Balotelli lets Mancini down as City slump

The title race has yet to be formally concluded but the inquests into Manchester City’s failure to sustain their challenge has already begun with the name of Mario Balotelli underpinning most of the debate.

Occasionally inspirational, frequently frustrating and too often a liability, Balotelli has provided an engaging sideshow but, as he demonstrated at the Emirates Stadium yesterday, his contribution is too often painfully flawed.

On this occasion there was none of the attacking flair that encourages indulgence from his manager, but there was an 89th-minute red card, a terrible challenge that went unpunished after 20 minutes, and a display of self-centred sulking that betrayed his side’s cause.