Balotelli blasted as City gives United title boost
Source: Agencies |
April 10, 2012, Tuesday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
MANCHESTER United is all but certain to retain its English Premier League title after opening an eight-point lead by beating Queens Park Rangers 2-0 on Sunday while second-placed Manchester City crashed to a 0-1 defeat at Arsenal.
A 15th-minute penalty from Wayne Rooney and a long-range Paul Scholes strike in the second half secured the points for United against relegation-threatened QPR which had Shaun Derry controversially sent off at Old Trafford.
Mikel Arteta's fierce low drive in the 87th minute broke City's heart at the Emirates.
A bleak day for City ended with the volatile Mario Balotelli being dismissed in the dying minutes for a second yellow card after a nasty challenge on Bacary Sagna.
Manager Roberto Mancini said his fellow Italian now faced a lengthy ban and in any case he would not pick him again this season.
Although neither Mancini nor United manager Alex Ferguson would declare the title race over, the leaders would have to collapse dramatically in the remaining six games to avoid becoming champions for the 20th time.
Ferguson's team has 79 points from 32 games while City, which has won just once in the last five matches, is on 71.
Mancini looked like he was at the end of his tether with striker Balotelli after City's defeat.
"I have finished my work with him (Balotelli), I am finished today, but I love him as a guy ... he is not a bad guy and he is a fantastic player but at this moment I am very sorry for him as he is continuing to lose his talent and his quality.
"I hope he understands he is in a bad way for his future and he must change his behavior. He will not play again (this season) and I will probably try to sell him in the summer," the Italian added.
Arsenal is now two points clear of fourth-placed Tottenham Hotspur in the race for an automatic Champions League berth.
Balotelli was lucky to stay on the field after a rash 20th-minute studs-up challenge on Alex Song. He was then booked for a bad tackle on Sagna before being sent off late in the game.
A 15th-minute penalty from Wayne Rooney and a long-range Paul Scholes strike in the second half secured the points for United against relegation-threatened QPR which had Shaun Derry controversially sent off at Old Trafford.
Mikel Arteta's fierce low drive in the 87th minute broke City's heart at the Emirates.
A bleak day for City ended with the volatile Mario Balotelli being dismissed in the dying minutes for a second yellow card after a nasty challenge on Bacary Sagna.
Manager Roberto Mancini said his fellow Italian now faced a lengthy ban and in any case he would not pick him again this season.
Although neither Mancini nor United manager Alex Ferguson would declare the title race over, the leaders would have to collapse dramatically in the remaining six games to avoid becoming champions for the 20th time.
Ferguson's team has 79 points from 32 games while City, which has won just once in the last five matches, is on 71.
Mancini looked like he was at the end of his tether with striker Balotelli after City's defeat.
"I have finished my work with him (Balotelli), I am finished today, but I love him as a guy ... he is not a bad guy and he is a fantastic player but at this moment I am very sorry for him as he is continuing to lose his talent and his quality.
"I hope he understands he is in a bad way for his future and he must change his behavior. He will not play again (this season) and I will probably try to sell him in the summer," the Italian added.
Arsenal is now two points clear of fourth-placed Tottenham Hotspur in the race for an automatic Champions League berth.
Balotelli was lucky to stay on the field after a rash 20th-minute studs-up challenge on Alex Song. He was then booked for a bad tackle on Sagna before being sent off late in the game.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
