Manchester United coach Rene Meulensteen has taken a swipe at Manchester City over the behaviour of Mario Balotelli. He insists United would never consider such a character.

"We will never buy a guy like Mario Balotelli," said Meulensteen. "Players like that only deliver frustration.

"At Manchester United everybody is used to the pressure for playing about the title. For the first in long time City is now in a position that they can become champions.

"That's what's breaking them now. I've always thought that City wouldn't hold the race until the end.

"Their squad is out of balance, they've got to many individuals who are playing for themselves. Against Sunderland you could see that they don't have team spirit.

"The fight on the pitch like they had you would not see at Manchester United."