Source: Daily_Mail
Carlos Tevez - I can be ready for FA Cup final
ShareCarlos Tevez has launched a dramatic bid for an FA Cup final place by urging Roberto Mancini to let him return from injury ahead of schedule at Goodison Park.[LNB] Manchester City boss Mancini rates his key striker's Wembley prospects at no better than 50-50 and looked to be fearing the worst when he declared: 'We are no one-man team. We have shown we can win without Carlos.'[LNB] Comeback trail: Tevez trains with City[LNB] But Tevez is desperate to be involved against Stoke a week tomorrow and has told Mancini he wants to begin the task of proving himself at Everton, if only as a substitute.[LNB] The Argentine believes he could then step up his fitness against Tottenham at Eastlands on Tuesday and be ready to challenge for a starting place at the Wembley showpiece.[LNB] Mindful that Tevez, 27, only returned to training yesterday, Mancini is more likely to err on the side of caution and delay his comeback until Tuesday.[LNB] Either way, the City manager is adamant Tevez must put his injured hamstring to the test at some stage to have any chance of making their Cup final squad.[LNB] 'If Carlos is not involved in either game it will be impossible for him to play at Wembley,' he said. 'It will be difficult enough if he does not face Everton but he must at least get some minutes on the pitch against Tottenham.[LNB] Hot shot: Yaya Toure puts City into the final[LNB] 'It is difficult to say what his chances are for the final. We have 10 days and he has to continue training and working and we will see. At the moment, I would say it is probably a 50 per cent chance.[LNB] 'Has he told me he wants to play in the final? Yes, he is clearly going to do everything he can to make it happen, because he very much wants to play.[LNB] 'He has worked with us today and will do more tomorrow but we need him to have a match. I really need every single player to be 200 per cent for the final.[LNB] 'I cannot play with one player who is 50 per cent. It is impossible.'[LNB] During Tevez's absence, City have booked their Wembley place with a 1-0 win over Manchester United and followed up with Barclays Premier League victories away at Blackburn and at home to West Ham.[LNB] 'When Carlos is out we are missing a fantastic striker,' said Mancini. 'He is an important player for us and has scored more than 20 goals this year.[LNB] Going nowhere: Mancini insists Jerome Boateng (right) will stay at City[LNB] 'But if we want to improve as a team and keep on winning we have to be able to perform without key players, whether it be Carlos, Yaya Toure or David Silva. We have shown we can do that. We have built a team this year.[LNB] 'We have bought a lot of good players, and the great thing is when one or two have been missing we have still had a team. We always have a team, and this way, we can improve everything.[LNB] 'The big teams have this. United played eight or nine different players (against Schalke) from the side that will play against Chelsea. If you want to win, you have to be able to do this.'[LNB] Mancini adopted a relaxed approach to Bayern Munich's interest in Jerome Boateng but insisted the Germany defender, signed from Hamburg last summer, would not be leaving.[LNB] 'I'm very happy they want him because it shows we bought a big player when we signed him,' he said. 'He will be staying here because he has a big part to play in our future. If he can steer clear of injury next season he could develop into one of the best defenders in Europe.' [LNB] World Cup winner Vieira hits out at French coach Blanc over 'racist' stormGet Kaka! Man City to offer ?22m plus Adebayor for Real's flop Brazilian Tevez must play against Spurs... or it's FA Cup final heartbreak, insists Mancini[LNB] [LNB] Explore more:People: Carlos Tevez, David Silva, Roberto Mancini Places: Germany, Europe
