LONDON - Manchester City outcast Carlos Tevez could still play for the club in the Premier League title run-in if he returned from Argentina, manager Roberto Mancini was quoted as saying in British media on Sunday.

"Everyone knows Carlos is a top player," the City manager was reported as saying in The Observer. "If he was here and playing it would be better, because Carlos can change games.

"If he were to come back next week maybe he can still help us in the next three months."

Argentine soccer player Carlos Tevez of England's Manchester City laughs as he attends the farewell match of former Boca Juniors striker Martin Palermo at La Bombonera stadium in Buenos Aires, Feb 4, 2012. [Photo/Agencies]

The 28-year-old Argentine striker, who fell out with Mancini after failing to heed his instructions to warm up during a Champions league game in September, had been widely expected to leave the club in the January transfer window.

However, despite interest from AC Milan, Inter Milan and Paris St Germain he was not sold.

He has been fined six weeks' wages for gross misconduct over his disappearance to Argentina without permission in November, a punishment he is appealing to the Premier League, and has also not been paid while he has been absent.

Carlos Tevez could be making a surprise return to City, who has been back to the top of the Premier League with a tense 1-0 win at Aston Villa on Sunday, as Mancini softened his opposition to the Argentinean striker.

But how soon Tevez could feature again for City would depend on how quickly he could regain match fitness if he did come back to the club.

"It depends on his condition, and when he returns," added Mancini. "We have already played a lot of games with only one striker. But Carlos knows the situation.

"I talked to him before he left, to try to resolve this situation, and if he comes back we can talk again. I don't have any problem with that. If he wants to play, it could happen."

The Argentine's reintegration could be a key point in the season but England defender Lescott, a boyhood Villa fan, made his mark by scoring his fifth goal against the Birmingham side to make City's dominance pay having earlier headed wide.

He last played for city in a League Cup win over Birmingham city on Sept 21.