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CASH IS KING AS CITY SHEIKH UP PREMIER LEAGUE
THE last time Man City were league champions Harold Wilson was PM, the first episodes of Dad’s Army were showing, the Kray Twins had just been banged up and The Sound of Music was top film.
Since 1968 ten different teams have won the league.
Not just the usual suspects like Man United and Arsenal but Derby and Forest as well.
But 44 years of hurt must surely end just before 5pm today when Roberto Mancini’s men beat QPR and possibly relegate the Londoners.
And City will have deserved it. It’s a cliche but it’s true: the best team always wins the league.
And what a team: Sergio Aguero, David Silva, Vincent Kompany, Yaya Toure et al.
But such talent doesn’t come cheap.
Since taking over four years ago Sheikh Mansour has paid out around £1BILLION in buying City, transfer fees and wages. Peanuts to an oil multi-billionaire, maybe, but still a lot of money for a Premier League title.
You would expect a Nobel Peace Prize, a top Oscar and a Caribbean island for the money as well.
City won’t be the first team to buy the title – Roman Abramovich started the trend at Chelsea – and you would have to be a bitter and twisted little Stretford Ender to begrudge them their moment of glory.
They have gone from English football’s light-blue laughing stocks – Peter Swales, Forward With Franny, Alan Ball, third division football – to a fast-emerging European footballing giant.
City will surely be crowned champs today and it will be about Blue Moon-ing time
Louis Armstrong was at No.1 with What A Wonderful World when City won in 1968. It will be one again when they win today.
Manchester City '90 minutes from history' - Pablo Zabaleta
Manchester City's players will become club legends by clinching an historic Premier League title on Sunday, says Argentine defender Pablo Zabaleta.
Leaders City will be crowned English champions for the first time since 1968 if they beat QPR at the Etihad Stadium.
Second-placed Manchester United also have 86 points but would need an unlikely goal swing to better City's superior goal difference of eight.
"We're only 90 minutes away from making history," said full-back Zabaleta.
"If we succeed it is probably the start of a new era for this club."
City know they will win their first Premier League title by matching the result of neighbours United, who travel to Sunderland in their final game of the season.
Roberto Mancini's men have clawed their way back into pole position after overturning an eight-point lead held by United in April.
But relegation-threatened QPR, managed by Mancini's predecessor Mark Hughes, know they need at least a draw to guarantee their top-flight status for next season.
"As a team, I think it's going to be without doubt the most important game we've ever played in," Zabalata told Manchester City's official website.
"We want to do it for our fans who I know have been waiting for a long time.
"The only thing I can say is that all the players will do their best against QPR and we will do everything we can to win the title.
"We're very close but nothing is done yet, so we'll see on Sunday."
Take tat and party: Mancini challenged to honour his tattoo promise
The Manchester City boss vowed to get inked with the club's crest if they win the Premier League title
Roberto Mancini will be challenged by his staff to honour his title tattoo promise.
The Manchester City manager vowed that he would go under the needle to honour the Blues winning their first championship since 1968.
And members of the Italian’s coaching team have this week been reminding him about having the City crest tattooed on his left leg.
Mancini, 47, celebrated winning the Italian League with Sampdoria in 1991 by having a club emblem tattooed just above his right ankle.
When asked about the tattoo, Mancini said: “I have another leg. If I win the Premier League with Manchester City, I might get one.”
City will be crowned champions if they beat Queens Park Rangers today or match Manchester United’s result at Sunderland.
Mancini wants Mancnificent 7
ROBERTO MANCINI cranked up the heat on Alex Ferguson by vowing to win SEVEN trophies in four years.
A win today over QPR will mean Manchester City’s first title since 1968 — but Mancini looked as though HE was cracking under the pressure yesterday.
He said: “Winning this title would be my best ever. The players will have changed history.”
City boss Mancini wants to complete the shift in power in Manchester by emulating his glittering success in charge of Inter Milan.
He said: “I won Inter their first title for 20 years.
“We began with the Italian Cup, then we continued for four years — seven trophies.
“Could I repeat that here? I hope so — and maybe we can do better.”
Despite looking under severe heat in training yesterday, Mancini was all smiles as he met City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak.
He added: “This championship is the most difficult, so if we win it would be the very best for me, too.
“But I say ‘if’ we win because we still have another game.
“To fight with United is not easy because they have won for 20 years.”
Lille are preparing themselves for a £35m bid from Manchester City for Eden Hazard. The 21-year-old playmaker has indicated he is leaving the French side by saying on Twitter: "Two games more to play in the colours of Lille." Sun on Sunday
Kompany to sign new five-year £120,000-a-week Manchester City contract
£30 million-rated defender is expected to put pen to paper on a new deal shortly after this season finishes to extend his stay with the Premier League favourites to 2017
Vincent Kompany is poised to sign a new five-year Manchester City contract this month, Goal.com can disclose.
