ROUND-UP
Jesus Navas made an instant impact on his Premier League debut against Newcastle.
The Spaniard impressed the City fans with his speed, skill and work-rate and looks destined to be a firm favourite at the Etihad Stadium this season.The DSSC Chris Wheeler has written an excellent (Yes I know thats a contradiction), revealing feature on the winger this morning.
Writes Wheeler: “Jesus Navas knew he had the kind of devastating pace that can cause damage on a football field when his old club Sevilla put the gifted young winger on a speed machine at their sports science centre. He was so quick he broke it.
“Now a World Cup and European Championship winner with Spain and a key member of Manuel Pellegrini’s £90million revolution at Manchester City this summer, the 27-year-old has fulfilled his early promise.”
Oliver Holt from the Daily Mirror featured in this column yesterday and he’s here again with an overview of Manuel Pellegrini’s first few months in charge of the Blues.
Of course, it’s early days yet but Holt believes the Chilean has already had a telling effect on the players and the Club as a whole.
He writes: “And all quiet at City. No rows, no headlines, no transfer sagas, no fuss, no controversy. And then after the rest of the Premier League had made their opening statements, Monday at the Etihad felt like an explosion of joy.
“Newcastle were rank, yes. That cannot be overstated. But there was an exuberance about City’s play that had not been there before.
“They played with verve and enthusiasm and ebullience. They looked like they were revelling in their talent rather than being weighed down by it.
“Jesus Navas, one of Pellegrini’s new signings, ran the show from the right side. His control and his assurance were bewitching.
“Edin Dzeko played like the complete centre-forward (apart from scoring a goal), Yaya Toure oozed class and scored a superb free-kick.
“David Silva was quicksilver, Joleon Lescott did not put a foot wrong, Sergio Aguero may not have been fully fit but he was fully ruthless.”
And the plaudits keep coming, this time on fanatix.com where The Special One himself admits the manner of City’s 4-0 win over Newcastle impressed him.
“I watched the game and they were very good,” said Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho. "No doubt about it. They bought fantastic players, they have a fantastic squad and they looked very, very good.
“When you look at the players they didn’t have on the pitch, and some were not even on the bench, the squad is amazing. They are a fantastic team and an amazing squad.”
Everton eager to recruit Gareth Barry from Manchester City but face problems over his wages
Everton are ready to offer Gareth Barry a route out of Manchester City but are struggling to agree a compromise on his substantial wages.
Barry has been told he can leave the Etihad Stadium by new manager Manuel Pellegrini after the summer recruitment of Fernandinho from Shakhtar Donetsk. Barry was excluded from the 18-man squad for their game against Newcastle United on Monday night.
The England international has one year left on his £100,000-a-week contract and Roberto Martínez, the Everton manager, is also keen to sign the midfielder on loan but both clubs will require City to reach an agreement on continuing to fund his salary.
Arsenal are also weighing up a bid to sign him as Arsène Wenger believes that the 32-year-old would represent a decent addition as cover for his midfield, but Everton appear to be in the driving seat.
Vincent Kompany faces up to a month on the sidelines after injuring his groin in the 4-0 victory against Newcastle. Plans to scan the damage sustained by the City captain have been put back until today with the club keen to allow the injury to settle before assessing the full extent of the problem.
Pellegrini suggested after of the Newcastle game that the injury would keep Kompany out of action for up to a fortnight, but there are now fears at City that the Belgian will be ruled out until after the international break next month.
Kompany, who was troubled by repeated calf injury problems last season, has already been ruled out of the trip to Cardiff City on Sunday, with the 27-year-old also expected to miss the visit of Hull City to the Etihad on Aug 31.
Should Kompany miss the Hull game as anticipated, the centre-half could then find himself at the centre of a club-versus-country battle if he chooses to join the Belgium squad ahead of their potentially decisive World Cup qualifier against Scotland in Glasgow on Sept 6.
Kompany was criticised by former City manager Roberto Mancini last season after playing in Belgium’s World Cup qualifier against Macedonia in March, despite being sidelined for almost two months with a calf injury.
With Belgium able to secure qualification for Brazil 2014 should they defeat Scotland and benefit from favourable results elsewhere in Group A, Kompany’s fitness will be scrutinised before any decision is made on his ability to participate. But with City due to face Stoke City at the Britannia Stadium on Sept 14, it is expected that Kompany will be fit to return to action before the clash with Manchester United at the Etihad eight days later.
Pellegrini remains determined to add defensive reinforcements to his squad ahead of the transfer deadline, with Real Madrid defender Pepe and Atletico Madrid’s Martin Demichelis identified as targets.
However, Matija Nastasic is expected to ease City’s defensive worries by returning to action alongside Joleon Lescott at Cardiff. Meanwhile Scott Sinclair is set to leave the club in the next few days with West Bromwich Albion hopeful of putting the finishing touches to a season’s loan that will result in a permanent £4million move next summer.
