Manchester City: Roberto Mancini hails Sergio Aguero form
Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini feels Sergio Aguero is key to reviving their Premier League title hopes.
The Argentine scored twice in City's 4-0 FA Cup fifth round win against Leeds, with Mancini's side 12 points behind leaders Manchester United.
"I hope Sergio will be like this until the end of the season," said Mancini.
"If Sergio is like this and our strikers continue to score a lot of goals from now until the end, the championship is not finished."
Sergio Aguero in numbers
The Argentine striker has scored 43 goals in 78 games for Manchester City since his £38m move from Atletico Madrid in August 2011.
Crucially he scored the injury-time goal that won City the Premier League title on the final day of last season.
He has been hampered by two-separate injuries this season, but if he can remain fit and keep his form then Mancini believes Aguero could yet help City catch United.
"This is possible. We play a lot of games," added the Italian.
"I think in this moment [Manchester United] deserve to be there because they played better than us. They scored more goals than us."
Mancini was delighted with City's display after he was heavily critical of his players following the 3-1 defeat at Southampton last Saturday.
"In Italy we call a game like that a 'brodino' - a soup, a starter," said Mancini. "I hope this can help us to start winning in the Premier League."
With their chances of retaining the Premier League now looking slim, Mancini insists City are determined to take the opportunity of winning the FA Cup - with his side already out of Europe. City will play Barnsley for a place in the semi-final on either ninth or 10 March.
He said: "I am very happy because it was important to win after Southampton and we know the FA Cup can be difficult. Arsenal showed this on Saturday that every game in the FA Cup is difficult if you don't have a good approach.
"Every team plays in the FA Cup like it is in a Champions League final. The cup is an important trophy in England. Teams may change players in the Capital One Cup, but in the FA Cup every team plays seriously.
"You could play in a final at Wembley in front of more than 80,000 people so that has to be good."
Manchester City and Roberto Mancini on brink of dispute over keeper Hart's coach
Roberto Mancini's public criticism of Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart could backfire.
Hart has come under fire from City boss Mancini for recent mistakes and was rested for Sunday’s FA Cup clash against Championship side Leeds.
But City remain committed to Hart, and there is a feeling that the 25-year-old would benefit from working with England goalkeeping coach Dave Watson.
A City move for Watson, however, would cast a shadow over the future of Mancini, because of his friendship with current City keeper coach Massimo Battara.
Italian Battara is old friends with Mancini – the pair were teenage trainees together at Bologna.
Mancini appointed Battara’s father Piero to coach goalkeepers at Fiorentina and Massimo took up the same job at Inter Milan under Mancini before the pair moved to City.
If Mancini leaves Eastlands, then Battara will almost certainly quit too.
Even if he stays, the City board could still overrule Mancini on the best way forward for Hart, who has formed a close bond with Watson since first working together, when the keeper was loaned to Birmingham.
The pair now work for England after Watson was recruited by manager Roy Hodgson ahead of Euro 2012 last summer.
Hart is a big fan of Watson and has praised the impact the 39-year-old has made on his career, saying: “I thank him for a lot.
"Dave has been great to me. He’s 115 per cent behind you and he would do anything for you.”
Internationals key to new Toure deal
Yaya Toure's hopes of landing a new Manchester City contract will hinge on his international plans.
The £200,000-a-week Ivory Coast midfielder still has two years to run on his current deal, but is hoping for an extension that will enable him to spend the rest of his career at the Etihad.
City have indicated they are willing to open negotiations with the 29-year-old at the end of the season.
But the champions are wary of handing Toure anything more than a 12-month extension after being stripped of his services for the second successive season by his participation in the African Cup of Nations.
Toure looked jaded when he returned for the 3-1 defeat at Southampton last week after missing six games to play for the Ivory Coast in South Africa.
Twelve months ago, City were knocked out of both the FA Cup and League Cup in his absence as the Ivory Coast went all the way to the final in Gabon.
On his return last February, Toure indicated that he would not go to the 2013 tournament because of the impact his absence had on his club.
But he had a change of heart after it was made clear to him that it would be a final opportunity for his country’s so-called ‘golden generation’ to win a major title.
The next African Nations is scheduled for Morocco at the start of 2015 and Toure has already committed himself to helping the Ivory Coast to qualify for next year’s World Cup.
If they stay at the top of their group they will qualify for a two-legged play-off that will decide their fate.
But he is understood to be planning to retire from international football after Brazil 2014.
And he will be told that will give him a better chance of extending his career with City.
Toure has become a vital player at the Etihad since arriving from Barcelona in a £24million deal in the summer of 2010.
