Reports in Portugal suggest that Luiz Felipe Scolari is indeed being sought as the intended replacement for manager Sven-Goran Eriksson at Manchester City despite the Brazilian currently being focused on his Portugal job ahead of this summer’s Euro Championship.

Eriksson’s future at the Eastlands club has come under tremendous speculation, but the Swede has not made any comment on the situation. He has however, spoken of the pride at the progress made by the club since his arrival at the City of Manchester Stadium last summer.

"I don't know whether the players felt they had a point to prove to the owner or anyone else in the game at Liverpool but what I would say is that myself, the coaching staff and everyone who works at the Carrington training ground are a close unit and it has always been like that and I'm very proud of them and what we have achieved," the former England boss said in the Manchester Evening News.

City are guaranteed a minimum of ninth-place finish in the Premiership this season and play Middlesbrough on the final day of the season.

Eriksson said: "All I want to see is another City win at Middlesbrough next Sunday then it is the time for talking. I think it is always important in my job to behave in a proper way.

"Maybe people think I haven't always done that but there are always excuses to behave badly if you choose to and I don't."