City face anxious wait on Balotelli

Manchester City were today anxiously waiting to discover if Mario Balotelli landed himself in hot water during yesterday's 3-2 win over Tottenham. Spurs boss Harry Redknapp was left fuming after the Italian's back-heel into Scott Parker's head went unpunished. Balotelli could be hit with a four-match ban - he has already been sent off once this season at Liverpool - that will rule him out of the League Cup semi-final second leg at Anfield on Wednesday. Redknapp was unimpressed, saying: "What reason did he have to back-heel Scott in the head with his studs when he is laying on the floor?" "I couldn't see a reason for it. It is not a nice thing to do. It has no place in football. Having looked at it, yes, I do (think Balotelli should have been sent off). "It is not the first time he has done that and I am sure it won't be the last. I am the last person to talk about getting people sent off and what they should and shouldn't do. But it is blatant. He reacts to challenges like that at times." It is the latest in a long line of problems involving Balotelli. "He is not my problem. Let someone else have the problem," Redknapp added. "He is a good player, of course he is. We all know he is a talent. "But loveable? I have my opinions but it is up to their manager. What happens now doesn't interest me. What is done is done." City manager Roberto Mancini has been embroiled in enough controversy over the last few games for waving imaginary cards in the wake of Vincent Kompany's controversial dismissal against Manchester United a fortnight ago. Under the circumstances, it was probably just as well the Blues chief was unable to attend the normal post-match press conference, as he may also have faced questions about an apparent forearm in the face by Joleon Lescott on Younes Kaboul that also went unpunished. "I never saw anything live. I don't think there was any kind of reaction from the players live either," assistant manager David Platt said of the Balotelli incident. "But if someone has seen something, I will be able to comment."