City bosses order Mancini to sell 'menace' Balotelli

Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini has been advised by the influential members of the Etihad hierarchy to get rid of madcap striker Mario Balotelli or risk losing his own job.

The Etihad hierarchy has become increasingly embarrassed with Balotelli's behaviour and their manager's reluctance to act when the striker steps out of line, the Daily Express has reported.

If Mancini continues to dig his heels in over the troublesome striker, who he dropped from the squad as City won 3-1 at Newcastle yesterday, and City fall behind in the title race, then his job could be in jeopardy, the paper reported.

Earlier, it was reported that Bolatelli is set to take the club to a Premier League tribunal to overturn a £340,000 fine.

It is learnt that City handed down the fine after deciding that Balotelli was guilty of a series of breaches of discipline, the Daily Mirror reported.