Roberto Mancini’s future at Manchester City will be under serious threat if his side misses out on the title race, a British media report suggests.

The Italian has another 12 months left on his existing deal but according to The Independent, City’s big-spending owners, and chairman Khaldoon al-Mubarak will review his situation at the end of the season.

Despite spending STG240 million ($A371.3 million) on players under the Italian’s reign, City, who topped the table for several months, now trail neighbours United by five points with just seven games remaining apiece.

According to the report, “Mancini’s determination to stick with Mario Balotelli in a season when he has publicly challenged other players is having an increasingly divisive and toxic effect in the dressing room and damaging the manager’s credibility with his squad”.

The Abu Dhabi owners said at the beginning of the season this was the year they would win the league but rumours that Jose Mourinho is being lined up as Mancini’s replacement will only increase the speculation.