I feel useful and valued at Man City: Tevez

London: Manchester City`s Carlos Tevez is recharged and ready for the club`s Premier League title defence.

Manchester City have begun the new season as they ended their previous, by picking up a piece of silverware during their 3-2 victory over Chelsea in the Community Shield. The club`s crucial third goal was scored by Tevez in a stunning move that saw him skip past several Chelsea defenders before unleashing a screamer into Petr Cech`s net.

To many City observers, the goal marked the end of a drawn-out dispute between the Argentinean and manager Roberto Mancini that begun last year after Tevez refused to warm up during the club`s Champions League defeat to Bayern Munich. After being fined by City and taking an unauthorized leave of absence in the middle of the team`s domestic campaign, the former Manchester United striker returned at the tail end of the season to play his role in the club`s first title win in 44 years.

Although the striker was linked to several clubs this summer, most notably AC Milan, Tevez now appears to be content to honour his current City contract. He told the Telegraph that he has put past issues behind him, and is looking forward to contributing to the team`s cause.

"I`m returning feeling renewed. I`m really up for having a great season. I`m better now and only thinking about playing football," Tevez shared.

"I feel useful and valued and that is fundamental for me. It`s been a long time since I`ve scored a goal like that (against Chelsea), like the ones I used to score when I was at Boca, and this speaks of the confidence I have."

Although Tevez`s friendships with club mates and compatriots Sergio Aguero and Pablo Zabaleta have helped the forward feel at home in the City squad, he revealed that he would not trade the team for any other in the Premier League because of the quality and talent in its ranks.

"City is already Argentinian and that makes me very happy. In the dressing room, with Zaba and Kun (Aguero) we teach things in Spanish to everyone. It`s the team`s second language," Tevez stated.

"We have a team that knows how to play, midfielders and strikers who can use the ball, and in the Premiership that makes us different."

Manchester City take on newly promoted side Southampton for their first game of the new season on Sunday.

BDST: 1908 HRS, August 15, 2012
Edited by
Chanchal Ghosh, Newsroom Editor