Tevez touch and go for Saturday

[Mark (Blue Army)]

Roberto Mancini will leave it as late as possible to see if Carlos Tevez is available for Saturday’s game against Blackburn after the Blues skipper returned to training with a knock picked up on international duty.

The friendly against Spain in Buenos Aires saw Tevez set up two goals as well as get one himself, but it’s the after-effects that his club manager must now consider ahead of the resumption of domestic matters.

In addition to the waiting game over his captain, the Manager confirmed that Mario Balotelli will be absent until late October following the injury picked up in the 20-year-old’s brief, and eventful, debut in Romania.

“Carlos has a problem, he took a knock to his calf muscle so we’ll decide if he is available or not tomorrow.

“Mario had surgery yesterday and I think he will be back in six weeks, which takes us to after the next international break. It’s difficult for him, but this is how football can be.”

Two possible alternatives at full back will not be available to Mancini, who added:

“Wayne Bridge has been training outside with us again this week but will not be ready. Jerome’s knee is better and he should be ready again from next week but he needs more time right now.”

City did the double over Saturday’s opponents, but Mancini knows what to expect from a well-drilled Sam Allardyce side and is not taking the prospect lightly.

“People might say this is a game we should probably win, but Blackburn are very strong. At the start of the season all our games have been difficult for us, and we have been without four or five important players at times.

“Some of our players only came back yesterday or this morning, and Blackburn probably do not have this problem. We just have to be stronger and have a better mentality. We’ll meet many teams who put 10 players behind the ball this year, but if we are patient and play until we find a solution we will be OK.”

And after seeing the premiere of “Blue Moon Rising” on Thursday, the boss now knows what City fans go through.

“Now I have seen how the supporters feel when we lose, we have to do even better for them!” he laughs. “They really suffered at times in the film so we have to work even harder for them."

mcfc.co.uk

[Bianchi on Ice]

And all these cunts saying our squad was too big and how is everyone going to be kept happy. Theres your answer. Those who say we are a striker short and were saying it a month ago arent too wide of the mark. Injuries happen but its shit luck when City need to hit the ground running.