Tevez inspired by Neville

20 January 2010 19:42

Gary Neville unwittingly inspired Carlos Tevez to his Carling Cup heroics at Eastlands.

The Football Association have yet to reach a definitive decision on Neville's one-fingered gesture following Tevez's first-half leveller in Tuesday night's Manchester derby Carling Cup semi-final. Neville had claimed in a newspaper column in Malta that United were right to let Tevez go and that ire drove the Argentinian to a couple of taunting celebrations.

"Carlos was fired up because of what was said so this game was a dream for him," confirmed Tevez's fellow countryman Pablo Zabaleta.

"United fans know he was a big loss because he was a great player for them.

"Every team wants Carlos Tevez and I am sure that he will try to take Manchester City right to the top."

It is a mantra being repeated throughout City. And, when they break off from berating him for crossing the great Mancunian divide, United fans will realise his kind of energy is exactly what their own side is lacking at present.

In fairness to Ferguson, the kind of sum City are rumoured to have paid for Tevez - around £40million - is beyond any club trying to work to a budget.

Thanks to Sheikh Mansour's largesse, the Blues are in the happy position of not having to worry about such issues, providing Tevez with the platform to prove why Roberto Mancini believes he is among the top 10 forwards in the world.

"Carlos' football quality is there for everyone to see but his mentality on the pitch is amazing," defender Vincent Kompany told www.mcfc.co.uk.

"That makes more of a difference than him being a terrific player."

Source: PA