Mancini reveals Sturridge would be in his first team.

Roberto Mancini ahead of the game tonight has spoken of Danny Sturridge and has made it perfectly clear that he can't believe that Sturridge was able to leave City because he would be a first team regular if he was still there now.

He said:

“I know Sturridge very well, I have watched him many times because he grew up in Manchester and someone let him go for almost nothing.

Sturridge is a really good player. He is young. But now I can do nothing because he plays for Chelsea.

He was one of the best young players here at City. I asked him last year, when he was playing on loan at Bolton. I asked ‘why did you leave Manchester City?’ He said ‘I don’t know why.’

When you have a young player ­maybe sometimes it’s difficult to understand what will happen. But with Sturridge it was not too difficult to see he was a good player.

I won’t let young players go like that. When you have a young player like Sturridge it’s maybe better to send him on loan, like Chelsea did. Then he can ­improve and ­become a good player. He can play every week. For a young ­player it is important to play. If you don’t play then it is difficult to ­improve. It’s ­important to invest with youngsters. He would have been a great player for the ­future.

If ­Sturridge was here today he would be playing in the first team regularly.”

This is what makes me laugh about Mancini's comments above about investing in youth players. Where are the youngsters at City these days? I know the same argument is labelled at Chelsea but at least we have people coming through like McEachran, Bertrand and Sturridge.

City's loss is definitely our gain. Sturridge has been outstanding for Chelsea this season and could have another big game tonight. There are still areas he needs to improve but the raw talent he has and blistering pace could see him become one of the best if he keeps his head down and works hard.

While he was at City, he was labelled as arrogant and it was claimed his attitude was wrong and maybe that's why City fans hold a grudge against him. However, we haven't seen any signs of that at here and he has been the complete opposite.

I am expecting another big game tonight from Sturridge to prove to the City fans just what they let go. Some of them to this day moan that he left Chelsea for the money (a reported £55,000 per week) and I don't blame him. Let's face it, some of the wages they are paying at the moment his salary would have been just a drop in the ocean but they wouldn't budge and would rather pay a fortune for more established players.

I really hope Sturridge plays well tonight and gives him even more of a confidence boost to take into the rest of the season!.

KTBFFH

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