Mario Balotelli wants to stay at Manchester City

A contrite Mario Balotelli outlined yesterday (Monday) his desire to remain at Manchester City and could still get the chance to redeem himself this season if he escapes a six-game ban for his extraordinary indiscipline against Arsenal.

Balotelli is certain to miss Manchester City's next three matches for his sending off at the Emirates on Sunday. The Football Association is also due to decide today whether he will face a violent conduct charge for a separate studs-up lunge on Alex Song that went unpunished by referee Martin Atkinson.

That will depend on whether any of the match officials saw the incident but, as it happened so close to the touchline, it is likely that Atkinson will report that his assistant did have a clear view.

Roberto Mancini, the Manchester City manager, had said on Sunday that Balotelli would not play again this season but that was only on the premise of his wayward striker being ineligible for the remainder of the campaign. Balotelli will be considered if, as expected, he is available for the remaining three games of the season.

Mancini did, however, say that he would "probably" try to sell Balotelli this summer and alluded to the "big problems" the 21 year-old had caused this season.

Balotelli was photographed at Manchester City's Carrington training base yesterday after reporting for a warm-down and, through his agent Mino Raiola, said that he wanted to stay in England. "I talked with Balotelli, the boy was sorry for what happened," said Raiola. "I heard Roberto and I can guarantee that the intention is not to sell him. If so I will speak in person with Mancini and City.

"Maybe he said those things because a defeat is hard to swallow. I think there was a misunderstanding. Roberto told me that it meant that the FA would take serious measures that will prevent Balotelli to play. Mario's intention is to remain in England and he has a contract with City."

Raiola also rejected any suggestion that Balotelli's wayward recent behaviour had somehow been a premeditated plan to force a move. "I can definitely say that there isn't a market strategy," he said. "If Mario would leave England he would speak quietly with City."

Raiola did say, however, that Balotelli misses Italy's Serie A and it is understood that City would be open to offers this summer.

Balotelli's behaviour has also placed his international place under question, with Italy coach Cesare Prandelli admitting that he would seek replays of Sunday's game. Prandelli has a zero-tolerance approach towards ill discipline and has always excluded players if they are serving a club ban for violent conduct.

"I will watch his sending off before deciding whether or not to apply the code of ethics for Balotelli," said Prandelli.

James Milner, the Manchester City midfielder, refused to even talk about Balotelli after Sunday's defeat left Manchester United eight points clear at the top of the Premier League. "We did not perform how we know we can for whatever reason, loss of confidence, fatigue," he said.

Milner said that it was crucial for City to learn their lessons from this season. "Whether we win it or don't, we have to make sure we learn from the good and the poor things which have gone on," he said. "It is about having that ruthlessness on the road which we can learn from.

"For the last 20 years, United have got that knack of winning and know how to close out title races, this is the first year we have been up there as a group. We have brought players in and it takes time for them to settle, coming from abroad or from other clubs, and gelling as a team. We have done that quickly. We have challenged this season and are still fighting until the end."