Local lads Shaun Wright-Phillips, Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha have been told they must be patient at Manchester City.

The homegrown trio were all on the bench for Tuesday night's 2-0 Premier League victory over Bolton, with supporters chanting in vain for Wright-Phillips to come on in the second half.

City boss Roberto Mancini told the club's website: "It's not a matter of fitting them in. We've played ten or 11 games and they have all played, but it's impossible for them to play always.

"We have 21 or 22 players when they are all fit. This is better for us, but they can't play every game. Sometimes they need to recover, and they cannot always do that in two or three training sessions.

"Yes, I heard the fans singing Shaun's name, and I am happy for him. He is a good player, but it is important that he keeps improving - not only Shaun but all the players, the whole team.

"Now I know all the players here very well, I know their qualities in my mind. I have to decide before a game if it is better for the team to play 4-4-2 or 4-3-3, whether to play Stevie or Shaun or somebody else. If I decide, then he plays. It's easy!

"But if we want to become an important squad we must work harder and we must BECOME a squad. One player or manager is not important, it is the club that is important, the squad that is important."