Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini has taken the tough stance on midfielder Samir Nasri by saying that he would give the former Arsenal man a punch in the face for not being consistent with his performances. The £ 24 million signing from Arsenal was at his best during the weekend against Newcastle, as he helped City win the match 4-0. After the match, Mancini criticised him by saying that a player with his ability should be performing at this level in every match. Instead, Nasri has been lethargic and disinterested in recent weeks.

As a result, he has lost his first-team place and has constantly found himself on the bench. This is not the first time Nasri has produced a magnificent performance against Newcastle, as the midfielder was once again at his best in the reverse fixture earlier in the season. There have also been suggestions that Mancini has followed with the captain, Vincent Kompany, due to his decision to play for the Belgian national team after having just returned from injury. The two failed to make a contact in the match, thus prompting suggestions that one or the other will leave the club at the end of the season.

Mancini, though rejected such speculation by praising Kompany. “I would like to give him a punch. Because a player like him should play like today always. Always. Every game. Maybe one game sometimes he can play badly but with his quality that is all. I don’t know what the difference was today. I can’t understand sometimes a player with his quality doesn’t play like today every game. I think that the second year is always difficult to win again,” said Mancini. He also gave up the title after admitting that City have left themselves with too much to do an end of the campaign.