Platt: Tevez faces battle for berth

Manchester City coach David Platt says Carlos Tevez has returned to training but faces stiff competition for a first-team place.

Tevez’s fellow strikers Sergio Aguero, Edin Dzeko and Mario Balotelli have netted 39 English Premier League goals between them this season, and all three scored yesterday in a comfortable 3-0 win at home to Blackburn Rovers.

Argentina striker Tevez returned to City this month after ending his four-month unauthorised strike, but it remains to be seen when he will be ready for competitive football.

“I don’t think we have ever had all three (strikers) on the pitch at the same time, so there has always been competition,” Platt said.

“Now that Carlos is back, he’ll add another number to the equation.”

“When we’ve got everyone fit and available, we are going to have people sitting in the stand who could get into most teams in the Premier League.”

City are due to play Bolton in the league next weekend at Etihad Stadium, before a mid-week trip to tackle Sporting Lisbon in the Europa League.

Platt said Tevez could come into contention for the home game against Swansea on March 10, but offered no guarantees.

“Carlos is back and he’s training,” Platt said.

“The manager has said he could be ready for the Swansea game in a fortnight, but it could be a little longer than that.”

“It is a bit like a pre-season for him at the moment. He’s had a period of time off, but he needs some conditioning and he needs to get ready for playing football again.”

“He’s joining in the sessions and he does a little bit of work afterwards. He’s got his head down and that’s what he’s doing.”

“But we need to find some 11 v 11 football for him.”

“We will do that to get him into a condition where he’s available for selection if the manager wants to pick him, but that whole process takes a lot longer than 24 hours.”

Platt said he was uncertain how the club’s supporters will react to Tevez, who has spent much of the last four months on self-imposed exile after falling out with manager Roberto Mancini.

“I don’t know how the fans will react to him,” he said.

“I think we and Carlos have to cross that bridge when we come to it.”

“He’s apologised and that apology has been accepted and we’re getting on with things for the good of Manchester City.”