Mark Hughes is facing a decisive month as Manchester City manager after Jimmy Bullard’s late penalty equaliser for Hull City extended the Eastlands side’s run to seven successive Premier League draws and left them without a league victory since September.
While owner Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed al Nahyan and chairman Khaldoon al-Mubarak remain supportive of Hughes, the lack of obvious progress over the past two months has raised the first concerns over the manager’s ability to realise the club’s long-term ambitions.
With Manchester City facing two high-profile fixtures at Eastlands this week, the Carling Cup quarter-final against Arsenal and Premier League encounter with Chelsea, the clouds gathering over Hughes could be cleared with positive results in both fixtures.
Sport on television There remains a determination among the City hierarchy to back Hughes through the winless run and no moves have been made to line up possible replacements. Yet with the transfer window due to reopen on Jan 1, the Abu Dhabi powerbrokers are keen to see a reversal of the recent downturn of form following Hughes’s £120 million summer spending spree.
The shadow of Guus Hiddink, now looking for work after leaving his job with Russia, is looming large over major clubs across Europe but despite some sections of the City support showing dissent, Hughes remains unflappable. Bullard’s goal celebration as he headed for the spot where Hull City manager Phil Brown conducted his infamous half-time sit-down, must have turned the thoughts of some at Eastlands to another memorable goal. In a similar area two months ago, Emmanuel Adebayor was on his knees in front of the visiting fans, having just run the length of the pitch after scoring City’s third goal in the 4-2 win over Arsenal.
However, even Hughes would find it difficult not to get excited if City came full circle with another win over Arsenal. He acknowledges that Adebayor’s problems have mirrored those of his team since their last meeting with Arsenal and the Togo forward’s ban. Hughes said: “Ade was flying at that time. He has found it a little bit more difficult since. But that is maybe more a consequence of opponents trying to stop our threat, which Ade is. "Arsenal and Chelsea could be a big springboard for us. We’re still very much in touch with the top of the Premier League.”
City’s frustrating run looked like it might end when Shaun Wright-Phillips’ deflected effort gave them the lead just before half-time, but Hull escaped with a point when Bullard converted from the spot after Kolo Toure was penalised for a challenge on Jan Venegoor of Hesselink to spark the celebration dreamt up by Paul McShane and Stephen Hunt.
Bullard said: “Was the boss all right about it? Did he know we were going to do it? No, did he heck! He took it all right.”
The past couple of months have been as testing for Brown as they have been for Hughes and following the change in ownership at Hull, there has been a shift in the manager. The earpiece, for instance, has gone. “It’s broken,” Brown said through chuckles. “Someone stood on it. I haven’t changed, I’m just conscious of my role and the effect it can have. At times in the face of adversity that pressure can change your behaviour.”
Fair play:
Referee Lee Probert waved away penalty appeals when Shaun Wright-Phillips went down after being tugged by Stephen Hunt.
Manchester United are ready to move for Micah Richards if rivals Man City finally lose patience with the defender.
Richards, 21, has only started eight Premier League games for City this term under manager Mark Hughes.And the City hierarchy have become increasingly concerned by the defender’s erratic performances.
City staff also have worries over the attitude of the former England starlet, who has 12 caps.Richards, who penned a lucrative five-and-a-half year contract with City in February 2008, has clashed with Hughes in the past.
And if City decide to offload the versatile defender, then United are ready to bid for him.Old Trafford boss Sir Alex Ferguson is a huge admirer of Richards and tried to sign him when he first broke on the scene.
Ferguson is considering his options at right-back with growing concerns about Gary Neville’s fitness and Rafael Da Silva’s ability.
Ferguson believes his strict man-management could control Richards and United are hoping to do business if City will sell to them.
TRANSFER BOLLOX
Manchester United are set to make a surprise move for Manchester City defender Micah Richards, if the Eastlands outfit decide to offload the player as a result of his inconsistent form. Daily Mirror
Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti says he does not expect to make any new signings in January, unless his side suffers any injuries. This is despite the club having the transfer ban imposed on it by Fifa for inducing Gael Kakuta to break his contract suspended by the Court of Arbitration for Sport. The Sun
Cash-strapped West Ham are ready to offload England goalkeeper Robert Green in January if they receive a bid in the region of £5m.
Daily Mirror
WAG OF THE DAY
http://www.thespoiler.co.uk/index.php/2 ... -lee-nolin
OTHER BOLLOX
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger says that striker Didier Drogba, who scored two goals for Chelsea as they beat the Gunners 3-0 on Sunday, actually did very little in the match at the Emirates. Daily Mirror
After Chelsea's victory over Arsenal, which sent the Blues five points clear at the top of the Premier League, captain John Terry declared that his side's performance was "the stuff of champions". The Sun
Kettering Town manager and goalkeeper Lee Harper, whose side earned an FA Cup second-round replay at Leeds following a 1-1 draw with the Yorkshire side on Sunday, will delay retiring from playing in order to help the club try to earn a clash at Manchester United, who await the winner in the third round. Daily Star
[youtube]I7BuNzATQsw[/youtube]
FINAL BOLLOX
Ipswich manager Roy Keane says that a trip to see the Australian rugby union team beat Wales 33-12 at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday helped inspire his side to their 2-1 victory at Cardiff on Sunday.
Full story: Daily Mirror
