Barry hopes to break hoodoo with help of blond bombshell

Gareth Barry is determined to ensure Arsenal are shocked by more than just Mario Balotelli’s new hairstyle as Manchester City aim for a first league win away to the Gunners since 1975 this weekend.

Only a week ago, Balotelli was being hauled away from manager Roberto Mancini following a training ground bust-up but it seems the 22-year-old’s flamboyant nature has not been affected by such strife, as he turned up at City’s Carrington base yesterday with his hair bleached bright blond.

City will certainly hope the Italy forward is fully focused this weekend, when he returns to the Emirates Stadium for the first time since his staggering appearance last April, when he should have been sent off for an atrocious tackle on Alex Song and eventually did see red for two bookable offences.