The popular striker rewarded Roberto Mancini’s faith in him with his first goal since December 2008, and his first-half strike against Middlesbrough proved to be enough to see the Blues into the fourth round of the FA Cup.
It was the Zimbabwean’s first start for City since the defeat at West Brom last season, but with a few injuries around his squad new boss Roberto Mancini was happy to give Benjani a go at the Riverside.
The former Portsmouth man was delighted to get the nod, saying: “The Manager is giving everybody a chance, that’s easy to see. I think he wants to give everyone a game, so if you get that chance it’s up to you to take it and impress him.
“We were always raising the game, even in the past because there have always been some good players here. With a few injuries about at the moment we are all getting the chance, and form in training is important to get into the Manager’s thoughts.
“I’m so happy to be back because I have had a lot of injury problems over the year, but once I got over those it with so many good players here it was always going to be difficult to get back into the side.
“It was great that the manager gave me a chance and I knew I had to make the most of it. Playing away from home against a team like Middlesbrough is always going to be hard to break through, so I’m happy that I managed to get the goal when the chance came.”
The Manager is giving everybody a chance, that’s easy to see. I think he wants to give everyone a game, so if you get that chance it’s up to you to take it and impress him.
...Benjani...
Benjani’s goal was set up by Martin Petrov, a player that the striker is familiar with despite all the changes in the City squad since his arrival from Fratton Park just under two years ago. Once again, form on the training pitch has counted and paid off where it counts for Benji, who added:
“I have enjoyed linking up with Martin ever since I came here, it was quite natural to play alongside him again at Middlesbrough and we have been doing well in training. It was good to put it into practice again.”
