Benjani told to stay as Mancini eyes United

January 3, 2010


Benjani Mwaruwari has been told he still has a future at Manchester City after scoring for the first time in more than a year during the 1-0 FA Cup third round win away to Middlesbrough.

Victory extended new manager Roberto Mancini’s 100 percent unbeaten record since the Italian replaced the sacked Mark Hughes as City geared up for next week’s eagerly-awaited League Cup semi-final against Manchester United in impressive style at the Riverside here on Saturday.

Zimbabwe international Benjani made the most of a rare start with the only goal to see-off Championship side Middlesbrough as Mancini displayed the strength in depth at his disposal by making five changes and leaving more than 30 million pounds of talent on the bench to keep his side fresh for Wednesday’s first leg of the League Cup semi-final.

Asked immediately after the game if he was close to signing Inter Milan defender Ivan Cordoba, Mancini replied: “No, not for now.

“At the moment, what is important is this game and Manchester United.”

Benjani has been linked with a move away in the January transfer window after falling down the pecking order at Eastlands, especiallly as Mancini is expected to bolster his squad with at least two new signings this month.

But the 31-year-old provided a timely reminder of his predatory goal-scoring instincts with a first strike since he appeared on the scoresheet in the 1-1 draw against Fulham in the Premier League in December 2008.

The goal, carved out by midfielder Martin Petrov in first-half stoppage time, settled a contest fought-out in near blizzard conditions.

Mancini insisted the African could play a significant role in the second half of the season, with City aiming to make it to Wembley on two fronts.

The former Inter boss, whose job prospects beyond this season may hinge on ending the club’s 34-year wait for a major trophy, said: “Benjani came in and took his goal really well.

“He looked good throughout the game and I was pleased with his display. He’s shown me what he can do and that can only be good for the club and log may it continue.”

Mancini intends to watch Manchester United when City’s local rivals face Leeds United in the third round of the FA Cup at Old Trafford on Sunday.

City’s latest manager has won his three games in charge without conceding a goal, but knows he faces by far the sternest test of his short reign in the first-leg at Eastlands as injuries begin to hurt even a squad with his club’s strength in depth City.

After introducing Gareth Barry, Carlos Tevez and Craig Bellamy from the bench in the second-half against Middlesbrough, Mancini said: “We’ve got a big problem at the moment because we have a lot of players injured so I made changes today because I can’t play my players all the time.

“We’re pleased to get through this test because the FA Cup is an important competition for us and it’s something we want to pay our full attention to.”

Mancini hopes to have England midfielder Shaun-Wright Phillips in contention to face United after a four-game injury absence, but defender Micah Richards is unlikely to figure because of a thigh problem.

MIDDLESBROUGH, England (AFP)

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Hughes on brink at City despite thrilling win

December 19, 2009


Roque Santa Cruz settled a seven-goal thriller as Manchester City beat Sunderland 4-3 at Eastlands here on Saturday, but the victory might not be enough to keep Mark Hughes in a job.

Hughes’s future as City manager has been the subject of intense debate since Wednesday’s 3-0 defeat at Tottenham, which meant that the club had won only once in 10 Premier League matches.

And even during Saturday’s amazing game the speculation continued, with reports coming out of Italy that the former Inter Milan manager Roberto Mancini is close to a deal to replace the Welshman.

During the match, City announced that they would be calling a news conference for 1930GMT on Saturday.

Hughes took the City job in June 2008 and last week said he was targeting Liverpool’s place in the top four.

But despite only seeing his side lose twice on the Premier League stage this season, it appears time is running out for him.

Hughes, who left out Emmanuel Adebayor and Robinho from his line up, has been here before.

After being held 1-1 by Hull City three weeks ago, City’s seventh successive draw in the league, there was widespread speculation about his future.

Yet back-to-back victories over Arsenal in the League Cup and Chelsea appeared to silence the doubters before the tame surrender at Tottenham turned the visit of Sunderland into a must-win match for the manager.

And for the first 15 minutes events appeared to be going well for Hughes as his side raced into a 2-0 lead.

