Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini fears Mario Balotelli is already a marked man after their draw at Stoke City.
Balotelli spent most of the afternoon making painful contact with the Britannia Stadium's bone-hard surface, and Mancini fears there may be more of the same for his temperamental striker.
"I hope Mario isn't being deliberately targeted, but I don't know," said the City manager. "The referee must do his job well always, but there were two or three challenges on Mario in the first half that should have been free-kicks.
"At least he did not react. I spoke before the game about how important that was, and he concentrated throughout on playing football and trying to work for the team. For this, I am happy."
