‘It was a bad one, I can’t believe it’, said Sir Alex Ferguson after the match. It was the heaviest defeat for Sir Alex in his 25 years at Old Tafford.

‘The red card killed us,’ said Ferguson. Jonny Evans received a red card at the start of the second half which obviously had a huge impact on the game.

Goals for City: Balotelli 22, 60, Aguero 68, Dzeko 90, 90+3, Silva 90+1

Goals for United: Fletcher 81.

Pic: dailymail.co.uk

Bullshit?

As football fans, it’s a belief we try and cling to, but it’s a noble sentiment that seems to be fading faster than a vegetarian on a hunting trip.

This week finally sees the end of the long tug-of-war between Manchester City and Arsenal over the services of midfielder Samir Nasri. Nasri completed his move to City on Wednesday for a fee in the region of a £23 million, adding him to an already long list of top shelf, expensive players now sporting the baby-blue strip.

If someone told you five years ago that Manchester City would be League title and Champions League contenders off the back of an FA Cup win in the near future, you’d most likely have told them to piss off (incidentally, City finished in 14^th position in the 2006/2007 season with less than half their 1^st placed neighbors score). You would do so, because any half assed football fan knows it takes time to build a club with a winning pedigree. Not so?

Ask the old timers who have watched football since the footage was black & white and the ball was brown. They’ll tell you how clubs were strengthened on the backs of victories. Club wins, club makes some money. Club spends the money properly, club wins some more. Steadily it grows its history and its heritage. Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal, Spurs, Everton. These are clubs who have a rich history created by a steady growth. Here’s the thing though. Football is evolving. It’s always evolving and money speeds up that process.

We feel that they’re trust fund babies. That such an enormous financial injection seems like cheating the “old way”, that the essence of ‘blood, sweat and tears’ is forsaken far too easily. Do we now take this example and tell young aspiring people that anything’s possible… IF… you have a FAT wallet?

No. We don’t.

We can’t blame a team for achieving glory due to the silver spoon they were dished up with either. They still need to mould as a team. They still have to put in the same if not more work than their opposition. It’s easy to buy all the fantastic furniture and artwork you’d like if you have a hefty piggy bank. That doesn’t mean adorning an old room with it is going to improvement it. The new-look City is no different. Players like Gareth Barry and Carlos Tevez, to name a few, have been the subjects of much scorn by the fans of their previous clubs regarding their ‘move for money’. Nasri will no doubt be exposed to similar ridicule (in all fairness to the Gunner fans, he does deserve it after his widely posted remark regarding their lack of passion in the stands).

We accuse these players of being greedy, of taking the bait and selling their loyalties to the highest bidder. I honestly don’t believe you become a footballer for the paycheck only. If you were a highly regarded player in a well supported, but stagnant club, and were approached by a less decorated club who recently received a large financial investment and were told that you and a number of other players of your caliber had a chance to be part of a revolution at said club. That you’d be part of its foundation as it embarks on a potentially glorious journey to become one of those clubs. That your name will be written in its history and the club’s/team’s success will be part of your legacy. Wouldn’t you passionately buy into that in a hurry? Oh, and then there’s the bonus of a massive increase in wages of course. You won’t improve a club’s standing considerably without splashing some cash. It’s a big risk for a professional to jump ship and join the rebellion, so additional compensation for their loyalties is only fair.

Chelsea FC is no different. Take an under achieving club, pump large sums of money into it. Get the right people in the right places, incentivize them adequately and watch it progress. The more money invested properly, the quicker you’ll make it happen, the quicker you’ll see a return. Much like a big investor taking over a struggling company. Football is still a business. How many supporters did you see wearing Chelsea shirts in the street ten years ago? How often do you see them now? That’s an investment at work. We love winners and we’re happy to buy into them. The bigger the clubs progression, the bigger the long term value. Manchester United. Most valuable sports team in the world according to Forbes. They may have built their empire the “old way”, but the formula is still the same. Investors are just using larger sums of money to condense the time it takes to do it now.

It doesn’t take away the fact that any victory for the baby-blues still seems purchased, but those players, as a team, have to win those games. Money may have improved the combined skill level of the team, but that shouldn’t rob those players of the rewards and accolades they may receive for the work they put in. At the end of the day, it’s the grass stained 11 on the pitch that represent their club. Therefore they are their club and if they’re victorious, it’s no longer fair to associate the club with easy advancement from a large handout.

