Manchester City vs Norwich City preview - Mancini expects opponents to target Balotelli

Posted Saturday, December 03, 2011 by PA

Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini has warned striker Mario Balotelli to expect opponents to test his temperament.

Mancini accused Liverpool players of provoking the mercurial Italy forward when he was sent off in the Barclays Premier League leaders' draw at Anfield last week.

Balotelli's dismissal, after he received a second yellow card for a challenge on Martin Skrtel, was his third since joining City 16 months ago and Mancini fears he could become a target for streetwise opponents.

Mancini said: "Mario should pay attention and he should be clever. I can do nothing - only he is on the pitch.

"He should pay attention and think only about football and not other things. I think he made a mistake only for the first foul when he took the first yellow card. Then he should not take any risks."

Balotelli, a second-half substitute, had been on the field just 18 minutes when he clashed with Skrtel in the 83rd minute.

It was another controversial moment in the eventful career of the 21-year-old, who has shown greater consistency this season and scored nine times.

Mancini said: "He is more mature, this is clear. But in my opinion, if Mario was on the pitch in the last 20 minutes we could have won the game.

"It is important Mario understands we need him as a player on the pitch."

Balotelli is back in contention for the home clash with Norwich after serving the ban for his red card by sitting out the midweek Carling Cup quarter-final win at Arsenal.

Midfielder Gareth Barry is also available again after a one-game suspension for reaching five yellow cards.

Meanwhile, Norwich manager Paul Lambert is not about to lose any sleep over the prospect of facing Manchester City's multi-million squad - and has no issues with Mancini spending their way to the top of the Barclays Premier League.

Argentina striker Sergio Aguero came off the bench to fire City into the semi-finals of the Carling Cup in midweek with a well-taken late goal at Arsenal.

The 23-year-old cost a cool £38million from Atletico Madrid in the summer - a figure which dwarfs the combined outlay for Lambert's squad, many of whom have come up with the club from npower League One.

However, the Canaries manager is not about to dwell on the gulf in resources between Carrow Road and Etihad Stadium.

"I don't lose sleep over it. Manchester City are where they are for a reason and have got some top players," Lambert said.

"Manchester City have a fabulous football club with a manager who has seen it and done it, some great players.

"But you should make no apologies for it, because if I could afford somebody at £35million, then I would do the same.

"If somebody injected a lot of money into the club, it is their money and they can do what they want - they could change the manager, the whole club.

"That is the nature of the game, and I don't really worry about the spending spree.

"They have got a hell of a side, but if I keep worrying about them, then there is no point turning up."

While the Canaries are expected to get a good stuffing tomorrow, Lambert sees no reason why they cannot again ruffle the feathers of the Premier League big guns, having produced positive displays away to Chelsea, Manchester United and then earning a 1-1 draw at Liverpool.

"We have to try to cause them a problem, because there is no point going up there and inviting trouble all the time," the Norwich manager said.

"We might get turned over very heavily, but we will give it a go, although at the end of the day, that might not be good enough.

"There is no point in kidding on, because the gulf is huge and Manchester City are on another level from a lot of teams."

Defender Ritchie de Laet is doubtful for the trip with a back problem.

Centre-half Zak Whitbread could return to the squad following a hamstring injury having played for the reserves, alongside Dani Ayala, who is still recovering from a knee injury.

Defender Elliott Ward has now been able to step up his rehabilitation from a knee ligament problem suffered in pre-season, but striker James Vaughan (knee) is still out.