The controversial Italian striker has been at the centre of in-fighting at the club, whose hopes of winning the Barclays Premier League for the first time are swiftly evaporating.
Rivals Manchester United can open up an eight-point game on Roberto Mancini's side before their visit to Arsenal on Easter Sunday and it is understood that Balotelli has been blamed by some players for harming the club's cause.
Acting the fool: Nigel De Jong has hit out at the antics of City colleague Mario Balotelli
The 21-year-old rescued a draw for City with his brace against Sunderland last weekend but was involved in a heated squabble to take a late free-kick before captain Vincent Kompany stepped in.
'Lots of people expect him to pull off crazy stunts and as a result he feels he must do something.'People like that need to have upheaval in their lives in order to perform.
'He is happy in his personal relationship. That is important and it makes him more focused.
Sort it out: De Jong wants to see an improvement in the Italian striker
'But he knows that he has to become more serious-minded.'
But De Jong - who has previously hit out at Balotelli - has quashed the notion that manager Mancini lets the former Inter Milan star off the hook Instea, the midfielder insisted it is the people who Balotelli associates himself who spark his troubles.He added: 'Luckily, we have a manager who has his say, otherwise Mario would have gone off the rails a long time ago.
'Problems also seem to come from the people who hang around with him.'
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