Roberto Mancini: Manchester City can win the FA Cup without Carlos Tevez

Carlos Tevez, Manchester City

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Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini has placed his faith in his squad by claiming they can lift the FA Cup even if Carlos Tevez fails to win his fitness battle.

The Argentine is a doubt for the cup final against Stoke after suffering a hamstring injury against Liverpool, however, City have won all three games in his absence.

Mancini told reporters: “If we want to improve as a team and keep on winning then you have to play without important players like Carlos, Yaya Toure, or David Silva.

“It’s important but also important you improve as a team.

“Carlos is an important player for us and has scored more than 20 goals this year.

“Without him we are missing a fantastic striker who scores a lot of goals, but we have built a team this year.

“We have bought a lot of good players. When we are missing one or two important players we have a team, we always have a team.

“Manchester United played eight or nine different players against Schalke from the side that will play against Chelsea.

“If you want to win you want to win like this. When you can make these changes you can still also play to win, like them.”

The Argentine recently resumed light training but Mancini has made it clear that unless the skipper has playing time under his belt prior to the final, then he will not be selected for the squad.

“Carlos wants to do everything as he wants to play,” he continued.

“But I need every player 200 per cent for the final. I can’t play with one player who is 50%. It’s impossible.”

City currently sit in fourth spot in the Premier League and are the frontrunners to secure the final lucrative Champions League qualification place. Mancini, however, was quick to ensure his team do not get carried away before their aims are secured.

He said: “Until now we have done nothing.

“We have got to the FA Cup final but we haven’t won it yet. We are also in fourth place but we still have another four games to go.

“We have worked very hard for this because we want to play Champions League football next season and we want to win a trophy.

“But it’s not easy. We have a difficult game against Everton, which is where our focus should be, then Tottenham. It’s impossible for us to think about the FA Cup final now.”