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Martin Petrov and Carlos Tevez supplied the first-half goals that marked Mancini's coronation.
Yet the Italian would also have been aware it took two brilliant Shay Given saves, the first to deny Tuncay when the sides were still deadlocked, and another to turn away a ferocious James Beattie effort when the visitors were enjoying their best spell, for City to consolidate their place in the top six - and edge to within three points of third.
Even for a club as well versed in shooting themselves in the foot as City, it has been a pretty torrid week.
Exactly seven days previously, Mark Hughes had been presiding over a win over Sunderland; a success it turned out would be his last game, both the sacking and its handling opening the Blues' owners up to ridicule.
Chief executive Garry Cook has copped most of the flak, although chairman Khaldoon al-Mubarak was not without his critics either as the accusations flew.
In fact, the one man who remained aloof from the warfare was Mancini.
Monday's explosive press conference to unveil him almost seemed amusing to the Italian, who has been exposed to equally fractious situations a number of times back home.
He is also a man whose last three completed league campaigns have ended with him being crowned champion.
Mancini has already been asked to do the same for City as he did at Inter Milan, top spot the expectation next term after a fourth-placed finish this.
In this most bizarre of seasons, higher than fourth is not beyond the realms of possibility, especially if Mancini can mould a team out of the collection of impressive individuals Hughes gathered together.
Source:http://www.espnstar.com/football/premier-league/news/detail/item370969/Manchester-City-2-0-Stoke/
