One of the first players in was Jo, looking for all the world as though he’d just stepped off Copacobana Beach in Rio and every inch a rap star from L.A. You can almost hearing him singing “Let the sunshine, let the sunshine, baby...” from here.
Elsewhere, Roberto Mancini examines the pen with which somebody has drawn a fake moustache onto one of his photos. “It wasn’t me gaffer, but I know who it might have been,” says Yaya Toure. Mario Balotelli, who has been in impish mood all morning is conspicuous by his absence. Charities Executive Lorraine Firth is opting for the code of silence...
Chief suspect and now official club prankster is the aforementioned Mario, who is finally tracked down by club snapper Shaz Latham. He sticks out like a sore thumb, which is incidentally, what he actually has on his left hand. The egg he is clutching narrowly missed our intrepid photographer by inches moments after this was taken, so the yolks on you, Mario.
David Silva, loving the Spanish-style weather, is interviewed by Pedro Marques, the First Team Opposition Analysist, for a feature that will appear in the FA Cup final programme next month. Despite instructions, neither can get the dictaphone to translate from Spanish to English. “Let’s start again,” sighs Pedro.
Lastly, the hot sun seems to have sent fit-again Shay Given slightly over the edge. You wouldn’t want those eyes staring through the curtains on a dark night, would you? Be afraid...
