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Mancini baffled over missing Tevez’s whereabouts

Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini remains unsure of when to expect Carlos Tevez back at the club.

After the Argentine striker made an urgent trip to his homeland last week on compassionate grounds.

Tevez returned to Argentina after his wife gave birth to their second daughter prematurely but Mancini said following his team’s 0-0 draw with Liverpool on Sunday that he was not sure of his 26-year-old forward’s plans.

“I don’t know where Tevez is... I think he is in Argentina,” the Italian told reporters.

“It’s a big problem for us because we have an important week and we don’t have Tevez. For me it is no good. Carlos has been eight days at home and I don’t know if, while in Argentina, he has been working.

“I hope Carlos, within the next two days, can come back here because we need him. Maybe he is on the plane.

“I spoke to him three days ago. He had some problems with his family but now it has been resolved and I hope he comes back. I need him.”

Manchester City play Stoke City in an FA Cup replay and go to Chelsea for a Premier League match this week.

As well as missing Tevez, Mancini is also without suspended midfielder Patrick Vieira and injured winger Martin Petrov while striker Roque Santa Cruz has a knee injury.

City also need to improve on a recent disappointing run of just two wins in their last six matches.

Sunday’s match at Eastlands was a poor one with few chances for either team, who both lost ground in the race for fourth spot in the Premier League with Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa both winning.

“Against Liverpool it is not easy to win the game, we tried but Liverpool are a good team,” Mancini added.

“At the end of the game the draw was the right result as we didn’t concede any chances to Liverpool and they did not concede any chances to us.”