Manchester City's recent recruit Maicon has praised manager Roberto Mancini's passion.

The Brazilian believes that his boss's fiery touchline clashes remind his players of the high standards he demands.

"All winning managers show this passion as they really want to win - and the players can feel that. Roberto is no different," The Sun quotes the defender as saying.

"That is the way he should be. You want to see a passionate coach who sets high standards. If he gets angry, he reminds everybody of the standards required."

Mancini was involved in a spat with Aston Villa manager Paul Lambert during his side's 4-2 extra-time defeat to the Canaries, though the latter has since played down the incident.