Platt hints at new-look Tevez

David Platt has delivered a worrying message to Manchester City's Premier League rivals - Carlos Tevez is back to his best. City managed to end their 44-year wait for a league title last term even though Tevez went AWOL for four months following a spat with manager Roberto Mancini over his role as a substitute against Bayern Munich. Tevez eventually returned but though he helped stabilise a season which was losing momentum and claimed another championship medal, adding to the two he got at Manchester United, the Argentina star was generally a shadow of the player he had been before. It was widely predicted he would leave this summer and at one point he was said to be on the brink of joining AC Milan. Tevez remains at City though. And in yesterday's 3-2 Community Shield win over Chelsea at Villa Park, he delivered the kind of performance he is noted for. His solo second-half goal put the Blues in front after they had trailed to Fernando Torres' opener and with less than a week to the opening game against newly-promoted Southampton, assistant manager Platt believes the signs are very encouraging. "Carlos has worked ever so hard in pre-season," he said. "Since he has come back in he has really attacked his work and not had one day off. "His goal was one of those you can remember him doing two years ago. He ducks inside, he goes away from people. That's what he's been missing and it was there again." Platt revealed Tevez had shrugged off a knock in training prior to the game, so determined was he to play in the fixture. It was an example of the focus 28-year-old Tevez intends to maintain throughout the season after the difficulties of last term. They have never been an issue amongst his team-mates and Platt feels it is time to move on from the controversy. "A lot was said and done last year. Everybody has got to hold their hands up and say mistakes were made," he said. "But what do you do? Carlos has still got two years left on his contract. He is a very good player and he is playing for Manchester City. It is not a case of putting water under the bridge, it is a case of saying we are all batting on the same wicket here and we go forward together." FIFA