Tevez Publicly Backs Mancini

Carlos Tevez has shown his support for manager Roberto Mancini following their touchline spat as he was substituted late on in City's 1-0 win over Bolton. The Italian had already played down the argument with his skipper and now Tevez has given his side to the story "Of course I get on well with Roberto and I back him one hundred per cent, I was disappointed for instance that my substitution against Birmingham recently resulted in some of our fans showing displeasure towards him. What people didn't know was that I had played the previous three games going through the pain barrier, and the manager knew that. I was very close to getting a more serious injury through playing when perhaps I shouldn't have, so his concern was for my well-being. To criticise the manager for his decisions is unfair because we need to be patient - there is a long way to go in the season. Roberto and I get on. We discuss lots of things both in public and in private. We are both passionate football people and we both want the same things for Manchester City and that is success. We both want to win."

This statement will come as a relief to Mancini as stories continue to surface of dressing room unrest, not least the training ground fight between Balotelli and Boateng which was caught on camera recently. Tevez is know to disagree with Mancini's training methods and tactics and has publicly criticised him in the past.