The hosts went ahead in the fourth minute, Santa Cruz netting his first league goal in a City shirt following a sweeping move involving Carlos Tevez and Craig Bellamy.

Hughes, who spent the entire game standing in his technical area, expressed no emotion whatsoever and he again had a blank look when Tevez doubled the lead from the penalty spot nine minutes later after Nyron Nosworthy clipped Bellamy just inside the area.

Tevez had pleaded with the club’s owners before the game to keep faith with Hughes, the Argentina international insisting he is “100 percent” behind the manager.

And, after a short delay, the striker did his bit by keeping his composure to beat keeper Marlon Fulop, Tevez’s ninth goal for the club.

Seemingly cruising towards three points, City saw goalkeeper Shay Given fishing the ball out of his net after John Mensah’s header went unchallenged following a 16th minute cross by Andy Reid.

Suddenly, the confidence seeped from City and Sunderland drew level in the 24th minute.

Once again City only had themselves to blame after a mistake by Kolo Toure allowed Jordan Henderson to rifle in an equaliser.

Hughes was furious and even Bellamy’s sixth goal for his club this season, which made it 3-2 in the 35th minute, failed to change his mood.

Bellamy, one of Hughes’s most loyal lieutenants, restored the lead with a crisp shot after a low cross by Shaun Wright-Phillips.

City piled forward in an attempt to kill the game but another chaotic piece of defending allowed Sunderland to make it 3-3 in the 62nd minute.

Substitute Kenwyne Jones was allowed to ghost in and head past Given from close range from Henderson’s cross.

Fortunately for the hosts Sunderland’s defence was as porous as City’s and in a crazy game, played amid falling snow, Santa Cruz stabbed home after good work by substitute Pablo Zabaleta and Gareth Barry.

Sunderland finished with 10 men after Michael Turner was shown a straight red card for elbowing Barry in stoppage time.

MANCHESTER, England (AFP)

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City urged to take Barca route to the top

December 16, 2009


Sylvinho believes that Manchester City can reach the top by copying the attitude of his former club Barcelona.

The Brazilian veteran made his first league start for City in the 3-3 draw with Bolton at the weekend, in place of injured England defender Wayne Bridge, and is set to continue in the side for Wednesday’s trip to Tottenham.

The left back, who used to play for Tottenham’s local rivals Arsenal, feels that replicating the attitude of his old team can help City achieve their lofty ambitions.

He said: “We can learn from the Barcelona way. They play the same way every game. They play the same against Chelsea as they do against a third or fourth division side in Spain.”

Wednesday’s encounter at White Hart Lane sees two teams with pretensions of the top four going head to head and will be seen as a key indicator on which has the best chance of making the leap into the Champions League.

Tottenham go into the game on the back of a disappointing 1-0 defeat at home to Wolves, while City are unbeaten in 13 matches in all competitions but have managed just 11 points from their last nine Premier League matches.

But Sylvinho insists progress is being made as manager Mark Hughes attempts to turn the massive investment of the club’s Abu Dhabi owners into success on the pitch.

“The club is moving in the right direction,” the defender said. “We are changing the mentality of a whole club, not just 25 players

“I was upset when Wayne was hurt because he is part of the future at City but I enjoyed the game at Bolton.

“I felt I had a good connection with Craig Bellamy and Robinho, and I am ready to play again at Tottenham if selected.

“Hopefully we will have more confidence to play in the opposition half; that is important.”

City will be without Bellamy, who was red-carded in the Bolton match, at Spurs due to suspension and Nigel de Jong could also miss out as he continues his recovery from swine flu, while Shaun Wright-Phillips is struggling with an ankle problem.

Harry Redknapp did his best to remain upbeat following the weekend home defeat to Wolves but no matter how often the Spurs manager insisted his side?s season would not stand or fall on one result, there was no denying that three crucial points had been dropped.

Spurs’ season started brightly and coming into the Wolves game, Redknapp declared himself delighted with his players? displays in the away draws at Aston Villa and Everton.

But as has happened on so many occasions in the past, Tottenham’s ambitions have been hit by inconsistency and that’s a problem the manager must overcome if they are to fulfil their aim of finishing in the top four.

