Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure insists morale inside the camp is strong as ever.

Toure was speaking about Mario Balotelli's free-kick clash with Aleksander Kolarov during their draw with Sunderland.

"When you see it on the TV, it's difficult," Toure told the Daily Mail.

"The players have the determination to make the club great but people don't realise what it's like. We are losing 3-1 to Sunderland and time is running out.

"What you see on the pitch isn't men behaving normally. The next day, during massage, you see Mario and Kolarov discussing it and laughing. But in the game you are so nervous. You are losing face in your own stadium, in front of your own fans. The players are young.

"The stress and frustration builds up and these things happen. But afterwards they talk and it's OK. This is the part that the TV cameras don't see."