SOCCER:MARIO BALOTELLI was accused of kicking Scott Parker in the head by Harry Redknapp, who said he should not have been on the pitch to convert the penalty that gave Manchester City a late victory over Tottenham Hotspur.
City established an eight-point lead over third-placed Spurs courtesy of a remarkable finale at the Etihad Stadium, where Jermain Defoe missed a chance to give Redknapp’s team the lead in stoppage time and Ledley King conceded the match-winning penalty with a foul on Balotelli moments later.
The Italian striker converted the spot-kick to maintain City’s 100 per cent home record in the Premier League this season but his performance was marred by allegations that he purposely injured Parker seven minutes from time.
Balotelli, booked within 13 minutes of his introduction as a substitute for a foul on Benoit Assou-Ekotto, caught Parker with what appeared a backheeled stamp and could face retrospective action from the English Football Association after the referee, Howard Webb, took no action.
Redknapp insisted Balotelli’s kick was deliberate and in character for a player who has attracted controversy throughout his brief career.
Asked whether the City striker should have been sent off, the Spurs manager said: “Yes, I do think that. It’s not the first time he’s done that, is it? I’m sure it won’t be the last. I’m the last person to talk about getting people sent off but it’s blatantly obvious if you see that. He reacts like that at times to challenges. Scott has a lovely cut on his head. I’m not sure if he’s had stitches, but that’s how it goes.
“I’m surprised he [the linesman] hasn’t seen it. The first [stamp] could be an accident but the second one? He’s backheeled him straight in the head. I don’t like talking about people kicking players in the head but when you see that, it’s wrong. Whether he gets sent off or whatever, it’s wrong and I don’t like seeing people react like that to a challenge. Scott made a good block.”
Having been dismissed once this season, for two bookable offences at Liverpool, Balotelli could be handed a four-match suspension if Webb confirms he missed the incident and the FA finds the striker guilty of violent conduct.
“I’m sure they will look at it,” said Redknapp, who will appear at Southwark crown court alongside the former Portsmouth chairman Milan Mandaric today on charges of tax evasion, which they deny. “They must do, mustn’t they? I don’t see any reason, what reason did he have to kick Scott in the head with his studs while he is lying on the floor? It’s not a nice thing to do and it has no place in football.”
Roberto Mancini, the City manager, did not appear at the post-match press conference having lost his voice and his assistant, David Platt, claimed not to have spotted the incident. “I haven’t seen any replays and so I can’t really comment,” he said.
Platt admitted he thought City were “dead and buried” when Defoe and Gareth Bale, whose goals had brought Spurs back from two goals down against the league leaders, combined in injury time only for the striker to miss an open goal at full stretch.
He said Mancini was livid with how City had allowed Spurs to recover after conceding two goals in four minutes to Samir Nasri and Joleon Lescott.
“We should have put the game to bed at 2-0,” said Platt. “That is what the manager said afterwards. His voice was low but what he said was profound.”
Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson praised his side after they beat Arsenal 2-1 at the Emirates to complete a league double over Arsene Wenger’s side.
“We said before the game that winning after City had won their game was the important thing,” Ferguson said.
“We did it in the right way, we played football and were adventurous and had belief in ourselves. I’m delighted with that at this time of the season. They are all important games, we have four massive away games and that is one out of the road.”
After their third straight Premier League defeat Wenger said: “It leaves us in a very difficult position. It’s a game we couldn’t afford to lose.”
GuardianService