Many of us have made bad purchases or spent a sum of money negligently. Just because you have it, doesn’t mean you know what to do with it. Money may not buy you victory, but it does offer choice. Someone still need to select the right people for the job and if done so, then it’s victory deserved.

Nichol Hoekstra

@theKaptiv

pic: resources1.news.com.au

Manchester City have qualified to play Champions League next year after they beat Tottenham Hotspur 1 – 0 at the City of Manchester Stadium on Tuesday night. This after the owner of City Sheikh Mansour invested more than £1 billion in the club and spent over £350 million on players.

And just to make the night even more sweet for the City owner and manager Roberto Mancini, the goal that sent them there was scored by the same man who denied them last year, Peter Crouch.

The Tottenham forward’s own goal after half an hour was enough to take City nine points clear of the Londoners, and out of Liverpool‘s reach as well with two games to spare.

And, though City fans were watching through splayed fingers at times as their team sat back on their lead and allowed their visitors to attack, they can now look forward to Saturday’s FA Cup final with Stoke knowing an end to their 35-year wait for a trophy will complete a perfect season.

A lot can change in a year.

Both sides retained only four members of their starting line-ups from 12 months previous.

In Tottenham’s case, that was exclusively down to injury and poor form.

City were calling on five men who were not even at the club for that fateful occasion, including goalkeeper Joe Hart, who they had tried to get back from a loan spell at Birmingham.

Given Harry Redknapp had already declared a belief that City have made one or two signings that will “blow your brains out” in the summer, it was clear where the momentum lay.

Even without Carlos Tevez, who was back on the bench ahead of Saturday’s Wembley showpiece, Roberto Mancini was still able to call upon the dynamic services of David Silva, who threatened danger at every turn.

The irony in Crouch scoring the goal to put City ahead was inescapable.

At the very same end last term, the England forward sent Tottenham on a rollercoaster journey that has taken them to Milan twice this season, and Madrid. Meetings with Europe’s elite that will live forever.

As Mancini has noted though, there has been a physical toll taken and Tottenham are now a shadow of the side that lit up the Champions League stage.

So, once Luka Modric had gone for accuracy instead of power as he connected with Aaron Lennon’s square ball, yet still failed to find the net as his shot rolled agonisingly wide, the fear for Tottenham was obvious.

Crouch wasn’t the only man to blame.

There was no effort to track Milner’s run after he had taken a short corner with Adam Johnson, allowing him to stride down the by-line and deliver a powerful, low cross to the near post.

Under pressure from Joleon Lescott, Crouch stuck out a boot instinctively.

After scoring only four Premier League goals this season, Crouch could only reflect on the fact that this time, the target was found with ease, and in much the same way as his effort last season.

City had only created one other first-half chance of note.

It was hardly a surprise Silva was the architect, squaring for Edin Dzeko in much the same manner as Lennon was to do a bit later.

The Bosnian’s effort was on target but Carlo Cudicini, in for injured first-choice Heurelho Gomes, turned it away.

There have been a number of decent performers for City this season but few have been as consistent as Hart.

And, after being relatively unemployed during the opening period, he made a telling contribution right at the start of the second half as Steven Pienaar met Lennon’s far-post cross with a firm header.

Hart’s movement was to his right. He quickly adjusted his feet to make an excellent save to his left, denying Tottenham an equaliser and saving a few fingernails, that ended up getting chewed anyway.

If City and their supporters had taken a backward step and thought about the situation, they would have realised they were actually in a position of complete comfort in terms of their top four aspirations.

But a sense of panic swept round the ground, which only grew as Rafael van der Vaart and Lennon threatened from decent positions.

Yet it was City who came closest to grabbing a second, only for William Gallas to brilliantly turn away Patrick Vieira’s goalbound header.

Tottenham tried to respond but could muster nothing worthwhile and they are now outsiders to even finish fifth, with Stoke guaranteed a place in the Europa League, no matter what happens on Saturday.

Carlos Tevez will be fit for that after a late substitute appearance, having done as much as anyone to ensure City are back amongst Europe’s elite for the first time in 43 years.

Source + Pic: soccernet.espn.go.com

Carroll, the most expensive English player after his 35 million pound ($57,28 million) transfer from Newcastle in January, lashed in the opener from the edge of the box after 13 minutes and added his second shortly after Dirk Kuyt’s strike.

