Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini believes that marriage will prevent Mario Balotelli from making mistakes.

The former Inter Milan star has landed himself in hot water yet again after reportedly being spotted leaving a strip club in Liverpool in the early hours of Friday morning.

The incident caused the City manager to consider fining the 21-year-old.

"It could be that marriage would help him in that respect," said Mancini. "That could be the answer, because I am sure he understands that he has made a mistake. Mario is like this, but there is nothing we can do if he does not eventually realise he cannot keep doing this.

"It seems anything can happen with him at any moment. He is his own worst enemy and it is 100 percent that he should have learned by now. When you are a professional, you should know you cannot stay out until after two o'clock in the morning, so close to a game.

"He needs to understand this. Now he is young, but at 25 or 26 it will be different. If you do not have a good private life then, you will not be able to play at the top level."

The Italian striker scored in City's 2-0 win over Bolton Wanderers on Saturday.