Though the City boss doesn’t want to replicate the result, he believes if the same amount of possession and chances are enjoyed by his team, the Blues will progress to the last 16 of the FA Cup sponsored by e-on.
“I think that when you play away from home, have 65% possession and have as many chances in front of goal as we had and still don’t win, you can’t ask much more of your players,” said the Blues’ boss.
“We deserved to beat Aston Villa, but that is sometimes how football goes. Sometimes you can have a lot of chances but don’t score and then maybe the other side will have two or three end up winning the game.
I will be happy if we play the same way against Notts County because if we do, I believe we will win
...Roberto Mancini
With Meadow Lane sold out for the visit of high-flying City, Mancini expects the League One side to come out of the blocks flying.
“It will be a difficult game,” he said. “We have a great amount of respect for them and we know that we will have to fight to win this game and have to fight for every ball.
“The pitch will be different to what we’re used to, their fans will be excited and so it will be a good test for us. We certainly won’t be underestimating them and this is a competition we want to win.”
Magpies boss Paul Ince is looking forward to seeing Mancini on Sunday because the last time the pair met was when both men were playing in Serie A – Ince for Inter Milan and Mancini for Sampdoria.
“I was told to get tight on him to stop him playing because otherwise he would rip us to pieces,” recalled Ince.
“He got the ball in the first minute and I flew in at him, dragged my studs down the back of his legs and he gave me a little growl.
“I thought I had got him after that, but the next time I went in on him he put the ball though my legs. He did it three times and I ended up getting a yellow card so I stayed away from him after that!
“He was a fantastic player, he was absolutely awesome! I saw him at a reserve game recently and we had a laugh about playing against each other.
“He said he wants a glass of red wine after the game so I told him to make sure he brings it because we can’t afford it!”
