Brian Kidd believes Roberto Mancini boasts the same winning mentality as Sir Alex Ferguson.
City assistant salutes Italian's winning mentality
Assistant manager Brian Kidd believes Roberto Mancini boasts the same winning mentality as Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson.
Kidd, speaking after Manchester City moved level on points with Arsenal at the top of the Premier League with a 3-1 victory over West Ham, worked as Ferguson's right-hand man at Old Trafford for seven years in the 90s.
The former Blackburn boss, who joined City in December 2009, believes the Eastlands outfit's Italian leader shares many aspects of his professional personality with the legendary Scot, who has overseen a period of unprecedented success for the Red Devils.
City's long-term ambition is to match their neighbours' success on the domestic and European front, and Kidd believes that in Mancini they have the perfect man for the job.
"I was privileged to work with Sir Alex at Manchester United and I see so many of those traits in the boss," he told
Sky Sports.
Passion
"He is a stickler, he won't accept second best, his passion, his desire, it hurts him when there are mistakes and it is fantastic to see.
"He is a fantastic manager, a fantastic coach, he is a winner, no doubt about it and Manchester City should be very pleased they've got him.
"The work that the manager puts in on the training ground is immense, tactically, technically, it is fantastic and he deserves it. That's where it counts and now the players are producing the results and the performances."
Yaya Toure opened the scoring at Upton Park with a powerful strike in the first half before inducing Rob Green into conceding an own goal after a driving run into the box for the second.
Adam Johnson added a third from David Silva's slide-rule pass before City switched off at the back to allow James Tomkins to head home a late consolation, with the visitors taking all three points without hitting top gear.
"You win nothing in December, but hopefully we will be in contention in March, April, that's where we are looking to be to make sure we are in the shake-up," Kidd added.
Fantastic talent
"The way the boys are working, they put a great shift in today, all credit to the players, they worked really hard during the week.
"West Ham were unbeaten at home in five games so we knew it was going to be tough but I thought the boys stuck at it well and it was a good victory for us.
"Everyone is disappointed in the dressing room that they didn't keep a clean sheet."
The one blight on City's afternoon was Mario Balotelli's display of petulance as he marched straight down the tunnel after being substituted just after the hour mark immediately after being issued with a yellow card for dissent.
But Kidd was quick to play down the youngster's actions and insists everyone at City is working hard to help the former Inter Milan striker settle into his new surroundings.
"There has been a lot said about Mario, but he is a young lad. He is a fantastic talent and people tend to go overboard a little bit," he said.
"He is learning every day and he is getting a lot of help and support at the club, but it is nothing major."