Manchester City can make title race a classic now fuss, rows and controversy aren't holding them back
Pellegrini's debut win felt like a liberation for a team that, under Mancini, was often less than the sum of its parts, writes Oliver Holt
It seemed harsh when Roberto Mancini was sacked as manager of Manchester City last season.
He had won the league title for the club for the first time in 44 years the season before.
It was said he was not popular in the dressing room or with club executives, but City still finished second last season and reached the FA Cup Final.
It is too early to say whether City made the right choice in dismissing the Italian, whose name was sung by the fans at the Etihad Stadium on Monday night.
But to watch City, under new boss Manuel Pellegrini, overwhelm a shambolic Newcastle side felt like witnessing a liberation.
Under Mancini, there was often a nagging feeling they were not quite as good as they should be.
Packed with extravagant talents, they were frequently less than the sum of their parts.
They were capable of stunning performances, of course – their 6-1 mauling of Manchester United at Old Trafford springs to mind – but those displays of great fluency were relatively rare.
And as Gary Neville pointed out on Monday, too much of the club’s energy was expended on the Mario Balotelli soap opera.
Balotelli can be a spellbinding player, but the pyrotechnics between him and Mancini made the striker more of a liability than an asset.
It is instructive that without both Mancini and Balotelli, everything has been serene and straightforward at City over the summer.
The dramas have been elsewhere: Bale at Spurs, Rooney at United, stasis at Arsenal.
And all quiet at City.
No rows, no headlines, no transfer sagas, no fuss, no controversy.
And then after the rest of the Premier League had made their opening statements, Monday at the Etihad felt like an explosion of joy.
Newcastle were rank, yes. That cannot be overstated. But there was an exuberance about City’s play that had not been there before.
They played with verve and enthusiasm and ebullience. They looked like they were revelling in their talent rather than being weighed down by it.
Jesus Navas, one of Pellegrini’s new signings, ran the show from the right side. His control and his assurance were bewitching.
Edin Dzeko played like the complete centre-forward (apart from scoring a goal), Yaya Toure oozed class and scored a superb free-kick.
David Silva was quicksilver, Joleon Lescott did not put a foot wrong, Sergio Aguero may not have been fully fit but he was fully ruthless.
And look at their bench, too.
Aleksandar Kolarov, Alvaro Negredo, James Milner, Jack Rodwell, Samir Nasri and Javi Garcia.
And there is still Stevan Jovetic, who had a slight injury, to come.
City’s strength in depth is formidable (Jose Mourinho agrees - click here for the Chelsea manager's view on "very, very good" City).
So, after Manchester United and Chelsea had turned on the style in their opening games, City more than matched them.
The manner of their demolition of Alan Pardew’s team only added to the impression that this is going to be a classic title race.
If United can rehabilitate Wayne Rooney and add a couple of new faces before the transfer window closes, they will be tough to beat.
Chelsea have hit the ground running under Jose Mourinho, as everyone suspected they would.
And Spurs are trying to fashion a challenge of their own, signing a raft of top-line players.
Imagine how good they might be if they could hold on to Gareth Bale.
Arsenal are the ones who have not joined the party, hobbled by their own inertia.
There is much to admire about the philosophy of Arsene Wenger and many reasons to hope he can yet rouse his team from its meanderings.
But watching City’s power being unleashed on Monday night, it was brutally obvious just how far Arsenal have fallen behind.
Setting the Standard
Gael Clichy has called on his teammates to replicate their devastating Monday night showing throughout this Barclays Premier League campaign.
City turned in a performance of the highest quality in the 4-0 win over Newcastle United in their opening game which the French defender is eager to build upon.
The 28-year old believes that it’s time the Blues took their best form on the road with them away from the Etihad Stadium – starting at Cardiff on Sunday.
“That's what happens when you start the game really well,” Gael said, “It was a good performance defensively and offensively and hopefully we can carry on like this. It was a great game.
“It is the first game at home, the fans are here and they want to see us work hard.
“We did work hard during the whole pre-season and that is what the manager wants from us. Away from home it will be more difficult but it is a good way of starting the season.
“No matter if United or Chelsea had drawn their games, or where they’re playing tomorrow, what is better for us is the three points. We are going to play like this from today to the last game.”
Fernandinho and Jesus Navas both made immediate impacts on their City debuts, earning rave reviews from supporters and pundits alike.
Clichy joined the appreciation for the new boys, reserving special praise for Fernandinho after his impressive all-action display.
“He is a Brazilian but he has been in Europe for eight years,” Clichy stated, “He played at Shakhtar which is a great team that plays good football.
“I am pleased for him and pleased for us. Negredo should have had a goal today, Navas is fantastic and you have young Stevan, who is coming in as well.
“We had a great team last year and those signings are going to bring more to the team - hopefully we can keep playing like this.”
"Last season was last season - it has gone. There is nothing we can do about it but it is always nice to start the season they way we did it, in front of the fans as well.
