Ex Manchester United captain and current Hull manager, Steve Bruce, has shown some compassion towards Mario Balotelli and reckons he is not much different to Eric Cantona.
Balotelli is yet to find the net in seven Premier League games since his move from AC Milan, meanwhile Cantona had notched four in the same period, but its Balotelli's body language that led to Bruce's voicing his opinion.
"Cantona was big, but let me tell you, he was a maverick but the dressing room accepted him straight away," he told ESPN.
"He was a bit different, but he was also dedicated. Balotelli has been unfairly criticised, in my opinion, because he has got this look he doesn't care.
"That's always part of his make-up, it's easy to pick on because of his body language."
Bruce, admitted that players like Balotelli and his own midfielder, Hatem Ben Arfa, are sometimes misunderstood and but there is a way to get the best of them.
"When you sign someone like Mario, you understand, a bit like me taking Hatem Ben Arfa, there's a lot of nonsense written about them," he added.
"You take them, and the one thing they ain't going to do is change.
"You have to find a way of getting the best out of them without changing them."
Balotelli's missed an opportunity to clinch all three points in injury time for Liverpool against Hull City this weekend, but he failed to score in the dying minute of the game.
Do you think it's time for Brendon Rodgers to bench Mario Balotelli? Have your say in the comments section below.