He scored the winning goal in the 2011 FA Cup Final at Wembley as City lifted their first trophy for 34 years and was a key figure in last season’s title triumph
Barnsley boss David Flitcroft looking forward to Manchester City trip
Barnsley manager David Flitcroft is relishing the chance to lock horns with Manchester City in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup.
The Championship side were rewarded with a trip to the Etihad after beating MK Dons 3-1 in the fifth round on Saturday.
Flitcroft, whose brother Gary is a former City player, told Sky Sports News: "Wow there are a lot of emotions going through my head.
"The group of players that I am working with at the moment and the staff and the football club and the supporters, they deserve to get a tie of this magnitude.
"We are going to the champions of this country and I will be proud to take my players to that stadium.
"The lads have deserved this and we will make sure they go there and enjoy the day and the experience. But we want to go there and give a good account of ourselves and try and cause a cup upset.
"This is a cup of dreams, a cup of heroes and I do dream. I hope we will give a great account of ourselves and I am really excited to lead the club on this occasion. And as a coach to pit your wits against one of the world's best that excites me as well."
Flitcroft's side are currently enjoying a fine run in the Championship and he is now focusing on Tuesday's home game against Wolves
He added: "It is something we have done very well - refocusing and focusing on the league campaign and then focusing on the FA Cup.
"We have got an important game against Wolves. There are still 15 games to go in the league and we are in great form.
"It's just now how we take away the excitement of what is to come and really focus on the league. I will be asking these players to make big sacrifices and I am hoping we can regroup the boys and make them focused on what the job is, which is the league campaign."
Hair raid? Manchester City prepare two players plus cash bid for Everton's Marouane Fellaini
Champions will offer deal worth a combined £23m for Toffees' tonsorially tremendous talisman as they try to beat Chelsea to his signature
Manchester City have joined the race to take Marouane Fellaini from Everton, writes the Sunday People.
The 25-year-old Belgian is also a top target for Chelsea, but the European champions will now have to battle it out with mega-rich rivals City in the summer.
The Eastlands club's bosses will offer a deal worth £23million, which could include up to two players.
Everton boss David Moyes might be tempted if defender Gael Clichy is part of the deal.
Leeds manager Neil Warnock happy to walk away from club
Leeds United manager Neil Warnock says he does not deserve the fans' abuse he received during the FA Cup defeat to Manchester City.
And Warnock believes he 'deserves a medal' for enduring what he feels has been a difficult past 12 months at Elland Road.
Pressure is growing on Warnock in light of his failure to mastermind a promotion challenge this season and chants of "Warnock - time to go" were heard from the away end at the Etihad Stadium during Sunday's 4-0 defeat to City.
"It's their prerogative (if they want to sack him), if they think it will help, I'm not against it. Whatever is best for Leeds United. But with what's gone on over the last 12 months I think I deserve a medal."
Neil WarnockQuotes of the week
Warnock's contract as Leeds manager expires at the end of the season; he has told owners GFH Capital he will not be staying on next season and has claimed he would leave earlier if he was asked.
"I don't deserve that (abuse) after the year I have had, but I am unlucky to have been at three clubs with three takeovers," he said, in reference to previous spells with Crystal Palace and QPR.
"I understand their feelings and the noise they make shows what sort of club it is. If we go up, the owners know I won't be here and the further away we get (from promotion) the club will be looking to see what they're going to do and, if I can, I will help them."
Warnock took over at Elland Road a year ago but now accepts the writing is on the wall as far as his pursuit of a record eighth promotion goes.
"I'm living away from home for one last year at promotion," he said. "I'm sure the club will be sensible and in a couple of years they will be back in the big time.
"It's their prerogative (if they want to sack him), if they think it will help, I'm not against it. Whatever is best for Leeds United. But with what's gone on over the last 12 months I think I deserve a medal."
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[/spoiler]Arsenal are considering a £10m move for Barcelona goalkeeper Victor Valdes, 31. The Sun
Arsene Wenger will be given £70m to spend in the summer. Toulouse midfielder Etienne Capoue, 24, Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina, 30 , and Fiorentina striker Stevan Jovetic, 23, are his main targets. Daily Telegraph
Southampton are risking losing in-form winger Jason Puncheon by dithering over handing the 26-year-old a new contract, while Newcastle and West Ham wait in the wings. The Mirror
Newcastle United winger Jonas Gutierrez, 26, is confident that the influx of five new French players in the transfer window will help to steer the club to a strong finish this season. Tribal Football
Celtic are mulling over offering forward Anthony Stokes an extension to his contract after the 24-year-old played his way back into Neil Lennon's good books. Celtic were ready to offload the former Arsenal trainee earlier in the season over off-the-field issues. Daily Record
Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho has refused to rule out the possibility of a switch to moneybags French club PSG, saying: "Why not?"
