Balotelli stroked home a penalty five minutes before the break and Micah Richards made it 2-0 before another spot-kick from Sergio Aguero wrapped up the victory.

"With the penalties, Mario is fabulous," Mancini said. "It is impossible that he misses. I don't know why. He shoots very well.

"Mario is a very important player for us. He is a great player and is getting better and better.

"I am trying to help him because I don't want him to waste his talent and to make sure he can become the player he can become.

"The rest is down to him and he is doing very well."

The result maintained City's 100% league record this term at the Etihad Stadium and kept them five points ahead of Manchester United, who won 1-0 at Swansea in the late kick-off thanks to Javier Hernandez's early goal.

The clean sheet was United's fifth in a row in all competitions following their 6-1 hiding against City, and boss Sir Alex Ferguson expressed his delighted at the recent improvement in that area.

"It (the Manchester City game) was a wake-up call so to now have the most number of clean sheets in the league is an added satisfaction," he told ESPN.

"Over the years, our defence has been an integral part of our success."

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger reiterated his commitment to the club after Robin van Persie's brace helped the Gunners to a fifth straight league win - 2-1 at Norwich.

Reports in France suggested Wenger would review his position at the end of the campaign, but he said: "I am committed to the club and will respect my contract to the end, unless I feel I am not good enough.

"That has always been the case."

Blackburn goalkeeper Paul Robinson required stitches in a head wound following his late heroics in earning a last-gasp penalty from which Rovers secured a 3-3 draw at Wigan.

Ayegbeni Yakubu equalised from the spot eight minutes into stoppage time after David Jones' high kick caught Robinson - up for a late corner - in the face.

"We've had a lot of things go against us in the last minute and I think the referee was justified," said Blackburn boss Steve Kean. "The lad's foot was maybe five feet in the air."

QPR manager Neil Warnock was a happy man after his side secured a battling 3-2 victory at Stoke, Heidar Helguson bagging a brace despite sustaining an early facial injury.

"You are going to get physical battles when you come to the Britannia and that is why it is such a great result for us - not many people like to come here," Warnock said.

In other games, Everton came from behind to sink Wolves 2-1, West Brom defeated Bolton 2-1 and Sunderland's clash with Fulham ended goalless.