Mancio puts faith in Balotelli

Roberto Mancini is gambling his Manchester City job on Mario Balotelli.

The City manager is confident his controversial striker can come up with the goals to secure Champions League qualification – and keep him in his post.

Mancini has turned to Balotelli in the absence of injured Carlos Tevez, although the boss has today given a pledge to Blues fans that misfiring £27m striker Edin Dzeko will come good eventually.

Mancini chose Super Mario ahead of Dzeko for the famous FA Cup semi-final win over United at Wembley – and is set to go with him alone up front on Monday at relegation-battling Blackburn Rovers.

Balotelli, the former Inter Milan star hasn’t scored in his last eight games and has courted controversy ever since arriving at Eastlands in a £24m deal last summer.

The 20-year-old had a training ground bust-up with teammate Jerome Boateng and showed public displays of dissent when substituted in the games against West Ham and Notts County.

He has been sent off twice this season and most recently was alleged to have thrown darts at youth team players from the first floor of the club’s Carrington training centre.

His former manager at Inter, Jose Mourinho, last season claimed he had ‘one brain cell’ after struggling to curb his wild ways.

Former England manager, Graham Taylor, says it’s time Balotelli repayed the tremendous faith Mancini has shown in him.

“Somewhere along the line he is going to have to come to terms with the Premier League and recognise he has to grow up,” he said.

“It is difficult, particularly if you’re the manager that has bought him because he is actually letting his manager down.

“He’s got great faith in you to bring you into the Premier League, one of the biggest leagues in the world. He’s given you this opportunity.”

Taylor had to control Paul Gascoigne during his time with England.

He added: “We can understand if you don’t understand English football too quickly. But to do some of the things that he’s done is like putting two fingers up to the manager.

“As a manager I would not be happy with his behaviour.”

City legend Dennis Tueart believes Balotelli has the chance to become a Blues great in his own right.

“When people talk to me about mavericks I say I want my mavericks to be winners not losers,” he said.

“You get flashes but you want a consistent level. That is the difference between a flash in the pan and a quality player. Doing it on the right stage.”