Victory over City would quickly erase the gloom generated by the Wolves clash that ended with an unpleasant altercation between left-back Benoit Assou-Ekotto and a home supporter that is now subject to a police investigation.

“It’s a big game on Wednesday,” admitted Redknapp. “You’ve got to move on, what’s happened has happened.”

Redknapp remains confident that, with all the top teams dropping unexpected points, his side will succeed in qualifying for Europe, although it remains to be seen in which competition.

“I’m not sure whether we’ll get into the Champions League or the Europa League but we’ll get into Europe,” he said. “I’ve never said we are guaranteed to get into the Champions League.

“I can’t take a team over that was bottom of the league when I took over and guarantee it’s going to be a Champions League team, but we still have a great chance.

“Chelsea lost at Wigan, Arsenal lost to somebody, Liverpool lose to teams they should beat, but what can you do. It?s going to be a lot more open at the top.”

Robbie Keane?s ineffective display against Wolves could mean a starting spot for Peter Crouch while Luka Modric is again expected to start on the bench after making his return from a broken leg at the weekend.

LONDON (AFP)

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Hughes in hot water over Bellamy red card comments

December 15, 2009


The Football Association on Tuesday added to the headaches faced by Mark Hughes by asking the Manchester City boss to explain his reaction to Craig Bellamy’s sending-off at the weekend.

Bellamy was dismissed after receiving a second yellow card in the second half of a 3-3 draw against struggling Bolton.

The first was awarded for dissent, the second for what referee Mark Clattenburg saw as a dive — mistakenly, television replays suggested.

Hughes later claimed that Clattenburg had made inappropriate remarks at half-time.

“I don’t appreciate when the referees coming out for the second half start making comment about who they do or do not like in my team,” Hughes said after the match.

“They might be having a laugh and a joke. I have to be careful here as we are talking about integrity.”

Hughes, who has until December 22 to respond to the FA’s request, said he stood by what he said.

“I said what I said on Saturday is still on record and I stand by it,” he said. “The FA have asked for my version of events so I can’t really discuss the matter any further.”

Bellamy will miss Wednesday’s trip to Tottenham as a result of the ban triggered automatically by the red card while Shaun Wright-Phillips is ruled out by an ankle injury.

Nigel de Jong has however recovered from swine flu and the Dutch midfielder is expected to feature at White Hart Lane as City confront one of their rivals for a top four finish and a place in next season’s Champions League.

City go into the match unbeaten in 13 games in all competitions but having drawn eight of their last nine league matches — a run which has revived speculation that Hughes’s position could be vulnerable at the end of the season.

Tottenham’s own credentials as top four contenders took a knock when they went down to a 1-0 home defeat by Wolves on Sunday in a match marred by an altercation between a Spurs supporter and defender Benoit Assou-Ekotto.

Assou-Ekotto confronted the supporter next to the tunnel as he left the pitch and had to be pulled away by Spurs assistant boss Joe Jordan.

Manager Harry Redknapp confirmed Tuesday that Assou-Ekotto will meet the fan and that he would not be fining the Cameroon international.

“There won’t be any punishment,” said Redknapp. “Joe was there and he said it was nothing. This guy came over, he was foreign. He said something to Benoit and Benoit reacted to it.

“Whatever he said, that was it and there was no violence or anything. Joe pulled him away and his girlfriend pulled the other guy away, whoever he was.”

Midfielder Jermaine Jenas is doubtful for Spurs following a bout of food poisoning.

Redknapp confirmed that Luka Modric, who has not started a game since breaking his fibula in August, will be on the bench while Roman Pavlyuchenko and David Bentley are also in contention despite being left out of Saturday’s squad.

LONDON (AFP)

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England hit by Lampard injury ahead of Brazil clash

November 12, 2009


England’s preparations for their friendly clash with Brazil suffered a serious setback on Thursday when Frank Lampard was ruled out of the match with a thigh injury.

The Chelsea midfielder suffered a strain to his left thigh while training in temperatures above 30 degrees on Thursday morning.

