Good night all round for Mancini

Carlos Tevez is back in the fold to enhance his fire power for the Premier League run-in and on-loan David Pizarro produced a super cameo to suggest he has a key role to play.

Star man Sergio Aguero shot City into the lead after 18 seconds - the second-fastest Europa League goal on record - before Edin Dzeko, David Silva and Pizarro piled on Porto’s agony.

Mancini admitted: “It was a good night but not easy - Porto are one of the top teams in Europe and played very well. I’m happy we’re going into the next stage.

“We want to get to the final if possible but it will be difficult. With teams like United, Valencia and Schalke in, it’s like the Champions League.

“The early goal was important because Porto played very well, they’re a very strong team. We had other chances to score, but when you don’t score you can have some problems.

Pizarro scored a goal and made an assist - he is a high quality player and could be a good option for us in the next two months

 

Mancini, set to make changes for Saturday’s League game with relegation-haunted Blackburn, is ready to welcome Tevez back into contention after the returned striker’s statement.

He said: “Carlos has apologised and I don’t have any problem. I will meet him before training tomorrow and then he will work with us.

“He needs maybe two or three weeks to find good form, after this he will be OK and will play like the other players.

“Carlo knows the team very well. In the last six or seven months the team has played very well and are top of the Premier League.

“But Carlo is a top striker. He can help us to do a good job in the next two months.

“Sergio is another top striker - he was important in this game and during the season. It is important to have all the strikers available at this stage.”