Man City: Adebayor to decide first-team return

(GSM) – Togo captain Emmanuel Adebayor has been handed the decision regarding the return to Manchester City first-team squad, according to City boss Roberto Mancini.

The City and Togo striker is back in his nation following the horrific gun attack on his team’s bus at the Africa Cup of Nations in Angola that killed three members of the country’s party.

“We will speak to him when he returns,” said Mancini after City’s 4-1 win over Blackburn.

“Whenever he wants to play, whenever he feels ready, that is OK.

“At the moment, we are just very sorry for him. The situation is incredible.”

Adebayor is currently in Lome, the capital of Togo, for three days of official mourning following last Friday’s attack in Cabinda.

While, the 25-year-old forward is expected back in England after that, it is unlikely that he will feature for City against Everton at Goodison Park on Saturday.

Mancini is working under the assumption that the player will not be in the right frame of mind to be considered for the Toffees’ clash.

Togo’s assistant coach, press officer and bus driver died in the attack by Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda (Flec) rebels.

The team considered playing on in the tournament but the Togo prime minister ordered them to return home because of ongoing fears about security.

Adebayor has scored six goals in the Premier League this season but has yet to feature for City since Mancini took over as manager from Mark Hughes in mid-December.

However, since Mancini took over, City, with plenty of strikers to call upon, have won all four games they have played.

And Mancini has been particularly pleased with the phenomenal performance of Carlos Tevez.

The Argentine, who took his goalscoring tally to 15 for the season with a hat-trick in Monday’s win over Blackburn, has now bagged 10 goals in City’s last seven league outings.

“To score three goals, three very good goals, for us is very special but everyone knows how good he is,” stated Mancini.

“I wanted him to come to Inter. I asked about him but of course there was no chance because he was at Manchester United.

“Carlos is a top player. He is playing very well and I am very happy for him. It is most important for me that he continues to play in this way.”

The victory enabled City to leapfrog fellow top-four contenders Tottenham into fourth place, only seven points behind Premier League leaders Chelsea.