Mario Balotelli's remarkable penchant for embroiling himself in controversy at Manchester City has resurfaced in the form of a training-ground confrontation with his team-mate Micah Richards.

The two players clashed towards the end of a practice match when Richards accused Balotelli, who was on the same team, of not running hard enough. Witnesses reported that words were exchanged before the two players squared up. Richards, in particular, seemed aggrieved by what had been said and the defender had to be restrained by James Milner and Yaya Touré as he sought to prolong the argument. City's manager, Roberto Mancini, also got involved to keep them apart.

The incident has been described as minor behind the scenes, where it has been stressed that it was quickly forgotten once the players had returned to the dressing room. They are understood to have shaken hands and Richards responded to the Guardian breaking the story by posting a message on his Twitter site describing them as "all good". Richards added: "These things happen in training & we shook hands after. It shows passion!"

It will, however, be added to the increasingly lengthy list of misdemeanours involving Balotelli at a time when Mancini openly admits being exasperated about the striker's apparent inability to conform.

It is also far from ideal when it comes to City's preparations for Sunday's game at home to Arsenal and Mancini, once again, can expect more questions about Balotelli's attitude when he holds his weekly press conference on Friday.

By now, Mancini is well-versed in addressing the issue, Balotelli undermining his largely impressive performances with a series of off-field incidents that has left City's management wondering how prolific he could be if he were more devoted to the sport.

The concern at City is that the man who revealed a "Why Always Me?" T-shirt after scoring the opening goal of the 6-1 thrashing of Manchester United is in danger of not fully realising his potential, or at least taking too long about it.

Balotelli, to put it into context, is living in a city-centre hotel after his country house was set on fire when he and friends set off fireworks through a bathroom window on the eve of the Manchester derby. Among other issues, before Monday's 2-1 defeat at Chelsea he also had to explain to Mancini why he had broken a curfew and was seen at 1am in Manchester's city centre on Sunday.

Although the latest incident is unlikely to lead to any form of disciplinary action, the frequency with which Balotelli finds himself in trouble demonstrates why this is a player who can infuriate his manager.

There is also an unwanted sense of deja vu for the Premier League leaders, with a number of similar incidents breaking out at City's training ground over the last year. This is the fourth time he has been involved, after previous flashpoints with Jérôme Boateng, Aleksandar Kolarov and Vincent Kompany.

Emmanuel Adebayor and Kolo Touré were photographed rolling around the floor during another fight – not involving Balotelli – and the various issues have fuelled a perception that Mancini has assembled one of the more combustible squads in the top division.

City say this is not the case and that these kinds of incidents happen at other clubs, the difference being that photographers can get easier access to their Carrington base because of a public footpath that runs beside the pitches.

Whereas Manchester United pride themselves on "Fort Knox-style" secrecy at their training ground a few hundred yards away, even cutting down a tree that photographers used, City are far more exposed. The club are putting up fences in an attempt to keep out the cameras and their plans for a new training ground, beside the Etihad Stadium, are designed so that what happens inside the camp does not leak out.