Mancini - Stop discussing money
Man City boss hits back following Wenger remarks
Roberto Mancini has admitted he is growing tired of rival managers talking about Manchester City's wealth, while he has no plans to stop spending.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger again called on the Premier League's richest clubs to abide by financial fair play earlier this week, highlighting City's £400million sponsorship deal with Etihad.
Mancini, currently preparing his side for a game against the Gunners on Sunday, has now hit back at criticism and insisted it is unfair just to discuss money.
"There were a lot of teams in the past spending money for big players, including Arsenal," he said in The Sun.
"All the managers talk about the money we have all the time. But we have 11 players like all the other teams.
"I don't know why we should only talk about the money."
UEFA will be scrutinising the spending of clubs more closely in the next few years after bringing in new regulations, but Mancini says City have no intention of standing still and will always look to strengthen their squad when possible.
He added: "If we want to stay at the top, we need to improve and buy players.
"This summer we needed to buy good players to improve. We had the chances to get them and we were successful." SSN
ROBERTO MANCINI AND MARIO BALOTELLI IN NEW TUNNEL BUST-UP
I can’t remember. I don’t know if he asked me something, but it is not important
ROBERTO Mancini pushed Mario Balotelli down the tunnel as the pair had a new bust-up after the draw with Arsenal.
The Manchester City boss clashed with his Italian striker at the end of the 1-1 draw – after Balotelli appeared to vent his anger at only being used as a late sub.
At the end of the Arsenal clash, Balotelli looked to say something to his manager, who responded by barging him in the direction of the tunnel.
Mancini refused to deny the incident and said: “I can’t remember. I don’t know if he asked me something, but it is not important.
“Was it because he wasn’t playing? Probably. I will ask him.”
It is the latest in a series of face-offs between them, the last one allegedly the reason Balotelli was in the stands for the Champions League clash with Real Madrid.
Yesterday he was on the bench until appearing as an 85th-minute sub.
Mancini admitted things aren’t going to plan for his champions. He said: “We need to improve. What we have achieved is now in the past.
“I am frustrated and the players are frustrated. If we want to win games, keeping clean sheets is important. We haven’t done that yet.”
Both teams remain unbeaten, but Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has a far sunnier outlook.
He said: “I’m pleased with the draw in as much as it is the minimum we deserved.
“I’m pleased with the quality of the performance. I hope that reinforced our belief and reassures us about our potential in this league.
“I’m a bit frustrated because I felt there was room for more. We had early and late chances but I’m pleased with the spirit we showed.” STAR
Kompany - No Spain appeal
Defender happy captaining City
Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany has made it clear he has no intention of leaving the club for Spanish giants Real Madrid or Barcelona.
The influential centre-back, who has been at City since 2008 when he arrived from Hamburg, played a key role in their Premier League title-winning campaign last season.
But the 26-year-old says he has no desire to follow in the footsteps of other Premier League greats and make the move to Spain with Real or Barca.
Kompany feels joining either of the Primera Liga giants would see him overshadowed by star men Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi.
He told The Sun: "It would take me time at another club to reach the level I have achieved with City. Even then there would be no guarantee I could do it.
"Besides, I am convinced that I can win just as many honours with City as I could with Barcelona or Real Madrid.
"Whoever goes to play for Real will be in Ronaldo's shadow, and whoever joins Barca will be overshadowed by Messi. So I prefer to be captain of Manchester City.
"I feel very much at home here and am able to live a normal life. I get interest from paparazzi, but so long as you behave normally there is no problem." SSN
Talking points: Five things we learned from Manchester City v Arsenal
1 City's defence still struggle
With nine goals conceded before this one (six in the league, three in the Champions League), Roberto Mancini declared before the kick-off: "We need to stop conceding so many and making life difficult. [Against Real Madrid] we didn't defend as we can on the edge of the box and made some mistakes – we need to resolve this problem quickly." Mancini had made Joleon Lescott the chief culprit for this malaise, as he was dropped for Matija Nastasic for the 3-2 defeat in Madrid. But after being restored Lescott was again uncertain, skinned too easily by Aaron Ramsey early on, with his heading also lacking conviction – it was his poor effort that went straight to Laurent Koscielny for Arsenal's equaliser. Expect Nastasic to get a second go soon.
2 Mancini needs Agüero
Before Sunday's start, six minutes was the sum total in this campaign for Sergio Agüero, with the absence of last season's 30-goal man closing off City's ability to move in behind sides quickly. Before the quarter hour his directness had Agüero steaming beyond Arsenal to collect Gaël Clichy's pass, and he cut in from the left and let fly at Vito Mannone to force a corner. After a neat take-and-pivot from Scott Sinclair and a later shot that was blocked by Kieran Gibbs, the 24-year-old Argentinian might have grabbed a late late winner from Koscielny's botched clearance but the effort went just wide.
3 Silva has not found rhythm
When David Silva flows through a game so do City, but the Spaniard has struggled this season as he did during the second half of the last one. With no City goal since 11 April – one of only two so far for 2012 – one frustrated fan urged him to "have a go" before the interval, when Silva jinked into space inside the area. But instead of unloading at Mannone he attempted one more Hollywood twirl. Still, it was Silva's corner that created Lescott's opener, and one searing run after the break suggests a welcome upturn in form could be imminent.
4 Ramsey catches the eye
Aaron Ramsey, in his first start of the season, led his side from midfield, certainly during the first half. Two surges that opened up City illustrated his useful turn of pace and from one break beyond Lescott, Lukas Podolski should have converted. Santi Cazorla has smoother moves, as shown when he purred into the area and threaded a clever reverse pass to Gervinho. It was also Cazorla's lateshot that won the corner, which he took, that led to the equaliser.
5 Gervinho goes missing
The Ivorian's revival as a credible first-choice Arsenal attacker awaits completion. After three goals in the previous two games Gervinho was handed a fifth start and could have opened the scoring after 15 minutes; a Sunday League first touch when clear allowed Joe Hart to collect comfortably. His movement also disappointed: when the outlet for a Cazorla burst, Gervinho struggled to find a clever, space-creating run and the attack died.
Manchester title race: +3pt, +3gd
Fulham manager Martin Jol is considering a move for free agent Nigel Reo-Coker, 28, as a solution to his shortage of midfielders. Daily Telegraph
Huddersfield manager Simon Grayson is being given the green light to splash out on Leicester striker Jermaine Beckford, 28, and Reading forward Simon Church, 23. Daily Mirror
Former Manchester United defender Henning Berg, 43, is a contender for the Bury job. The Sun
Former Blackburn striker Benjani, 34, is joining South African side SuperSport United having initially planned to retire. The Sun
Roberto Di Matteo is "optimistic" defender Ashley Cole, 31, will sign a new deal at Chelsea as he enters the final ten months of his contract. Goal.com
Liverpool defender Daniel Agger, 27, could miss the rest of the season after sustaining a knee injury in the 2-1 defeat by Manchester United. Metro
Sunderland manager Martin O'Neill believes striker Steven Fletcher, 25, who cost £12m from Wolves in the summer, is already proving value for money. Various
Real Madrid were still unsure whether their game at Rayo Vallecano would take place on Monday after the match was postponed on Sunday when floodlights at the Vallecas Stadium failed due to sabotage. Marca
Striker Alexander Kerzhakov, 29, and midfielder Igor Denisov, 28, boycotted training with Zenit St Petersburg in protest against the salaries being given to expensive new signings Brazilian Hulk, 26, and Belgian midfielder Axel Witsel, 23, last week and have been relegated to the reserves. L'equipe
