Roberto Mancini: Manchester City manager ready to make changes

Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini says he will drop players who are not "ready to fight" for the team.

The Premier League champions have fallen 12 points behind Manchester United in the title race following Saturday's 3-1 defeat at Southampton.

"I only want players who are ready for the fight in the last 12 games," said Mancini, whose side host Leeds in the FA Cup fifth round on Sunday.

"I am verFollowing the defeat at St Mary's - City's third in the Premier League this season - Mancini said his side have only a "10% chance" of retaining the Premier League title.

He also labelled the display as the worst his side have produced in three years.

With the Blues also eliminated from European competition, it has placed extra pressure on City in the FA Cup ahead of their clash with Leeds at the Etihad Stadium.

Mancini won the competition with City in 2011 and said he will make significant changes to his team this weekend.

"I will change players next week," the Italian told the Manchester Evening News.  "[Against Southampton] We didn't fight for every ball."We can't always win by playing well - that is normal. Sometimes we play well and win, but you also need to be able to win because you fight for every ball, and fight against an opponent who also wants to win the game.

"Every team that plays against us treats it like a Champions League final, but we should know this, it is normal.

"We now have 12 games left, (we) need to do well in the Premier League, and we have the FA Cup - there are games left and we can do better.

"We need to finish the season the way we did last year."

City won their final six matches of last season as they overhauled Manchester United's eight-point gap to lift their first league title since 1968.

Striker Carlos Tevez is expected to return to City this week after a family problem, and skipper Vincent Kompany should also be available again, as will Matija Nastasic and Kolo Toure, who were not risked at Southampton after late returns from international duty.y angry with a lot of my players, and very disappointed."

Southampton replaced Nigel Adkins with Mauricio Pochettino

Southampton FC

 Southampton have sacked Nigel Adkins as manager and replaced him with the former Espanyol manager Mauricio Pochettino. The Premier League club announced this morning that Adkins had been relieved of his managerial duties.

The Saints are 15th in the Premier League after coming back from 2-0 down to claim an impressive draw with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday, but that was not enough to save Adkins from the axe.

The 40-year-old Argentinian spent three years with Espanyol, but was sacked in November with the club bottom of La Liga with nine points from 13 games.

Pochettino will take charge of training on Saturday ahead of Southampton's home game with Everton on Monday

A statement from the club said: "Southampton Football Club has this morning appointed Mauricio Pochettino as first-team manager, having relieved Nigel Adkins of his managerial duties.

"Pochettino has earned a reputation as one of the most talented young coaches in European football thanks to an impressive spell in La Liga with Espanyol.

"The Argentine was widely linked with a future role at one of Spain's top clubs, but having left Espanyol in November now joins Southampton to continue his top-flight managerial career.

"The club would like to thank Nigel Adkins for his service over the past three seasons, and wish him well for the future."

Southampton's executive chairman, Nicola Cortese, said: "This decision has been made with the long-term ambitions of Southampton Football Club in mind. Whilst we acknowledge the contribution Nigel has made during the past two years, for the club to progress and achieve our long-term targets a change was needed.

"Mauricio is a well-respected coach of substantial quality who has gained a reputation as an astute tactician and excellent man manager. I have every confidence that he will inspire our talented squad of players to perform at the highest possible level.

"He also shares my belief that the most successful clubs are built by nurturing young players through a development system that provides a clear path to the first team, thereby creating a culture that keeps them at the club for the long term. This is an approach he has employed with great success in the past and I look forward to him bringing that experience and expertise to Southampton."

Pochettino added: "This is the kind of opportunity that any coach would relish. Southampton is a club with great heritage, and an even more exciting future. There is a clear vision to take the club to a new era of sustained success in the Premier League, and beyond, which I'm delighted to be part of."