After a lengthy assessment by England’s medical staff, it was decided he would leave Qatar and fly back to London immediately for further treatment.

Head coach Fabio Capello decided against calling up a replacement for Saturday’s meeting with the five-times world champions in Doha’s Khalifa International Stadium.

Lampard’s withdrawal further depletes an England squad which was already missing half of Capello’s first choice line-up.

Full-backs Glen Johnson and Ashley Cole, Rooney’s United team-mate Rio Ferdinand, Liverpool midfielder Steven Gerrard, goalkeeper David James and Aston Villa striker Emile Heskey were all unable to travel to Qatar because of various injuries.

Capello is also without Theo Walcott and Aaron Lennon and lost the services of David Beckham after his club, LA Galaxy, made the Major League Soccer play-offs.

The injury to Lampard could mean an opportunity for Tottenham’s Tom Huddlestone to make his first appearance for England, although Manchester United’s Michael Carrick represents a more experienced option for Capello to slot in alongside Gareth Barry in central midfield.

Jermaine Jenas is another possibility for that place while Shaun Wright-Phillips, James Milner and Ashley Young are all vying for roles on the flanks.

DOHA (AFP)

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Does Petrov deserve more of a chance at City?

October 9, 2009


Bulgarian winger Martin Petrov’s days with Manchester City may be coming to an end. Rigsby, as Petrov is known among City fans, has once again expressed his frustration to reporters back home about the lack of opportunities he is getting.

When Petrov joined Bulgarian giants CSKA Sofia they called him Hristo Stoichkov’s successor as he was fast, greedy for the ball and produced a memorably angry look when ending up on the losing side.

He was successful enough — at Servette, Wolfsburg, Atletico Madrid, all of them famous teams but none of them part of the European elite – but the great expectations have proved hard too fulfil.

He made a promising start at Sven-Goran Eriksson’s City but under Mark Hughes they are aiming even higher these days and there’s much tougher competition for places.

Hughes decided to leave Petrov on the bench for the game at Aston Villa on Monday, despite his goal and assist against West Ham.

Petrov’s frustration could only have when he was asked to get ready to go on at Villa Park, only for Hughes to change his mind when Craig Bellamy swept home the equaliser.

PHOTO: Manchester City’s Martin Petrov (R) and Shaun Wright-Phillips celebrate a goal against Barcelona during a friendly at the Nou Camp, August 19, 2009. REUTERS/Gustau Nacarino

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Lescott rejects Moyes criticism over City move

August 26, 2009


Joleon Lescott has rejected claims from David Moyes that he lost interest in playing for Everton after having his head turned by the prospect of a big money move to Manchester City.

Speaking on Tuesday after finally completing his 22-million-pound move, Lescott said he did not want to dwell on what Moyes had said about his “poor attitude” in the final weeks of what was the most protracted and acrimonious transfer saga of the close season.

“I was disappointed in the comments, I feel they’re inaccurate,” Lescott said of his former boss. “I’d like to address them at a later date and talk more positively about my move here.”

Lescott, who effectively forced through the move by demanding a transfer, played below his usual standards in Everton’s 6-1 defeat by Arsenal on the opening day of the Premier League season and was subsequently dropped for the Merseyside club’s Europa League opener against Czech club Sigma Olomouc.

But he insisted he had not been affected by the transfer situation and rebuffed Moyes’s claim that he had let down his former team-mates.

“I don’t think I disrespected any of the (Everton) players. If I did I apologise,” he said. “I’d like to think they thought I gave my all when I played.

“I know it wasn’t my finest game for Everton (against Arsenal). It was a collective effort and obviously Arsenal were better than us on the day.”

Lescott, 27, is the eighth new player to be signed by City since the end of last season and his fee takes Mark Hughes’s summer spending spree to over 120 million pounds.

The England defender can operate at left-back but has been bought as a centreback and is expected to partner former Arsenal star Kolo Toure in Hughes’s first-choice XI.

Lescott said he was relishing the prospect of getting down to work with his new team-mates.

“I know some of the lads already – I’m close friends with Shaun (Wright-Phillips), we’ve played against each other since we were 16 or 17. The way this club is moving on, I’m really looking forward to being a part of that.”

