Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini has backed Carlos Tevez to play a starring role for the Premier League champions after his stunning strike inspired a 3-2 win over Chelsea in the Community Shield.
Tevez was in vibrant form at Villa Park on Sunday as the Argentine forward provided a glimpse of the talent that City missed for much of last season during a self-imposed exile that followed his touchline row with Mancini at Bayern Munich.
The former Manchester United star returned late in the season to help City clinch their first English title for 44 years, but Mancini believes Tevez will be much fitter and more motivated this season.
Tevez put City ahead with a blistering second-half shot after Yaya Toure had cancelled out Fernando Torres’s opener for Chelsea.
Samir Nasri bagged City’s third and Ryan Bertrand’s late consolation couldn’t stop Mancini’s men warming up for their title defence with their first Community Shield win since 1972.
But it was the form of Tevez that most pleased Mancini ahead of next weekend’s Premier League opener against Southampton.
“I’m very happy,” said Mancini.
“Carlos worked very well. His form is better than last year. He wants to play football. With foreign players it’s difficult. He didn’t play last year for six months. If he wants to play, he’s going to be top.
“Having Carlos for the last 10 games (of last season) was important. But he is now 100 per cent. This is the first time in four years we have him fit.”
Meanwhile, Chelsea manager Roberto Di Matteo conceded Branislav Ivanovic’s red card two minutes after Torres had given his side the lead was the turning point.
“The sending off probably changed the game,” he said.
“We competed very well up to that point. The second half was difficult. It’s difficult playing with 10 men.
“I watched the sending off, I felt there was no intention from our player. Sometimes red cards are given and sometimes they are not (in that situation).”
Mancini played down his side’s chances of retaining the Premier League title last week, but Di Matteo believes they deserve to be favourites.
“City are the team to beat absolutely, they are the champions,” he said.
“We have to catch up 25 points from last season. They are the favourites, it’s no doubt about it. United are chasing City as well.”
Di Matteo also praised the performances of Torres and new signing Eden Hazard and he believes they will be pivotal players if Chelsea are to cope with the loss of Didier Drogba.
“Hazard was lively, he handed out some problems,” Di Matteo said.
“He was finding his feet with Ashley Cole and his other team-mates.
“Torres moved very well, he was a danger and worked hard for the team. It was his first 90 minutes after being back in training for less than three weeks.”