Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini has admitted that he almost substituted striker Mario Balotelli after just five minutes during their 3-3 draw with Sunderland on Saturday.
Balotelli, 21, scored twice in the encounter, but Mancini was frustrated by the Italian's performance.
When asked whether he thought about taking Balotelli off, Mancini said: "I thought this after five minutes but in the end he scored two goals. He didn't play well. In a game like this the strikers should be the difference - but not in the last two minutes, in the minutes before," Mancini told The Mirror.
"A player like Mario Balotelli or Edin Dzeko should score two or three goals in a game like this. In this moment we need Carlos Tevez, a striker who can do different. I want this."
The result leaves City two points behind Manchester United in the race for the Premier League title.
Written by
Matt Law
Matt Law
