Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini believes the onus is on Mario Balotelli to improve his work ethic if he hopes of playing more often.
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Having struggled for first-team action this season, Balotelli failed to make even the bench for City's defeat of Tottenham last Sunday.
Reports later surfaced of the controversial striker having stayed out late clubbing before Spurs' visit to the Etihad Stadium.
Mancini, though, has since revealed Balotelli was earlier made aware that he was not in contention for selection.
However, the Italian tactician reckons his 22-year-old compatriot needs to shake-up his act if he hopes to crack the starting line-up more often.
Mancini said: "I think Mario needs to work harder. If any player doesn't work hard it is difficult that he can play at this level.
"What you do in training you do in the game, and every player needs to work hard to improve his performance in the training sessions. After that he can play well in the game."
As for Balotelli's extra-curricular activities last weekend, Mancini added: "He was out of the team on Saturday morning. He could do what he wanted.
"I told him this was the reason - because he didn't work well for three days."
Balotelli's agent recently quashed talk that he was considering parting ways with the Premier League champions.
Yet, despite his peripheral role for the Citizens this term, Mancini insists the former Inter Milan ace still has a place at Eastlands.
"I know Mario like a guy, like the other players," he said. "But I am a manager - he is a player.
"If he doesn't work well, he doesn't play. Like the other players, nothing changes.
"He is my player. Sometimes he plays well, sometimes not well but he is an important player for us. We don't think of selling him in January."
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