Manchester City defender Micah Richards denies any player unrest: We’re all with Roberto Mancini

FA cup, Leicester City and Manchester City, Roberto Mancini (Getty Images)

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Manchester City defender Micah Richards insists that the players are all firmly behind manager Roberto Mancini.

There had been reports of unrest in the dressing room that could have potentially caused a player revolt against the boss.

The former Inter manager is thought to have said a few harsh words in his post-match analysis with the team after the loss to Dynamo Kiev, leading to frayed tempers in the City camp.

But the young defender insists that the gaffer’s logic prevailed in the end, and reckons all is well at Eastlands.

“One or two tempers flared up in the dressing room in Kiev but that was it really,” Richards said, according to The Times.

“It wasn’t a case of him blaming me for the second goal. He was just talking about the defence in general, saying we should have got rid of the ball. It was a fair point he made and we have to take the criticism.

“Everyone is happy and you could see that from the celebration against Reading. We’re all with the manager. We’re so used to winning that when we lose tempers are going to flare.”

And having beaten Reading in the FA Cup, City have set up a semi-final clash with arch-rivals Manchester United.

The last meeting between the two sides saw Wayne Rooney’s bicycle kick seal a late win. But Richards is adamant that by hook or by crook he will not allow a something like that to happen again.

He said: “It would have been even more special had we been playing them in the final — we would have preferred that.

“We won’t let Rooney do that again.

“If he tries one again then maybe I’ll have to give him a little elbow this time.”