Roberto Mancini's fate at Manchester City could be decided by the outcome of title run-in Reports in Spain last week that a deal had been agreed with Jose Mourinho to replace Mancini were forcefully denied by the Real Madrid manager last Friday. But with Mancini's £3.5 million-a-year contract due to expire at the end of the 2012-13 season and no negotiations yet under way to extend that deal, the remaining games of this campaign are likely to be decisive in terms of what happens next. The key factor for Abu Dhabi is to see improvement on the pitch and, with City equalling last season's total of 71 points with seven games to spare, Mancini has clearly raised the bar this term. But ending the season empty-handed, 12 months after winning the FA Cup, would be regarded as a failure following an outlay of almost £80 million on new players last summer. Despite the loss of form that has seen Manchester United overturn a seven-point deficit to claim top spot in the Premier League, Mancini's future does not rest solely on winning the title. If City rally in the coming weeks to win the league, his position will undoubtedly be secure and a lucrative new contract will be thrashed out as a reward for his efforts. Similarly, if City ultimately miss out to United by a narrow margin, the on-field progress will satisfy the owners that the team is edging closer to the target of the Premier League. But if results continue to disappoint and United are allowed to pull clear and win the league by a comfortable margin, the reasons for City's collapse will scrutinised and Mancini is likely to pay the price if his management style and decision-making are judged to be key factors.