More Stoke reax

Ian Herbert, The Independent

Chief executive Garry Cook, whose grim face next to chairman Khaldoon al-Mubarak told the story of his week, had reasons to feel the trauma had been worth it. From City's catenaccio defensive tactics at the end to a shrewd, early tactical move after the midfield begun so stutteringly – shifting Robinho back to the left side of a 4-3-3 with Martin Petrov out right – it is clear that the A4 sheet of paper Mancini kept whipping from the breast pocket of his overcoat was there for good reason.

But the statistic which told the story of what Manchester City are perhaps about to become flashed up on the scoreboard at the interval. A first half of 66 per cent possession elicited just two shots and though they happened to be goals, the thrill has followed Mark Hughes on the road out of east Manchester.

Tim Rich, The Guardian

Nevertheless, this was the first clean sheet Manchester City had kept at Eastlands since Wolves were beaten 1-0 on 22 August. Kolo Touré, placed in an unfamiliar partnership with Vincent Kompany, showed the pace and desire that seemed to have eluded him in the last few frantic weeks, playing behind a midfield shored up by Gareth Barry. Touré will play the return at Molineux before leaving for the African Cup of Nations, while Emmanuel Adebayor will have a medical to determine whether he is fit enough to travel to the tournament in Angola.

Ian Ladyman, Daily Mail

Wearing a City scarf, what he was then presented with was pretty typical of what has gone before.

City looked lively and dangerous going forward but conceded possession too easily and needed good goalkeeping and a little fortune to ensure they earned their first Premier League clean sheet since the 0-0 draw at Birmingham on November 1.

Oliver Kay, The Times

In his first game as manager, Mancini could not have done more to accommodate Robinho. Not only did he restore him to the starting line-up, after the Brazil player was pointedly dropped for the final match of Mark Hughes’s tenure seven days earlier, but he deployed him initially in a free role, giving the forward licence to roam wherever he liked.

It was not just a clean slate but a blank canvas, but given the opportunity to express himself Robinho again seemed to scrawl something resembling a transfer request.

Henry Winter, Daily Telegraph

In accounting for a Stoke side whose passing was shocking, Mancini favoured a version of 4-4-2 with Robinho supporting Tévez and Nigel de Jong holding. Along with Barry, who ventured forward regularly and productively, the industrious De Jong can expect to be the central rock on which Mancini will build.

Stephen Ireland and Martin Petrov swapped flanks, the Bulgarian to stunning effect in arriving suddenly from his new station on the right to sweep in City’s first. Robinho was allowed a free rein by Mancini but disappeared in the hole and it was little surprise to learn that the Italian intends starting Bellamy at Molineux tonight. Mancini likes a gifted, string-pulling technician supporting a frontrunner, as he did so ably with Vialli. Robinho failed his audition.

Neil Custis, The Sun

Indeed, the expansive attacking football of Sparky's reign looks to have been replaced with a more pragmatic approach. Like Jose Mourinho when he first went to Chelsea, Mancini has decided to sort out the defence first and think about attacking later.

The two central midfielders who used to push up to support the attack, now stay back.

Gareth Barry, and in particular Nigel de Jong, were excellent in these roles.

De Jong cleared up everything in front of his back four and then despatched the balls to others to do as they wished.