Arsenal vs. Manchester City: Loss Proves Mario Balotelli Is Tarnishing Man City

In a contest that Manchester City needed to win against a prominent Arsenal Gunners club, 21-year-old Italian talent Mario Balotelli was again the reason that this team was unable to come out on top.

It was not only a loss that was considered crucial for this team's confidence, but one that has Manchester City with no chance at winning the Premier League title over Manchester United.

Given the gravity of the contest and the outright dirty, unsportsmanlike play from Balotelli, according to The Guardian, he may well be on his way to facing punishment from the league as well as having played his last game as a member of the team.

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"Roberto Mancini suggested on Sunday night that Mario Balotelli has played his last game for Manchester City after their 1–0 defeat at Arsenal left his side eight points from the top of the Premier League and effectively curtailed the club's pursuit of a first league title in 44 years."

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The 1-0 loss to Arsenal came at the hands of Mikel Arteta in the 87th minute of the heated contest, with anger getting the best of Balotelli throughout the contest.

Through 20 minutes Balotelli could have well been sent off, after delivering a brutal knee-high tackle against Alex Song, yet he escaped with nothing but a whistle after the incident.

There is no doubting the type of talent Balotelli brings to the table, as the 21-year-old has every bit of potential to make noise in the Premier League for years to come. Yet with as poor an attitude as he has shown time and time again, it is getting all the more difficult for Mancini to keep him with the club.

In spite of his 13 goals in 21 games this season in league play, Balotelli becomes a surefire liability with his careless play and weak emotional strength. As hotheaded a player as there is in the sport, there is no question the loss will have him out of Man City quickly.

According to the same piece in the Guardian, Mancini makes clear he will be gone sooner than later.

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"He was reportedly more explicit on Italian television, saying: "We will sell him."

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Make no mistake about it, there is a plethora of promise in this Italian talent. Yet with an attitude problem as tarnishing and damaging as Balotelli's, there is no question Mancini will be quick to pull the trigger on the star forward.

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