester City's Mario Balotelli has escaped the prospect of an additional six-game ban for his tackle on Alex Song in the 1-0 defeat at Arsenal.

Referee Martin Atkinson took no action in the match, but reported the incident had been seen, ruling out retrospective Football Association action.

Balotelli was sent off after picking up yellow cards for two unrelated fouls.

He could have faced extra three-game bans for violent conduct and what would have been a fourth dismissal of season.

Balotelli's Manchester City reds

• 7 November 2010: Sent off in his fourth game for the club, after scoring both goals in the 2-0 win over West Brom
• 17 March 2011: Sent off after 36 minutes of the 1-0 win over Dynamo Kiev
• 27 November 2011: Sent off in the 1-1 draw with Liverpool after picking up two yellow cards in 18 minutes
• 25 January 2012: Banned for four games after being charged with violent conduct for a stamp on Spurs midfielder Scott Parker
• 8 April: Receives the fourth red card of his City career against Arsenal

In addition to his dismissal at Emirates Stadium, Balotelli has previously been sent off in the 1-1 draw with Liverpool in November and was retrospectively charged with violent conduct after he appeared to stamp on Scott Parker in the win over Tottenham in January.

The FA insists that, while it could reevaluate the incident involving Parker, it would not take a second look at Balotelli's challenge on Saturday.

"Retrospective action was introduced for off-the-ball incidents where there was no contest for possession and could not be deemed to be re-refereeing an incident," it said.

"In agreement with Fifa, this is how 'not seen' incidents are dealt with retrospectively in England. It is a policy that is agreed with all football stakeholders."

The striker's existing three-game ban begins against West Brom on Wednesday
.