Mancini Lays Down Challenge for Balotelli

Balotelli hardly helps reduce the pressure, declaring, in the wake of collecting the prestigious 'Golden Boy' award for best young player in the game, that of the previous winners - which include Cesc Fabregas and Wayne Rooney - only Lionel Messi is "slightly" superior to him.

There have been glimpses of the 20-year-old's quality since his arrival at Manchester City from Inter Milan this summer.

But there have been just as many sullen appearances, when he has appeared completely disinterested in doing any form of teamwork.

Once such occasion was on Monday, when Balotelli was eventually replaced against Everton having done virtually nothing to test the Toffees defence.

Mancini concedes that kind of attitude will get Balotelli nowhere.

"Mario is a special player because he has a good attitude to play football," said the City chief.

"But you must also put your heart and your strength on the pitch.

"I know a lot of players, good players like Mario, who did not play football in a top team because of this.

"Mario has to prove he has the character."

A change in attitude might help.

Far too often, Balotelli appears sullen and moody, as he was against Everton.

Yet Mancini is convinced the 20-year-old is happy.

"Why not?" he argued.

"He is in a fantastic team playing in the best league in the world. But you need to smile to play football. That is the best thing you can do."

Balotelli clearly has a high opinion of himself.

Mancini does not have a problem with such ultra-high confidence. But he does feel it would be better if Balotelli was matching his words with actions on a regular basis.

"It is good when a player has confidence in himself," he said.

"Mario Balotelli has everything you need to be one of the best players in the world.

"But he must improve and he must show it. Only if you play well in every game can you say these things. It depends on him.

"The Premier League is so different from the Italian league. Mario must understand. If he thinks what he says he must show it in every game."

Indeed, Mancini might have worked with Balotelli at Inter Milan, and seen enough to spend £24million on the Italy forward this summer. But it is no guarantee of a starting spot at Newcastle on Boxing Day.

"We have a good relationship but I am the manager and Mario is a player," he said.

"He must work hard and play well every day, everyone else.

"If Mario deserves to play, he plays. If he doesn't work, he doesn't play."

Mancini will have to find some room given Nigel de Jong is available after serving a one-match ban for picking up five bookings.

That fifth caution - at West Ham - was one of only three the Dutchman has collected since his controversial appearance against Newcastle at Eastlands in October.

On that day, De Jong received heavy condemnation for a tackle on Hatem Ben Arfa that left the striker with a broken leg, but which went unpunished by referee Martin Atkinson, who chose not to have the matter investigated again by the Football Association.

Mancini maintains De Jong was innocent of any crime and remains a key figure in his side's quest for silverware.

"I am sorry for what happened with Ben Arfa but this can happen in a football match," said the City boss.

"It has not affected Nigel and I never thought about leaving him out.

"There are a lot of players in the world who attack the ball like Nigel. In this instance he was very unlucky.

"But he is a fantastic player and very important for us.

"He is the only player we have got with his characteristics.

"He always stays in front of the defence, so he helps the defenders. But he helps the strikers and wingers too."