BERNARDO Corradi may just have found Manchester City a new lucky mascot - his brother.

Corradi finally broke his City goal duck in his 13th match for the club, scoring twice in Saturday's 3-1 win over Fulham.

The Italian striker, who joined the Blues from Valencia in the summer, celebrated each goal by "knighting" team-mate Joey Barton with a corner flag.

Corradi was thrilled to break his duck, and believes that his brother Jacob - watching from the stands - may just have replaced Beanie the toy horse as City's lucky mascot.

It was the first time Jacob had seen Bernardo play for City.

Now the club may have to think about getting him a season ticket.

"My parents and my friends came to visit me and I never scored," Corradi said. "But my brother came along to watch me play and I've scored twice. He is so lucky for me!"

But it was Corradi's special goal celebration that had City's fans talking after seeing their side score three in a match for the first time since February.

Soldier

Corradi explained: "It is a way of saying: `You are my soldier, we have to fight together'."

The striker has played most of his career in Italy, having spent last season on loan at Parma, and it has taken him a while to get used to English football culture.

He said: "It's not easy when you've played in Italy for 12 years, coming here. There were a lot of changes to adjust to, such as different food, a different lifestyle, and so on. But I have worked hard since I arrived here, and I am happy.

"The way we train in England is different. I'm not used to having a day off during the week, so sometimes I have to train for myself. But when you are 30 years old, you know what you need to feel comfortable when you are playing.

"When I was playing in Italy, I left my home two days before the match, and I couldn't visit my parents until five hours after the game, because we all had to go back to the hotel together to pick up the car and come back.

Tribute

"So when my brother came to see me here, he didn't realise that he could come to the stadium with me in the car without staying in a hotel the day before."

Corradi's team-mate Barton paid tribute to the hard-working striker.

Barton said: "He stays behind after training; he was desperate to score.

"He came over here with the right attitude, but he hasn't had the rub of the green. But he took his two goals like the seasoned pro he is.

"You don't play for the top clubs around the world if you haven't got the quality, and it was only a matter of time for him. He's a different class."

Manager Stuart Pearce was delighted for Corradi, but disappointed his side did not win by more, having scored three in the first half of a Premiership match for the first time since beating Everton 5-1 in May 2004.

Pearce borrowed a line from his former Forest boss Brian Clough to make his point. He said: "Brian had a saying: `Dip your bread.' He meant that you should nail the opposition while you've got your tails up. I told the players that when we came in 3-0 up at half-time.

"I don't think we did that. We nailed them in the first half, but we didn't pass the ball well enough in the second to give the fans a treat."

Do you think Corradi will hit the goal trail now? Have your say.