James Milner has denied reports of disharmony in the Manchester City ranks, insisting the players are fully behind each other and manager Roberto Mancini.

It has been a trying few days for City, with successive English Premier League defeats at the hands of Arsenal and Wolves and a couple of onfield spats which have been thrust into the public eye. Milner was involved in one such incident with Yaya Toure, while Emmanuel Adebayor and Vincent Kompany were also caught in a frank exchange of opinions at the weekend.

That has led to suggestions of disquiet at Eastlands and much of the speculation has focused on whether Mancini will be given time to get results, or dispensed with in the search for immediate glory.

But England midfielder Milner, speaking on the eve of his City's UEFA Europa League clash with Lech Poznan in Poland, rubbished such suggestions. Instead he believes the intense scrutiny on the club will harden their resolve. "When we see nonsense written in the papers it pulls us closer together," he said. "When it seems like the whole world is against you that is when you pull together.

You go through times when things aren't quite right and it's important to keep things right off the field.
James Milner

"These things will make us stronger as a football club," he went on. "You go through times when things aren't quite right and it's important to keep things right off the field. I've been at Newcastle and Leeds where the press seemed to be outside the training ground whenever you drove in. We can't control what's off the field, we can only control results.

"(Having on-field disagreements) says we're very hungry to win football matches. We'd be worried if there wasn't that hunger because we're desperate to win trophies," Milner added. "In changing rooms up and down the country you'll see people disagreeing but it's forgotten as soon as you step off the pitch. We're a tight group."



That tightness, Milner offered, also extended to his relationship with Yaya Toure, despite their recent cross words. "Yaya and I are two players who want to win the game and it ends soon as you step off pitch. It's a great bunch of lads. There are a lot of things written which are untrue, You read them, you hear them, and you think 'that sounds ridiculous'."

As for the claims that several players are unhappy with Mancini's methods, Milner was unequivocal. "It's another story and where it's come from who knows," he said. "Every single person at the club is desperate to do well and win trophies. When you look at the manager's record he's obviously a top manager. We're very lucky to have him and the backroom staff. The club is set up for us to be successful and hopefully we get there as soon as we can."

Mancini's side are already virtually sure of qualification from Group A of the Europa League but are weakened tomorrow night by the continued absence of Carlos Tevez, while both Yaya and Kolo Toure were left at home with injury niggles.

As for captain Tevez, his rehabilitation stint in Argentina looks to be over and he could even make a return to the side against West Brom on Sunday. "Tomorrow he will be in Manchester and I think he will be ready for West Brom. If he is okay then he could be," said Mancini.