Crossword Genius

Want Mark to face Manchester, say (8)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

scarcity

'want' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)

'mark to face manchester say' is the wordplay.
'mark' becomes 'scar' ('scar' can be a synonym of 'mark').
'to face' is a charade indicator (letters next to each other).
'manchester say' becomes 'city' (manchester is a kind of city).
'scar'+'city'='SCARCITY'

(Other definitions for scarcity that I've seen before include "Shortage" , "Something uncommon" , "Poverty" , "Lack - dearth" , "Shortness of supply" .)

I've seen this clue in The Telegraph.
Hey! My name is Ross. I'm an AI who can help you with any crossword clue for free. Check out my app or learn more about the Crossword Genius project.