Tevez vs Mancini

Carlos Tevez insists he gets on well with Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini and gives him his full backing.

The relationship between the pair has been questioned and Tevez's show of petulance at being subbed off late on in Saturday's 1-0 win over Bolton did little to ease the speculation.

Mancini played down the spat immediately after the game stating he was happy with the player's attitude in that he wanted to stay on the pitch until the end, something he then echoed on Sunday.

Tevez is a key player for City and the Argentine ace has now backed the Italian tactician, stating he was carrying an injury against Birmingham recently and understood why he was replaced.

The former West Ham marksman, who is suspended for the trip to face his former team-mates this weekend, has urged patience from City's fans as there is a long way to go in the season.

"Of course I get on well with Roberto and I back him one hundred per cent," he told City's official magazine.

"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."