Man City's Carlos Tevez could return for Chelsea match<br /><br />Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini says Carlos Tevez could make a first-team return against Chelsea next week.<br /><br />The striker, 28, has been out of action since being accused of failing to warm up in the Champions League defeat by Bayern Munich in September.<br />He has played two reserve games in recent weeks to build his fitness after apologising to the club and supporters.<br />City face Chelsea on Wednesday 21 March by which time they could be four points behind rivals Manchester United.<br /><br />United play Wolves away on Sunday and City's next league match is the Chelsea game at Etihad Stadium.<br />Mancini, speaking at a news conference on Wednesday, also revealed that Gareth Barry, Vincent Kompany and Pablo Zabaleta were out of Thursday's Europa League tie against Sporting Lisbon through injury.<br />However, Joleon Lescott could be on the bench after recovering from a groin injury.<br />Tevez scored 44 goals in only 69 Premier League games during his first two seasons at City before the dispute in September.<br />He seemed certain to leave City during the January transfer window after returning to Argentina without the club's permission, but now looks set to figure in the title race.<br />Asked whether Tevez, who is ineligible for the Europa League, would play at Chelsea, Mancini said: "We will see in the next week. It depends on Carlos. Will he be OK? Probably but it depends on a lot of things."<br />City are second in the Premier League after losing to Swansea at the weekend, a defeat that knocked them off top spot for the first time in five months. They also failed to score in Thursday's Europa League loss to Sporting Lisbon .<br />Their home form has been exemplary, with 14 straight Premier League victories at the Etihad Stadium this season.<br />City have struggled on the road, though, winning won only two of their last eight Premier League away games and scoring just four goals.<br /><br />/football on Youtube brings you the latest football news, transfer rumo
