United fans revel in City misery

MANCHESTER UNITED fans yesterday extracted revenge for their City rivals’ taunts over Carlos Tevez’s move two years ago with a giant digital billboard image poking fun at the Argentina striker’s latest saga.

The image shown in Manchester city centre last night says ‘Welcome to Carlos, Manchester’ — mocking the giant blue poster erected by City when Tevez moved from United in 2009 showing a picture of the Argentina striker over the words ‘Welcome to Manchester’.

The latest Tevez taunt was the work of the Manchester United Supporters’ Trust who described it as “a warm-hearted message from some old friends”.

Tevez has been suspended by his club pending an investigation into his refusal to come off the bench during City’s 2-0 defeat by Bayern Munich on Tuesday.

City yesterday tried to pull down the shutters on the affair by warning journalists not to ask manager Roberto Mancini about the issue.

Mancini appeared at his usual Friday press conference yesterday but beforehand City’s chief communications officer Victoria Kloss warned it would be called off if he was asked about Tevez.

Mancini was given backing for his handling of the incident by rival boss Alex Ferguson, who praised him for his “strong management”.

Ferguson said: “I think that Roberto Mancini has come out and shown his strength of character, his strength of management and I think that is important.’’

QPR boss Neil Warnock weighed into the debate declaring: “The sooner he leaves the country, the better.” Warnock has no love for Tevez, who was at the centre of the third-party ownership saga four years ago that saw West Ham keep their top-flight status at the expense of his own Sheffield United.

Mancini’s task now is to make sure the rest of City’s star-studded squad are not distracted and continue their unbeaten Premier League record at Blackburn today.