The form of Toure, Sergio Aguero and David Silva will offer Mancini hope City may at least end the campaign in form resembling that of champions.
It wasn't so long ago Chelsea aspired to play like Barcelona. Mancini is under pressure because, it's believed, City's Spanish-influenced hierarchy wants the same.First you have to win. Then winning isn't enough and you have to do so with panache.
The dourness of the opening stages demonstrated the current plight of two teams with seriously compromised ambitions for the rest of this campaign. When the self-preservation of the two managers is the primary focus prior to kick-off, it's a guarantee of a no risk strategy on the park.
Rafa Benitez's teams always play to contain and wait for mistakes and not even a fifteen-point gap to Manchester United before kick-off was going to prompt Mancini to look up the phrase 'gung-ho' in his coaching dossier.
Aguero began as the sole striker, midfielders invited to support and probe in support, but when Tevez arrived in the second half the game opened up and City found their form.
Jack Rodwell, one of the few City employees seen at The Etihad less than Sheikh Mansour, made his first start since October and did well. Samir Nasri - the 'fifty percenter' as he is now known - was on the bench until injury time.
Nasri isn't the only scapegoat of the season, however. The preference of Kolo Toure's bulky presence to Joleon Lescott tells the England international where he stands.
For Chelsea, Benitez maintained his policy of rotating captain John Terry, whose lack of pace he finds hard to trust every week. Terry was a sub.
Petr Cech's reflexes were needed to swat away Matija Nastisic's header after 15 minutes and four minutes later, Aguero was guilty of over indulgence when sent through by Silva. The Argentine's heavy touch ran the ball of play as he tried to dribble past Cech.
Cech remained the busier keeper before half-time, Rodwell showing plenty of glimpses of the talent that attracted Brian Marwood to his signature last summer.
Chelsea had offered little attacking threat but should have led on 51 minutes when Hart mistimed his run from goal and ran into Ba.
Referee Andre Marriner had no option but to give the penalty, but Hart's save galvanised City. Mancini finally sent on Tevez to support Aguero on 55 minutes and opportunities began to flow, with Toure's strike and Tevez's unstoppable second four minutes from time punishing a limp, soulless Chelsea and ensuring United still have plenty of work to do.
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