The City skipper will sit down with club officials in the next fortnight for formal talks and a new agreement is set to be rubber-stamped in a matter of days.
Goal.com revealed in March that Kompany’s advisers had reached an informal agreement on a package that will double his pay to £120,000-a-week.
But the centre-back asked for formal talks to be put on the backburner so that he could concentrate on leading City’s charge for the Premier League title, which reaches its climax with Sunday afternoon’s home clash against QPR.
The 25-year-old, who was named the Barclays Premier League Player of the Season on Friday, will become the first City captain to lift the league trophy in 44 years if Roberto Mancini’s team are victorious at Etihad Stadium.
The club are confident that he will put pen to paper on the deal offered to him, which is now expected to last for five years rather than the originally indicated four-year spell.
City recognise how important it is to reward the Belgian, who has two years remaining on his current contract.
Kompany has matured into one of the outstanding centre-backs in Europe during the last two seasons, and his contribution during the final months of the campaign after missing matches in January and February through injury and suspension have demonstrated his influence to the team.
The new deal will elevate the defender into the second tier of City earners, behind top-bracket trio Yaya Toure, Carlos Tevez and Sergio Aguero. David Silva is also expected to shortly agree a new £200,000-a-week contract.
Skipper Kompany will be below the elite quartet but he has indicated that he is ready to commit his peak years to the club which he joined from Bundesliga side Hamburg in 2008 for what is now considered a bargain £6m by a club who currently rate him in the region of £30m
[spoiler]Bai Ling - Blue Moon Wag
[/spoiler]OTHER BOLLOX
Robin van Persie's wife has indicated the Arsenal talisman will reject any potential summer move away from the Gunners. Bouchra van Persie insists the family are happy with life in London - suggesting the Dutch striker will stay at the Emirates. Sunday Mirror
Real Madrid are prepared to pay £15m for Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic - the Blues will sell but value the 27-year-old at £20m. the Sun on Sunday
Chelsea also face losing Brazilian defender David Luiz. The 25-year-old is interested in an approach from Barcelona and should the Spaniards table a bid, Luiz is likely to urge his club to accept it. Sunday Times
Premier League new boys Reading are aiming to beat a host of clubs to Blackburn forward Junior Hoilett, 21, by making a £5m bid for the Canadian. talkSHIT
Manchester United are considering a £10m bid for Fulham's attacking midfielder Mousa Dembele, 24. Mail on Sunday
United boss Sir Alex Ferguson was in Berlin on Saturday night to watch Japanese striker Shinji Kagawa score one goal and set another up as Borussia Dortmund beat Bayern Munich 5-2 in the German Cup final. Kagawa, 23, is also being tracked by Arsenal and Chelsea. the Sun on Sunday
AZ Alkmaar midfielder Adam Maher, who was voted Holland's young player of the year, would be open to a move away from the club. Manchester City, AC Milan and Barcelona are reportedly interested in the 18-year-old. Insidefutbol.com
Chelsea and Liverpool have been told to forget about trying to sign Partizan Belgrade's 18-year-old attacking midfielder Lazar Markovic during the summer transfer window. Metro
Norwich City striker Grant Holt thinks he has done enough this season to earn himself a place in England's Euro 2012 squad. talkSHIT
Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has opened talks over a new contract - but has been asked to take a £50,000-a-week pay cut by the Old Trafford club. Goal.com
Bolton manager Owen Coyle has admitted the club have been spending beyond their means as they go into a relegation decider at Stoke. Mail on Sunday
New England manager Roy Hodgson has given the seal of approval to Wolves's appointment of Stale Solbakken as their new boss. Hodgson managed former Norway international Solbakken when he was a player at Danish side FC Copenhagen. Express and Star
Former Blackburn caretaker boss Tony Parkes says ex-chairman Jack Walker, who was at the helm when Rovers won the Premier League title in 1995, would be "turning in his grave" at the club's current plight. Lancashire Telegraph
Aston Villa boss Alex McLeish faces crunch talks about his future with chairman Randy Lerner and chief executive Paul Faulkner as the pair start their summer inquest into a season of struggle. Birmingham Mail
Atletico Madrid striker Radamel Falcao, fresh from scoring two goals in Wednesday's Europa League final, has gone face-to-face with Carla - a 250kg Bengali tiger - on the Spanish side's pitch. 101 Great Goals
Shakhtar Donetsk manager Mircea Lucescu was left an unhappy man after his side clinched the Ukrainian league title - because his celebrating players soaked him with water. Metro