City’s first half went from bad to worse after striker and captain Carlos Tevez hobbled off with a hamstring injury and is set to miss the FA Cup semi-final against Manchester United on Saturday.

Kuyt slotted the ball neatly into the net on 34 minutes before Carroll’s second, a header from a Raul Meireles cross, left Liverpool in sixth place on 48 points with six games remaining. City remain fourth on 56 points from 32 matches.

“The fans have been fantastic ever since I’ve been here,” a beaming Carroll, who made his debut against United on March 6 after a long spell out with injury, told Sky Sports.

Fellow forward Kuyt said the signing of Carroll and Uruguay striker Luis Suarez in January had made a huge difference to Liverpool.

“It makes it a lot easier if you get more quality in the team,” the Netherlands forward said.

“We were very happy with the signings of Andy and Luis and I think you can already see the quality.”

Liverpool will now seek to beat Tottenham to fifth place, and possibly even City to fourth, though Kuyt said the task would be a difficult one.

“We like to look up to fifth place. I know it’s very difficult but we have to try,” he said.

An apologetic Roberto Mancini said his team would put the defeat out of their minds ahead of the FA Cup derby, Man City’s last realistic chance of silverware this season.

“It’s important to forget this and we prepare for the semi-final,” the Italian said.

“Tonight I made a mistake, it’s my fault. I’m very sorry for the fans.

“We conceded a lot of chances in the first 20 minutes, after that we played.”

Source + Pic: timeslive.co.za

Manchester City moved up to third place on the English Premier League table with an emphatic 5 – 0 win over Sunderland on Sunday.

Adam Johnson, making his first start since injuring his ankle in January, opened the scoring in the ninth minute and skipper Carlos Tevez doubled the Blues’ advantage on the quarter-hour mark from the penalty spot.

Second-half strikes from David Silva, Patrick Vieira and Yaya Toure completed the rout as City leapfrogged Chelsea in the table and moved further clear of fifth-placed Tottenham Hotspur in the race for Champions League football.

Roberto Mancini’s side are now six points ahead of Spurs, who do have a match in hand.

Sunderland, meanwhile, have gone seven league matches without a victory and need rapid improvement if they are to avoid being dragged into the relegation dogfight.

With Tevez fit again having missed City’s 2-0 defeat at Stamford Bridge a fortnight ago with a groin problem, Mancini opted to pair the Argentina forward with Mario Balotelli and drop Edin Dzeko to the bench.

Additionally boosted by the return of Johnson, it was a positive-looking team selection which quickly paid dividends, the hosts making a lively start to the match before taking the lead nine minutes in.

Playing a one-two with Toure down the right, Sunderland-born Johnson received the return pass in the box, controlled the ball and then lashed it past Black Cats goalkeeper Simon Mignolet.

Six minutes later Tevez latched on to a lofted ball from Silva and burst into the area, where he was brought down by Phil Bardsley.

Referee Howard Webb booked Bardsley and awarded a penalty which Tevez took himself.

Mignolet dived the right way and appeared to get a hand to the effort but it squeezed in off the upright and City were cruising.

They were on the offensive again soon after, Bardsley getting in a block to divert Tevez’s strike behind for a corner.

A Michael Turner handball earned City a free-kick which Aleksandar Kolarov could only send wide of the post.

Balotelli then tried his luck after being teed up by Tevez but Mignolet saved the attempt.

Sunderland were showing little sign of getting themselves back into the match but had a rare shot at goal in the 37th minute when Asamoah Gyan sent in an effort from outside the box which dropped narrowly wide.

Black Cats manager Steve Bruce replaced Bardsley with Ahmed Elmohamady at half-time but City were soon threatening again after the restart.

Silva played a deft chip into the box and Johnson was there to shoot against Mignolet, although he was incorrectly adjudged to be offside.

Balotelli then drove into the area and brought a save out of Mignolet, before City’s third goal arrived.

Tevez ran on to a long ball from Nigel de Jong and squared for Balotelli, whose shot ricocheted off Turner, allowing Silva to tuck home from close range.

Johnson was then taken off for Vieira, which swiftly looked like a stroke of genius on Mancini’s part.

