Tevez plays down Mancini rift

Man City striker Carlos Tevez has played down suggestions that he has fallen out with Italian coach Roberto Mancini. Tevez was replaced in the 90th minute against Birmingham recently, leaving the Argentine visibly upset.

"Of course I get on well with Roberto and I back him one hundred per cent," Tevez told City's official magazine. "I was disappointed for instance that my substitution against Birmingham recently [when he was replaced by Gareth Barry] 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.

"I really like the desire the fans have to win something, and I sense it. It gives me a lot of strength. I know it is hard for people to go week-in, week-out, it can be expensive and it is not the main priority in life, but they make it their main priority.

"That motivates me and we all want to do the same thing - to make history and win trophies at City.''