Hughes described Lescott as a defender of “the very highest quality,” adding: “He can play in a number of defensive positions, and I’m positive he will make a significant impact for us.”

The arrival of Lescott could signal the departure of City’s club captain, Richard Dunne, who is believed to be a possible target for Aston Villa.

Lescott’s former team-mate, Tony Hibbert, meanwhile has insisted that Everton can deal with the loss of the defender, just as they bounced back from the sale of Wayne Rooney to Manchester United in 2004, finishing that season fourth in the Premier League.

“He’s a big loss. He was a great player for us, Joleon, and a great lad as well,” Hibbert said.

“It’s just one of those things – players come and players go, that’s football really. You have friends but the next minute they can go. We’ve just got to get over it.”

MANCHESTER, England (AFP)

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Capello relieved as England edge closer to SAfrica

June 7, 2009


ALMATY (AFP) – Fabio Capello has paid tribute to his England players for the way in which they put a stuttering start behind them to maintain their 100 percent World Cup qualifying record with a 4-0 win over Kazakhstan.

Capello was alarmed by the extent to which the Kazakhs had unsettled his side in the opening half hour, with striker Sergey Ostapenko wasting one clear chance and then having a second effort chalked off for offside.

But the Italian declared himself satisfied with the way they killed off the match with goals from Gareth Barry and Emile Heskey in the closing minutes of the first half before Wayne Rooney’s eighth in his last six internationals and a late Frank Lampard penalty gave the score a flattering edge.

A win over tiny Andorra at Wembley on Wednesday would leave England with seven wins out of seven in group six and, from that position, it would be a major surprise if they did not go on to top the group and book their place in South Africa.

“I was disappointed with the position on the pitch of some players,” Capello said of the tricky first half hour. “But in the end I’m very happy. We knew they would press us at the start and we were prepared for it.

“Against a team not at your level it is always important to score the first goal and then their level goes down.

“They scored a goal that was offside but there were no other problems for our goalkeeper and that was very important.”

Capello confirmed that his half-time substitution of Theo Walcott, who made way for Shaun Wright-Phillips, had been a tactical rather than an injury-forced change.

Capello will have to make some changes on Wednesday as Gareth Barry, who picked up a booking here, will be suspended, which could mean David Beckham winning his 112th cap in a rare starting role.

“A win against Andorra would be another big step forward,” Capello said. “If we win we will have 21 points and it’s a lot.”

England skipper John Terry admitted Kazakhstan had made life difficult initially.

“It is a massive win on the way to where we want to be,” the Chelsea centreback said. “It really is a big win.

“We it was going to be difficult for 40-50 minutes and then they would tire.

“Six wins out of six is fantastic but we’re not there yet, we’re in a good position, but taking nothing for granted. We’ve got Andorra at home, and they can sit back and make it difficult. But if we can get the seventh win out of seven, it will be fantastic.”

Capello had warned his players that he would not accept the draining effects of an eight-hour flight and a five-hour time difference as excuses for anything less than a totally focused performance.

It was not an instruction that Glen Johnson appeared to have absorbed as his dithering allowed Zhambyl Kukeyev to tee up Ostapenko with a low cross that the Kazakh’s star striker really should have buried after barely 30 seconds.

England had another let off in the 17th minute, when Ostapenko headed in Kukeyev’s freekick at the back post. A linesman’s flag for offside spared Robert Green scrutiny of how he ended up stranded as the Kazakh striker, who was to limp off ten minutes later, enjoyed a free header.

The visitors finally seized control with two goals in the space of five minutes at the end of the opening period.

The first came from a corner on the left that was played short by Frank Lampard to Steven Gerrard. The Liverpool midfielder turned the fullback all too easily and sent over a left-foot cross that Barry, unchallenged beyond the back post, was able to steer back across Mokin into the net.

Gerrard was also the instigator of the second with his cross taking a deflection over the head of Mokin, who, scrambling backwards, was only able to palm the ball towards Heskey, who hooked in a first-time finish from close range.

