Joleon Lescott admits he has been shocked at the attention Roberto Mancini has put towards the FA Cup.
City stopper hails Mancini emphasis on FA Cup
Manchester City defender Joleon Lescott admits he has been shocked at the attention Roberto Mancini has put towards the FA Cup.
City take on rivals United at Wembley on Saturday hoping to reach the final of the competition, where they would play either Bolton or Stoke.
While the priority this season for Mancini may be a top-four finish in the Premier League, he has put a lot of emphasis on the cup this term.
His team selections have been strong, including against League One outfit Notts County, and Lescott claims the Italian has shown a lot of respect for the tournament.
"I was surprised by how much he has wanted to win the FA Cup," Lescott told City's
official programme.
"Unlike other cup competitions, he hasn't made a lot of changes when he might have done.
"As much as the fixtures have been coming thick and fast, he has set his stall out as to how important the games are going to be for us.
"It's a chance to win something special, which means he has shown a lot of respect towards the FA Cup."
Lescott added: "The FA Cup has proper tradition that is passed down through families.
"Parents tell their kids about it and those stories get passed on.
"I remember it being the occasion where the whole family got round the television to watch football. There weren't that many other high-profile games we would watch together."
Defender Lescott is pleased City are now beginning to prove their worth by getting to the latter stages of tournaments such as the FA Cup.
"Everyone is taking notice of us now," he remarked.
"It's one thing to buy players and have the backing from the top, but it is no guarantee of success.
"When we do have success then everyone will acknowledge we mean business.
"It is a huge thing for Manchester City to win a trophy but I don't think there is a deadline or a need to do it by a certain date.
"No one is saying 'we have to win the FA Cup this year and the Premier League next'. When the time is right we will win something."
