Scott Sinclair has played 69 minutes of league football in seven months for Manchester City © PA Photos Enlarge

Roberto Mancini has admitted Scott Sinclair's future could lie away from Manchester City and that it is better for him to leave after a disastrous year at the Etihad Stadium.

The winger was a £6.2 million signing from Swansea on transfer deadline day in August but has started two league games for City, both in September.

The 24-year-old has played 69 minutes of league football in the last seven months but manager Mancini insists he, and not Sinclair, is to blame for the transfer backfiring.

Sinclair suggested he has to leave City in the summer and Swansea manager Michael Laudrup is considering re-signing the Englishman.

Mancini said: "Scott is young and he has good quality but this year was difficult for him. It is better is if he can have another solution.

"This situation with Sinclair is difficult because I didn't give him a lot of chances to play. He is very unlucky. It is my fault, not his fault. A young player like Scott who is a good player deserves to play always. For him, it was a really difficult year.

"He did everything well, he worked well, he is a good guy, he deserves to play."

City go to Sinclair's former club Swansea on Saturday with Mancini hoping his side can seal second place in the Premier League as soon as possible.

Mancini added: "If we win we can have a chance to play the young players and also the players who play for the second team to play in the last two games. For us, it could be important for the future."

City have no new injury worries as they prepare for the trip to the Liberty Stadium.

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