Mario Balotelli & Roberto Mancini in 'training ground bust-up'

Manchester City striker Mario Balotelli appears to have been involved in a training ground bust-up with manager Roberto Mancini.

A picture agency has released photographs it says were taken on Thursday morning of the pair having to be separated by staff and team-mates at Carrington training ground.

City have declined to comment.

Mancini is expected to answer questions about the incident at his news conference on Friday morning.
The pictures appear to show Mancini shouting and gesticulating towards Balotelli, who has scored three goals in 21 appearances this season.
One photograph shows the pair face to face with Mancini pulling Balotelli's training bib, while in another, the striker appears to be pulled away by a member of staff.
The 22-year-old has been involved in a series of controversies since his £24m move from Inter Milan in August 2010.

In December, Balotelli was set to take City to a tribunal over a two-week fine for missing 12 games last season because of suspensions.

He later dropped the action and accepted the punishment, prompting Mancini to say he was willing to give the striker another chance.
In November, Mancini said that he had no intention of selling the player despite his tempestuous relationship with his fellow Italian.
Last season, Balotelli scored 17 goals in all competitions for City but was sent off twice.
After his red card against Arsenal in April, Mancini cast doubt over Balotelli's future at the club saying he didn't "have any words for his behaviour."
Mancini has often talked about the challenges of managing the player he says could be one of the best in the world .
In April, the City manager joked that he might have punched Balotelli in the head every day if he were his team-mate.
He said: "I don't speak with him every day, otherwise I would need a psychologist, but I speak with him because I don't want him to lose his quality."
But Mancini has also stated that Balotelli's behaviour on and off the pitch is blown out of proportion , saying "every time Mario does something, [it] is like a war.