Striker Marek Hamsik, 25, is the latest Napoli player to be targeted by criminals after he was robbed at gunpoint while leaving the Stadio San Paolo following Sunday's 0-0 Serie A draw against Sampdoria. DSSC
Roy Hodgson is ready to hand an England chance to Celtic defender Kelvin Wilson following the 27-year-old's Champions League heroics for the Hoops. The Mirror
Striker Didier Drogba showed Chelsea what they are missing after he scored five minutes into his debut for latest club Galatasaray. The 34-year-old left Chelsea to join Shanghai Shenhua in the summer but has now swapped China for Turkey. Fanatik
A batch of Real Madrid youngsters will learn from a true master next season as legendary former midfielder Zinedine Zidane looks set to return to coach one of their youth teams.
El Confidencial
Reading boss Brian McDermott believes Manchester United winger Ryan Giggs, 39, will one day become a great manager after the two met on a training course. The Mirror
Oldham's FA Cup hero Matt Smith, who scored a late equaliser against Everton to earn his side a replay, will be fined a week's wages for throwing his shirt into the crowd at the final whistle. Daily Star
Arsenal are preparing to offer Arsene Wenger a two-year contract extension. The Sun
Chelsea defender David Luiz, 25, apologised to Brentford's Jake Reeves after leaving the 19-year-old concussed with a tough challenge during Sunday's FA Cup tie. Guardian
Chelsea defender John Terry, 32, has denied rumours of a rift with manager Rafa Benitez. Metro
Cash-strapped Portsmouth insisted on charging Carlisle £20 to park their team bus outside Fratton Park before last weekend's Championship clash. DSSC
Bayern Munich goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, 26, is set to wear a four-fingered glove on his right hand against Arsenal in Tuesday's Champions League clash after trying out his unusual apparel while keeping a clean sheet against Wolfsburg over the weekend. Daily Telegraph
Real Madrid have asked Tottenham to inform them if £50m-rated winger Gareth Bale, 23, becomes available for transfer. Telegraph
Liverpool have been told they can sign Anderlecht attacker Lucas Biglia, 27, for £4.5m in the summer despite the Argentine being valued at £8m. The Sun
The Reds are fearing players like star striker Luis Suarez, 26, could leave the club in the summer. Sunday Mirror
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers is planning to bring his captain from Swansea, Ashley Williams, to Anfield. The 28-year-old centre-back could be a replacement for Jamie Carragher, 35, who retires at the end of the season. Daily Post
Rodgers plans to sell 30-year-old goalkeeper Pepe Reina, centre-back Martin Skrtel, 28, left-back Jose Enrique, 27, winger Stewart Downing, 28, and midfielder Jordan Henderson, 22, in the summer. Mirror
Manchester United and Chelsea are competing to land versatile Hamburg attacker Son Heung-Min, 20. People
Arsenal, Stoke, Liverpool and Everton are competing with big spending Russian side Anzhi Makhachkala to land Athletic Bilbao defender Fernando Amorebieta, 27. Izvestia
Liverpool have targeted Wigan goalkeeper Ali Al Habsi, 31, after being priced out of a deal for Stoke's £15m-rated shot-stopper Asmir Begovic, 25. DSSC
Following the season-ending injury to Diego Milito, Italian giants Inter are planning to tempt former Manchester United striker Ruud van Nistelrooy, 36, out of retirement. Sport Mediaset
Free agent James McFadden is expected to complete a return to Motherwell and may even feature in Tuesday's match against Dundee United. Sun
Celtic manager Neil Lennon expects "one or two" of his current squad to seek a move this summer but is hopeful Gary Hooper will not be one of them. Herald
Manchester United top scorer Robin van Persie, 29, has told manager Alex Ferguson he does not want to be rested for Monday's FA Cup fifth round game against Reading despite the club's packed fixture list. DSSC
Championship strugglers Wolves will not offer new deals to soon-to-be out of contract quartet striker Sylvan Ebanks-Blake, 29, midfielder David Edwards, 27, winger Stephen Hunt, 31, and defender Christophe Berra, 28, unless results start improving. Birmingham Mail
Wigan manager Roberto Martinez, 39, is Everton's first choice to replace David Moyes if the 49-year-old declines to agree to stay at the club beyond this summer when his deal expires. People
Former Southampton manager Nigel Adkins could replace Neil Warnock as Leeds boss. Express
League One Oldham's FA Cup replay with Everton will be worth more than £500,000 to the cash-stricken club. DSSC
Liverpool's Pepe Reina has struggled for form as a goalkeeper this season, but he could mix it as a striker judging by a video showing him scoring a stunning overhead kick in training. Metro
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