Toure brothers dump Man City for Nations Cup

MANCHESTER City will be without three key men when it faces arch rival United in the FA Cup on Sunday.Mario Balotelli will miss the crunch showdown with their neighbours after failing to shake off an ankle injury.And Mancini has lost his battle with the Ivory Coast to have brothers Yaya and Kolo Toure available for the game.Instead, they will be withdrawn early from the African Cup of Nations duty.The Ivory Coast duo will link up with their country for the start of the tournament later this month.Mancini was hoping to delay their departure until after the clash with United at the Etihad Stadium.The pair will attend a team meeting in Paris tomorrow and the first part of a two-week training camp in Abu Dhabi that begins on Sunday.Mancini said earlier: We have asked the Ivory Coast manager because they have a meeting in Paris on Saturday."We have asked whether Kolo and Yaya can stay with us and then they can go to Abu Dhabi. We are waiting for an answer and I expect to know either today or tomorrow."The City manager has warned he may not have enough players to fill his substitutes bench at the weekend.Gareth Barry is suspended, and Owen Hargreaves is not considered fit enough to be involved.'We have 17 players,' said Mancini. 'I do not know how it is going to work.'Meanwhile, Carlos Tevez is edging closer to his inevitable exit after opening negotiations with Inter Milan.Mancini added: 'I do not know the situation but I do hope for him he can close a deal with a team this week because he hasn't played for three months.
Click here to read full news..