MANCINI WARNS BALOTELLI

Roberto Mancini has warned that Mario Balotelli could easily lose his place should he not perform in the big matches.

Mario Balotelli has become an iconic character within English media, who often put him in the front or the back pages. However, the recent arrival of Sergio Aguero as a major force in English football has put certain doubts with regard to his chances when it comes to the big matches.

The recent sending-off against Liverpool certainly did not help his case and Roberto Mancini was quick to point out the fact that Mario Balotelli could soon turn out to be a liability for Manchester City in the big matches.

Roberto Mancini has been one of the few persons who has sympathised for Mario Balotelli in the past, but it seems that he too seems to be running out of patience. The striker argued that it was the Liverpool players who got him sent off, but it was a desperate challenge that was certainly not to the need for the hour.

Mario Balotelli is undoubtedly a remarkable talent. It is easily demonstrated by the nine goals has scored in just 13 substitute appearances, while he has scored almost 20 goals in the 40 matches he has played for City.

Despite this remarkable goal record, Mario Balotelli continues to be a liability for Manchester City. "I just hope that he stops. A defender can make a mistake and get a yellow card. But Mario's not a defender. He's a striker and usually it's difficult for a striker to get a yellow card. I took one red card in 20 years and I was the kind of player who put pressure on the referee in every match," Roberto Mancini said in the post match interview. However, Mancini has always backed Balotelli and he has had the rewards for it.