A minute after his introduction, the Frenchman was on the scoresheet, getting on the end of a Kolarov cross which deflected off Joleon Lescott.

Mignolet clawed Vieira’s effort away but the goal was given and replays showed the ball had indeed crossed the line.

Having conceded twice in four minutes, Sunderland looked utterly deflated and after Balotelli had stung Mignolet’s palms, it came as little surprise when City scored their fifth.

Lee Cattermole lost his bearings and gave the ball straight to Toure, who gleefully dispatched it over Mignolet and in.

Shaun Wright-Phillips came on for Silva and provided a cross for Tevez, who put the ball the wrong side of the post.

Elmohamady summed up Sunderland’s afternoon when he rose unmarked in the box but sent his header off target, and Balotelli almost made it 6-0 in stoppage time with a free-kick that Mignolet tipped over.

It made for an interesting afternoon’s entertainment for Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, who was watching from the stands and will pit his side against City in the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley later this month.

Source: premierleague.com

Pic: news.bbc.co.uk

Liverpool and Manchester City both failed to overturn first-leg deficits as they were dumped out of the Europa League on Thursday night.

Liverpool were trailing Braga 1-0 from the first leg of their last-16 tie and, although Andy Carroll started his first game for the club, the Reds struggled to produce clear-cut chances and were held to a 0-0 draw.

Liverpool, who have qualified for Europe every year since 1999, will have to finish fifth or above in the Premier League if they are to be involved next season.

Mario Balotelli was sent off as Manchester City failed to overturn a 2-0 first leg deficit against Dynamo Kiev, with a 1-0 win on the night not enough to prevent them crashing out of the Europa League.

Balotelli was issued a straight red card for a crashing 36th-minute challenge on Goran Popov, but City gave themselves hope three minutes later when Aleksandar Kolarov hit a low free-kick under Oleksandr Shovkovskiy.

The Ukrainians defended deep in the second half and restricted City to few chances, threatening to make the game safe themselves when Denis Garmash had a header cleared off the line but holding on for their last eight place.

Rangers – having secured a 0-0 draw in the Netherlands in the first leg – were defeated 1-0at home by PSV Eindhoven. Jeremain Lens scored in the 13th minute and it proved enough to send the Eredivisie side through as the hosts struggled to provide a response.

Santi Cazorla and Giuseppe Rossi teamed up brilliantly to help Villarreal ease into the quarter-finals with a 2-1 victory over Bayer Leverkusen at El Madrigal.

Holding a slender lead following their 3-2 win in Germany last week, the Spanish side made sure of their progression thanks to Cazorla’s first-half goal and Rossi’s strike after the break against a spirited Leverkusen side who clawed one back through Gonzalo Rodriguez’s late own goal.

Porto’s pursuit of the treble continued as they progressed with a 2-1 home win over CSKA Moscow.

Having taken a one-goal lead back to Portugal with an impressive win a week ago, Andres Villas Boas’ men got off to the perfect start when Hulk gave them a first-minute lead. Things improved 23 minutes later when Fredy Guarin put them 3-0 up overall and, despite Zoran Tosic pulling one back for Moscow, Porto’s pursuit of the league, cup and European trophies remains intact.

Spartak Moscow hammered Ajax 3-0 at the Luzhniki Stadium to wrap up a 4-0 aggregate win with a free-kick from Brazilian Alex adding to first-half strikes from Dmitri Kombarov and Welliton.

Spartak, who had suffered an embarrassing 4-0 loss at Rostov in their Russian League opener on Monday night, dominated although Christian Eriksson hit the bar for Ajax and was also denied by Spartak goalkeeper Andriy Dikan.

Reigning Russian champions Zenit St Petersburg staged an heroic comeback bid at home toFC Twente, but their 2-0 win on the night was not enough and they slid to a 3-2 aggregate defeat.

Roman Shirokov and Alexander Kerzhakov gave Zenit hope with first-half strikes but Twente defended well and ought to have put the game out of Zenit’s reach when Oguchi Onyewu missed a fine chance late on.

Benfica nudged through 3-2 on aggregate after a 1-1 draw with Paris St Germain in the French capital. Nicolas Gaitan opened the scoring for Benfica on 27 and Mathieu Bodmer’s 35th-minute equaliser was not enough.

