Carlos Tevez is fighting for his future at Manchester City after attending
a disciplinary hearing, but the statistics suggest the club could be better off
without him.
City suspended the volatile Argentine after he allegedly refused to warm
up as a substitute against Bayern Munich, yet they have fared better when he is
not in the team.
Since Tevez joined City from neighbours United in 2009, the team have
averaged 1.86 points and 1.80 goals per game in the 69 Premier League matches
he has played.
However, in the 15 games he has missed, those averages have leapt to
2.13 points and 2.40 goals.
City seemed over-reliant on their then-captain last season, but the
arrival of Tevez's compatriot Sergio Aguero in a blockbuster £38 million summer
deal has coincided with the emergence a new brand of expansive, flowing
football.
Aguero's interplay with David Silva in particular has sparkled, while he
has made a spectacular goalscoring impact, netting eight times in seven Premier
League games.
Consequently, City look a better side without the previously
'indispensable' Tevez.
United were left humbled two summers ago when Tevez left Old Trafford
for Eastlands.
However, their performance has hardly dipped since his departure.
Although United's points per game have dropped slightly in the last two
season, they have actually scored more goals and won their 19th league title in
May.
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