Tev tipped to hit top gear for title bid

Posted Sunday, August 12, 2012 by The Sun

ROBERTO MANCINI hopes rejuvenated Carlos Tevez can help ease the pain of missing out on top target Robin van Persie.

Manchester City boss Mancini has virtually admitted defeat in his summer-long pursuit of Arsenal captain Van Persie.

But his free-scoring team banged in 93 goals en route to the title last term, with Tevez getting four of them.

The former skipper was frozen out or AWOL for six months of last season but is now looking more like his old self again.

Mancini’s striker pool also includes the likes of Mario Balotelli, Sergio Aguero and Edin Dzeko.

And Mancini said: “I still have confidence in them.

“We scored 93 goals last year so I’m happy with those four. They will stay here.

“I am happy with Carlos, he’s worked really well since we started training. His attitude is excellent — now he must continue like this.

“It was hard for him last season because he had six months out, so when he came back he was a long way behind.

“But he played a part. He scored four or five goals at the end of the season and those were important.”

Tevez, 28, is under contract until the summer of 2014 and the chances are he will now stay at the Etihad until at least then.

And having been absent for so long last term, he will be like a new signing for Mancini who managed to lift the title on goal difference anyway.

He added: “What happened last year with Carlos is forgotten, in the past.

“Now he has got a full pre-season and can be important for us.”

So RVP, 29, looks to have slipped through his fingers but Mancini is not too concerned.

He said: “Van Persie is a top player. He’ll be a top player if he stays at Arsenal or if he joins another club.
“I am not worried because I have the players and I have the chairman. I am sure we can do a good job again this year. We’re very confident.

“United are favourites because, like Alex Ferguson said, we can’t change history in two years. It’s impossible.

“Maybe we can move but changing history takes time. For this reason United are favourites as they have been winning for 20 years.”