David Platt follows Mancini out of Manchester City

David Platt leaving City's Carrington Training Ground. Picture: PA

Mancini paid the price for a poor season which saw the club beaten by Wigan in Saturday’s FA Cup final at Wembley after surrending the Barclays Premier League title to arch-rivals Manchester United.

Platt was offered the chance to stay on at the club which he joined in 2010 but decided to join Mancini in leaving.

The club released a statement last night which read: “With regret Manchester City announce that David Platt has this afternoon left his role as assistant manager at the club.

“David was offered the opportunity to continue his work with us but has declined the invitation. He has decided to leave  his role with his close friend Roberto Mancini.

“David has made a significant contribution to the club’s success since joining in 2010 and we wish him well with his career wherever that now takes him.”

Platt was part of Mancini’s backroom staff at the club, winning the FA Cup and then last season pipping United to the Premier League title on the final day.

Malaga coach Manuel Pellegrini remains the overwhelming favourite to succeed Mancini as manager.

The Chilean has been heavily linked with the Premier League club since the weekend, when rumours of Mancini’s imminent demise began to surface. After three days of intense speculation, City finally confirmed Mancini had been sacked after three and a half years in charge at the Etihad Stadium late on Monday night.

Other than the statement released about Platt, there had been no further comment from City with regards to their search for a successor or any other issues ahead of last night’s match at Reading. But having placed assistant manager Brian Kidd in interim charge for the final games of the season against Reading and Norwich and next week’s United States tour, there may be no immediate rush.

Pellegrini has denied suggestions he has a deal in place with City but will leave Malaga after the Spanish season ends on 1 June. The 59-year-old has also been linked with other clubs, but is odds on to take charge next at Eastlands, with other candidates such as Jose Mourinho, Jurgen Klopp and Brendan Rodgers considered outsiders.

Former City manager Brian Horton would expect some of the game’s biggest names to be in contention, with the club having now established themselves at the top end of the Premier League.

Horton, who was in charge at Maine Road from 1993-95, said: “With Brian Kidd taking the reins, it maybe gives them a bit more time to see who there is or if Pellegrini comes. I’m sure they’ll get lots of big names linked with it if it is left for a couple of weeks. They are one of the big clubs in the world now.”