The stage is set for Carlos Tevez. Nobody on that bench has the experience of a title run-in in the Premier League.
Especially not Mario Balotelli and Yaya Toure, who, it is now reported added salt to City’s wounds over their loss to unfancied Swansea, with a heated half-time fight.
Manchester City have managed to blow a 7-point title lead and while Balotelli and Toure were deep in conversation as they left the pitch at the break they had an angry exchange after entering the tunnel, even though Mancini insisted he knew nothing of it.
The Italian boss was quoted in The Sun as saying: "No, I don't know anything about this."
What Mancini does know is he has the ultimate trump card in Carlos Tevez.
The rest of the season is likely to hinge on when Mancini decides it is time for him to swallow a bit of pride and let the Argentinian hit-man back to finish the job.
The question is whether Crazy Mario will be able to play with Carlos upfront or even in the same squad.
Given the Italian striker’s petulance and need to spark controversy, Mancini will have a problem with his front pairing.
It’s a problem Manchester City will be glad to have, especially, in crunch games like Chelsea and Arsenal.
The presence of Tevez on the bench might make all the difference.
No matter how much momentum Sir Alex Ferguson and Manchester United have right now, they know how Carlos Tevez can hurt them and the sight of him on the team sheet at the Etihad come April 30 is bound to send a shiver through the Red Devils.
Mancini admits they are feeling the effects of a long season, with a quarter of it still to go.
Mancini added: "The last four days have been very difficult for me.
"Maybe we were tired at the start. This is normal after seven months of the season, as we are playing three times a week.
"We've lost two games in four days and this is a bad moment for us."