Two inescapable truths emerged from Manchester City’s highly controversial Champions League draw with Ajax – the first that City were cheated out of a crucial win, the second that Roberto Mancini’s side are not yet ready to sit at the top table of European football. There can be no disputing that City could and should have beaten the cultured Dutch champions 3-2, possibly even 4-2. The fact they didn’t lies […]

Manchester City are no different from the overwhelming majority of teams in the world in that they would love to play like Barcelona and emulate the success of the Spanish giants. Unlike most teams though, City have appointed the top executive team of Ferran Soriano and Txiki Bergiristain the duo that, along with President Joan Laporta, led Barca to their glorious recent history. The Catalan connection is destined to take […]

The question facing Manchester City fans is, do they believe their proverbial glass to be half full or half empty, as their team of defending champions complete more than a quarter of their Premier League fixtures? Theirs is a team with the only unbeaten record in the PL this season – actually stretching back to 16 games – and horror of horrors, they failed to score against a resolute West […]

The Premier League’s only undefeated team could make a Saturday night charge to top the table if they can hammer the ‘Irons’. Manchester City may have lacked the swagger of champions in recent games but, with a quarter of the season gone, Roberto Mancini’s curiously maligned men are within striking distance of the PL summit. With the benefit of a week of playing inactivity, City welcome back two of their […]

There’s winning ugly and there’s winning pig ugly and extending this unsightly encounter to make it the longest Premier League fixture in history did nothing to beautify proceedings. A near capacity Etihad crowd endured an additional 12 minutes and 45 seconds after the regulation 90 minutes were interrupted for medical treatment following nasty injuries to Swansea keeper Michel Vorm and Micah Richards. It was a case of quantity over quality […]

Manchester City should be ok today as long as it’s made clear to Roberto Mancini and his first team squad that a team from a ‘foreign’ country does NOT always represent insurmountable European opposition! Forgive the sardonic comment but it’s odds on City will contrive to deliver a singularly underwhelming performance if there’s even a hint of the continent about their opponents. Non-English Swansea, thankfully, don’t qualify. Michael Laudrup’s side […]

Ajax cleaned up in the Amsterdam ArenA after Manchester City produced a stinking performance that leaves their Champions League campaign in a proper mess. In one of the most liberalized cities in Europe, where cannabis is smoked without a whiff of compunction, City seemed suitably ‘spaced out’. Frank De Boer’s young side simply brushed aside the challenge of the English champions and flushed City’s hopes of qualifying for the knockout […]

As reigning champions of England and the Netherlands, Manchester City and Ajax are waging almost carbon copy defences of their domestic crowns. Both remain undefeated and yet both are perceived to be under-performing in their respective leagues.  Ajax have won four and drawn five of their nine games so far, whereas City have won five and drawn three of their opening eight fixtures. Whether that is a harsh judgment – […]

Manchester City’s thoroughly deserved 2-1 win at The Hawthorns was undoubtedly the late late Edin Dzeko show as 10-man City persevered in adversity. But it was a victory built on a resilience, self belief and strength of purpose stemming from that memorable, last minute, title-clinching win over QPR last May. Has there ever been a team more aware of the rewards to be had by keeping going until the final […]

For the second time in the space of five weeks Manchester City face a tough domestic spat quickly followed by a more cultured contest on the continent – but they’ll need to do better this time out. City’s star spangled squad has to cope with the blood and thunder of West Bromwich Albion and the subtle sophistication of Ajax in the next few days. It’s almost a carbon copy of […]

Serbian hitman Aleksander Kolarov’s lethal left foot weapon fired champions Manchester City up to second place in the Premier League in a display of precision shooting. All action Kolarov dispelled the ubiquitous notion that the reigning English Champions have somehow lost their way, as City annihilated previously unbeaten Sunderland. The three goal margin in no way reflected City’s total domination. 8-0 would not have flattered Roberto’s resurgent troops as they […]

An inability to keep clean sheets is the main talking point surrounding Manchester City, as they prepare to face the team that did them the most damage en-route to becoming champions last season. Martin O’Neill’s ‘Black Cats’ come to Fortress Etihad ready to pounce on any opportunity to compound the discomfort of City’s back line and go one better than the point they snared in a spectacular 3-3 draw in […]