• Premier League

Mancini considers resting Tevez against Arsenal

ESPN staff
October 19, 2010
Emmanuel Adebayor celebrated in front of Arsenal fans at Eastlands last year © Getty Images
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Roberto Mancini is ready to risk a repeat of last year's Emmanuel Adebayor furore against Arsenal, having revealed that he is considering resting Carlos Tevez for the crunch clash at Eastlands on Sunday.

The City boss fears that Tevez, who has scored 28 goals in his last 31 league games, will suffer burnout if he is not handed a break in the near future. His absence would open the door for Adebayor to lead the line against his old club.

The last time the two clubs met at Eastlands in the league - September 2009, in a match that finished 4-2 to City - Adebayor ran the length of the pitch to celebrate his goal in front of the Arsenal fans. He later received a retrospective three-match ban after catching Robin van Persie on the head with his boot following a tussle between the players.

Mancini appears to have no problem with the prospect of letting the Togolese striker face off against his old employers again - but he concedes that Tevez may only sit out City's Europa League tie against Lech Poznan on Thursday.

"I will probably rest Carlos on Thursday or Sunday," Mancini said. "I will speak with Carlos and we will decide. Out of the games, there will probably be one for which Carlos will stay on the bench because he needs to recover.

"Carlos is a key player for us, but then for us all the players did well at Blackpool [City won 3-2 despite being outplayed for long spells]. There were other good performances as well as his. Manu Adebayor worked so hard."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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