Nigel de Jong has been told he cannot visit Hatem Ben Arfa in hospital because he was responsible for the winger’s broken leg.
Newcastle’s Ben Arfa is recovering in a Manchester hospital after surgery on his left leg, which was broken in two places by the Manchester City midfielder’s mistimed tackle at Eastlands last Sunday.
Despite the furore over the legality of De Jong’s challenge, the Holland player was said to be devastated by Ben Arfa’s injury and had indicated he would like to see the France player before he returned to the North East. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/footba ... ackle.html
Mark Hughes: I compromised my own values at Manchester City...it won't happen againIt is an ego that must have been bruised by his experiences as the head of the house of fun at Manchester City, before being ‘relieved of my duties’, as he calls it.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/footba ... again.html
Manchester City are reported to have clinched the signing of 19-year-old former Barcelona midfielder Gai Assulin, after he impressed on trial. Daily Mail http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/footba ... -deal.html
But City's spending is not likely to stop there. Roberto Mancini is also poised to make a £13m move for Lyon defender Aly Cissokho. Full Story: talkSHYTE http://www.talksport.co.uk/sports-news/ ... okho-swoop
The tightest defences in Europe's top leagues: No. 3 - Manchester City
Goalkeeper
Joe Hart, 23, estimated market value: €7.5M-10M
Key defenders so far
Kolo Toure, 29, estimated market value: €15M-20M
Vincent Kompany, 24, estimated market value: €7.5M-10M
Micah Richards, 22, estimated market value: €5M-7.5M
Pablo Zabaleta, 25, estimated market value: €7.5M-10M
Joleon Lescott, 28, estimated market value: €10M-15M
Jerome Boateng, 22, estimated market value: €10M-15M
One thing Roberto Mancini has done with all the millions at his disposal is instill some much-needed steel to Manchester City 's backline. But interestingly, his two major defensive reinforcements have been sidelined for the majority of the season so far.
But even with new signings Aleksandar Kolarov and Jerome Boateng absent, City have still let in a measly 0.429 goals a game.
Ivorian Kolo Toure and Belgian Vincent Kompany are stalwart centre-backs for the Eastlands outfit.
Toure is a real powerhouse of a defender. Fast, athletic, an exceptional tackler and great in the air.
While Kompany may be less of an athlete, he is solid and composed, and is blessed with great technique. He has had a superb season so far, and has just won the Manchester City Player of the Month award for September.
Both centre-backs have great leadership qualities, vital for a team with title ambitions.
Micah Richards, who looked to be edging toward the Eastlands exit door in the summer, has been filling in for Boateng at right back.
Although ciritised in the past for neglecting his defensive duties, Richards appears to have improved his concentration and has been using his pace, strength and stamina to good effect at the back.
Mancini has been using a combination of Joleon Lescott and Pablo Zabaleta at left-back – two more players linked with moves over the summer.
Lescott is an excellent all-round defender who is strong in the air and assured with the ball at his feet. He hasn't been caught out often this season, when in the past he sometimes appeared to get beaten on the turn by nippy attackers. He was, however, lucky to get away with a trip on Newcastle's Shola Ameobi in the box last Sunday.
Zabaleta is another player whose defensive abilities have been called into question. But Mancini appears to have got the fast and hard-working Argentine to cut out some of the errors that were blighting his game and he has improved his defensive awareness. He is still sometimes guilty of committing himself too early against skillful players, evident when he came up against Juventus' Milos Krasic in the recent Europa League game.
Richards, Zabaleta and Lescott might soon find themselves on the fringes, with Boateng now back and Kolarov closer to fitness. Boateng completed his first 90 minutes against Newcastle on Sunday, and although he struggled at times, much of that was down to David Silva going AWOL from the right and often leaving the German two against one.
Another change Mancini has made this season has been replacing the veteran Shay Given with Joe Hart.
While both are outstanding goalkeepers, since opting for Hart in the opening match of the season at Tottenham, the England man has been impossible to drop.
Hart is a talented goalkeeper with great reflexes, good positional sense and is comfortable with the ball at his feet. The young stopper has hardly put a foot wrong this season, and quickly bounced back from a blunder that gifted Blackburn a goal in a 1-1 draw last month.
TRANSFER BOLLOX
Juventus have dismissed rumours that Manchester United are lining up a bid for their goalkeeper Gianliugi Buffon as a replacement for Edwin van der Sar, who turns 40 this month. ESPNsoccernet
Another Manchester United target, Pepe, has challenged Real Madrid to sort out his future or risk losing him on a free transfer at the end of next season. talkSPORT
Meanwhile, Manchester United chief executive David Gill insists there is no pressure to sell star players such as striker Wayne Rooney, despite the club announcing losses of £83.6m. Daily Mirror
Aston Villa are lining up a move for Paris Saint-Germain striker Guillaume Hoarau, who has 23 goals in 50 games for the French Ligue 1 side. caughtoffside.com
Celtic want to take Newcastle contract rebel Steven Taylor on loan in January, having expressed interest in the summer before he suffered a shoulder injury. Daily Mirror
OTHER BOLLOX
Wes Brown fears for his future at Manchester United after failing to start a league game so far this season, following a stand-up row with boss Sir Alex Ferguson on a pre-season trip to America. The Sun
Following his call-up to the England squad to face Montenegro, 33-year-old Kevin Davies believes he can be the new Emile Heskey. Daily Mail
West Ham have been boosted by the news that Live Nation, one of the world's leading music events promoters, are to be part of the Hammers' bid to make the London Olympic stadium their new home. Daily Mail
But Leyton Orient chairman Barry Hearn has warned West Ham owner David Sullivan to stay off his patch, as he had planned to make the stadium Orient's new base. Daily Express
Ryan Giggs has confirmed that he never contemplated quitting club football with Manchester United to be Wales manager when John Toshack quit last month. Daily Star
Everton's Phil Neville says he is keen to move into management when he finishes playing, and has been warned he needs to start at the bottom to learn his craft properly. talkSPORT
Aston Villa reserve team boss Kevin MacDonald is one of the contenders to replace John Hughes as Hibs manager. Daily Mail
Manchester United reserve team boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer turned down a job at hometown club FC Molde in Norway because he wants to become a first-team manager in England and eventually become manager at Old Trafford. (Daily Mirror)
Former Tottenham defender Graham Roberts has agreed a two-month deal to look after the Pakistan team at next month's Asian Games tournament, with the possibility of a longer-term deal. (Daily Mirror)
Former England coach Glenn Hoddle has taken charge of Spanish Division Three side Jerez Industrial with a squad almost entirely made up of young players released by British clubs. Daily Mirror
England's Under-21 manager Stuart Pearce has admitted: "You have to be mad to manage England." Daily Star
Stockport, who have fielded more players in their club history than any other team, are to follow the lead of the England cricket team and give each player a unique appearance number, which they hope to be able to put on their shirts. Daily Mail
Montenegro striker Mirko Vucinic, who could line up against England on Tuesday, celebrated his goal in their 1-0 win over Switzerland on Friday by removing his shorts and putting them on his head. He was booked. (Various)
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