Source: PA
Mancini wants Balotelli to step up
Roberto Mancini has called on Mario Balotelli to become a Manchester City hero this weekend.
Although there has been no official confirmation from City, it seems highly unlikely that skipper Carlos Tevez will have recovered from a hamstring injury in time to face old club Manchester United in the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley on Saturday. That would leave Mancini to come up with a striking solution.
Balotelli is most likely to get the nod given he has scored 10 times already for City since his arrival from Inter Milan last summer.
However, through injuries and a series of side issues, including a performance at Liverpool on Monday that was so disappointing he ended up being substituted even though he himself had replaced Tevez, the 20-year-old can hardly be described as a reliable performer.
Yet this weekend, with his club standing on the brink of their first cup final appearance since 1981 and desperate to end a 35-year silverware drought, Mancini feels it is time Balotelli made his mark.
"Mario knows he must take more responsibility," said Mancini. "We have six league games, plus the semi-final and the final. I hope Mario can score important goals. He could be the hero. On Saturday, if he plays, he has a chance to do well. Maybe if he scores a goal it could take us to the final. That would change his year."