Source + Pic: soccernet.espn.go.com

A statement on City’s official website read: “Manchester City confirm that the FA has informed Kolo Toure that an ‘A-sample’ provided by him has tested positive for a specified substance.

“As result of this, he has been suspended from participating in all first team and non-first team matches pending the outcome of the legal process.

“There will be no further comment from the football club at this stage.”

It is understood that Toure was not included in City’s squad for Wednesday’s FA Cup win against Aston Villa because the club were aware of the situation.

The failed test automatically triggered the suspension, with City left with no option but to exclude him from their plans until the conclusion of proceedings.

Toure, who turns 30 later this month, signed for City from Arsenal for £14mn (16.3mn euros) in 2009.

He was City’s captain before Carlos Tevez and has 85 international caps to his name.

The most recent doping case in football involved Hamilton midfielder Simon Mensing.

The 28-year-old tested positive for the banned stimulant methylhexaneamine at the end of January and missed five matches.

Mensing maintained he was unaware he had ingested the substance while using a dietary supplement – an explanation which was accepted by UK Anti-Doping.

Source: supersport.co.za

Pic: dailymail.co.uk

United had seen Nani’s first-half opener cancelled out after the break when David Silva deflected in an Edin Dzeko shot, but Rooney’s spectacular late strike ensured Sir Alex Ferguson’s side hold the bragging rights over their bitter rivals.

Rooney’s sixth goal of the season lifted league leaders United seven points clear of second placed Arsenal, who host Wolves later on Saturday, and eight ahead of third placed City.

Silva had a golden chance to put City ahead in the fourth minute after a one-two with Carlos Tevez, but the Spain winger poked wide from close-range.

City controlled possession for long spells in the first half without turning their dominance into further opportunities, although they had a penalty appeal for handball by Patrice Evra rejected by referee Andre Marriner.

Ferguson’s side made them pay in the 41st minute as Nani opened the scoring in sublime fashion.

The move began in direct fashion as Rooney flicked on Edwin van der Sar’s huge punt to Ryan Giggs. The Welsh midfielder played a superb pass through to Nani, who produced a fine first touch before surging clear of Pablo Zabaleta to shoot low beyond Joe Hart.

City levelled in the 65th minute thanks to a moment of extreme good fortune.

Shaun Wright-Phillips crossed to Dzeko but the Bosnian substitute’s shot was going wide until it hit Silva and looped past the wrong-footed Van der Sar.

But Rooney stole the show with one of the goals of the season in the 78th minute. Nani’s deflected cross looped towards the England forward and his acrobatic aerial volley flashed past Hart.

Source + Pic: sport24.co.za

Manchester City reserve striker Emmanuel Adebayor has been allowed to talk to his old club Monaco about a cut-price £9million transfer.

Adebayor has no part to play now in Roberto Mancini’s plans, and the 26-year-old striker could be sold to the French outfit before the weekend – with City ready to take a massive hit on the £25m fee they paid Arsenal for him in July 2009.

Monaco are willing to take on Adebayor’s king-sized salary – as they will be helped by the fact that the principality has a tax-free status.

That means the Togo international could pocket around £100,000 a week and not lose out.

Adebayor is seeking a pay-off from City to go, but the mega-rich club are ­optimistic of shifting him out.

He is becoming an expensive luxury item in reserve.

City still have Adebayor under contract until the summer of 2014. If he lasted the distance, it would cost City around £20m in wages – so they will just put him down as an expensive mistake.

Monaco are clear ­favourites in the chase, as they are the only club willing to both accommodate Adebayor’s wages and pay a fee him.

City have searched for takers at home and abroad without success.

There is Premier League interest in taking the player on loan, but that is only a temporary solution to City’s problems with their unwanted forward.

Adebayor had four years with Monaco as a ­youngster before being brought to England by Arsene Wenger in January 2006. He still has friends in the south of France and is open to the idea of a full-time return to the area.

Meanwhile, teenage sensation Romelu Lukaku remains an Anderlecht player after premature claims he had already signed for City.

Reports in Belgium’s ­Sport/Foot said the 17-year-old striker agreed a deal to move to Eastlands in July for around £17m.

The magazine stated: “Lukaku has already reached an agreement with City for a transfer in July.”

But it has now emerged the race for Lukaku is still very much open.

Real Madrid, Manchester United, Arsenal and AC Milan are all keen.

Source + Pic: bleacherreport.com