Shaun Wright-Phillips was hardly any more influential than Walcott but the Manchester City winger did start the move that led to England’s third goal by sending Johnson on a 73rd-minute overlap down the right side of the box.

The defender’s cross was deflected goalwards off Rooney’s knee, forcing Mokin into a superb save, but the goalkeeper’s impressive effort proved in vain. Rooney was first to the loose ball and flipped his body acrobatically to hook it back into the net.

Five minutes later, Lampard added the fourth with an emphatic spot-kick after Heskey was fouled while straining to reach the rebound from Ashley Cole’s well-saved effort.

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Neville aims for England milestone

May 25, 2009


LONDON (AFP) – Gary Neville is on the verge of becoming England’s most-capped full-back after being handed a surprise call-up by Fabio Capello for next month’s World Cup qualifiers against Kazakhstan and Andorra.

Manchester United star Neville will compete with Portsmouth’s Glen Johnson for the right-back slot in Capello’s team despite spending most of the season on the sidelines at Old Trafford.

Sir Alex Ferguson’s decision to play Neville in Sunday’s win at Hull, where the United boss fielded a mostly reserve team, showed the veteran is no longer regarded as a first choice.

And the 34-year-old, who made his last appearance for England against Spain in 2007, must have feared his international career was over after an injury-ravaged last two years.

But, just like his long-time friend David Beckham, Neville has been deemed worthy of a recall.

And, if he is picked for either match in next month’s World Cup double-header against Kazakhstan and Andorra, he will equal Kenny Sansom’s record for a full-back of 86 caps and would take sole possession of the record with appearances in both matches.

Indeed, as Capello would not have picked Neville if he did not believe he could make a meaningful contribution beyond two matches England should win to take maximum points from their first seven matches in Group Six, the 34-year-old could well end up getting somewhere close to the century mark before he does eventually call a halt to his international career.

That Capello chose to draft in someone with so much experience suggests the time for untested rookies to be utilised before the World Cup finals themselves in South Africa next summer is drawing to a close.

Manchester City are represented in the form of Wayne Bridge and Shaun Wright-Phillips, who was supposed to have been ruled out with a knee injury, only for Blues boss Mark Hughes to discover the problem was not so bad after all.

Jermain Defoe returns after a three-match absence, while Theo Walcott is fit for international duty after dislocating his shoulder in training prior to the friendly win over Germany in Berlin last November.

It is the goalkeeping department where Capello has most to worry about, although even here he has gone for the tried and tested as first and second choices David James and Ben Foster have been ruled out with shoulder and thumb injuries respectively.

West Ham’s Robert Green has emerged as first-choice despite winning just two caps, both as a second-half substitute in friendly matches.

And with Joe Hart ruled out on form grounds after losing his place at Manchester City to Shay Given, Paul Robinson, who won the last of his 41 caps in the catastrophic European Championship defeat in Russia in October 2005, is recalled along with Scott Carson, who has just been relegated with West Brom.

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Wright-Phillips to miss England´s WCup qualifiers

May 22, 2009


MANCHESTER, England (AFP) – Manchester City winger Shaun Wright-Phillips has been ruled out of England’s World Cup qualifiers against Kazakhstan and Andorra with a knee injury.

Wright-Phillips was expected to be named in Fabio Capello’s squad for the June double-header, but City manager Mark Hughes said on Friday the former Chelsea star is due for a knee operation that will sideline him for several months.

Hughes had hoped Wright-Phillips would play in City’s clash against Bolton on Sunday to prove his fitness for England. Instead he is set for a “wash-out” of his knee in the hope he can return for the start of next season.

“Shaun trained earlier this week but he got a reaction,” Hughes said. “Now he will have to see a specialist.

“He is not going to be available at the weekend and he may well have a wash out of his knee in the close-season that would enable him to be fit for the start of pre-season training.

“He has worked really hard trying to get fit but this problem needs to be addressed and we must look at it.”

Group Six leaders England face Kazakhstan on June 6 and host Andorra at Wembley on June 10.

Wright-Phillips’ absence is the latest blow to Capello, who has already lost injured goalkeepers David James and Ben Foster for the qualifiers.

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