"It was a great performance from the strikers to the defenders and we cannot ask for more."
Arsene Wenger set to renew his interest in Man City second string player
The Daily Mirror reports that Arsene Wenger is poised to renew his interest in a player that he has been linked to in virtually every transfer window over the last 5 years – Micah Richards.
The versatile Manchester City right back is guaranteed to be second choice at the club with Pablo Zabaleta having inked a 4 year deal with the Citizens just yesterday, and despite being promised game time by Manuel Pellegrini, could move so that he becomes a regular starter rather than a stop gap addition.
The player would be incredibly useful for Arsenal, given Richards’ ability to also slot in at center half, as the Gunners are already missing the likes of Thomas Vermaelen to injury, and Laurent Koscielny has picked up an early suspension after being sent off in the loss to Aston Villa on Saturday.
However, with Man City also losing Vincent Kompany to a groin injury on Monday night, the Citizens could well opt to retain Richards and use him as an emergency center back themselves, though they did use Javi Garcia briefly in that position last night.
Manuel Pellegrini: Everton and Arsenal target Gareth Barry can leave City
MANCHESTER CITY manager Manuel Pellegrini has revealed that Gareth Barry can leave the club this summer - with Everton and Arsenal tracking the midfielder.
Roberto Martinez has asked City about a loan deal for Barry, who is surplus to requirements at the Etihad Stadium this season.
But Martinez knows Everton will need City's help to subsidise Barry's £100,000 a week wages if he is to secure a move to Goodison Park.
Arsenal are also interested in the 32-year-old however, with Arsene Wenger weighing up the former Aston Villa star as cover for his midfield.
Pellegrini is happy to allow Barry to leave, if that is what the England international wants.
Barry is surplus to requirements at City this season
If he wants to go because he has better options, it depends on what he wants to do
"In the position of Gareth we have also [Jack] Rodwell, [Javi] Garcia, Fernandinho and Yaya Toure," said Pellegrini.
"I spoke with Gareth. He wants to stay here and he does not have any problems staying here to fight for his position like any other player in the squad.
"If he wants to go because he has better options, it depends on what he wants to do."
Barry was left out of City's squad during their 4-0 home win over Newcastle.
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Southampton target Manchester City's Sinclair for £5m transfer as West Brom dither
Baggies have agreed to a loan deal but Blues want a commitment to buy next summer - something Saints are ready to do right now
Southampton will try to hijack Scott Sinclair’s move to West Brom after allowing Jason Puncheon to join Crystal Palace on a season’s loan.
Puncheon has agreed to link up with Ian Holloway for a third time, after playing under the Eagles' manager at Plymouth and Blackpool.
Saints are ready to launch a £5million bid for Manchester City wide man Sinclair - whose brother Jake is a member of their Under-21 side.
West Brom have agreed a loan deal for the former Swansea ace, but the move has been held up because, the Manchester heavyweights want the Baggies to commit to buying him next summer.
Puncheon - born in Croydon, near Palace's south London heartland - only signed a new three-year contract with Saints in March, but has fallen out of favour with manager Mauricio Pochettino.
The 27-year-old was left out of Pochettino’s squad for Saturday’s Premier League opener - ironically, at West Brom.
Saints are already the Premier League’s third highest spenders this summer, after shelling out a combined £36m to recruit Dejan Lovren, Victor Wanyama and Pablo Osvaldo.
Puncheon has scored nine goals in 74 league games since joining Saints from MK Dons in 2010.
Sinclair has made little impact at Eastlands since joining from Swansea for £6.2m last summer, starting just two Premier League matches
Barcelona sign up Spanish Suarez from City in £1m deal
Barcelona have signed Denis Suarez from Manchester City in a £1million deal.
The 19-year-old attacking midfielder will join up with Barcelona's B team in the Segunda Division.
City remain keen on finding a new defender with Martin Demichelis of Atletico Madrid, Martin Skrtel of Liverpool and Real Madrid's Pepe among those being considered.
He honed his skills kicking an orange juice carton and is so fast he broke a running machine... now City have Jesus on the wing
Jesus Navas knew he had the kind of devastating pace that can cause damage on a football field when his old club Sevilla put the gifted young winger on a speed machine at their sports science centre. He was so quick he broke it.
Navas, who has run the 100 metres in 10.8 seconds, would have been on a fast track from that moment were it not for bouts of homesickness that threatened to derail his career.
Now a World Cup and European Championship winner with Spain and a key member of Manuel Pellegrini’s £90million revolution at Manchester City this summer, the 27-year-old has fulfilled his early promise.
Navas made his full debut for City in the 4-0 win over Newcastle on Monday night, doing what he does best; terrorising opponents down the right flank with that jet-heeled pace of his and supplying ammunition for the strikers.
The slightly built Spaniard didn’t score — he rarely does — but there is little doubt he has the potential to be one of the most exhilarating players in the Barclays Premier League this season.
Navas’s parents, Paco and Aurora, were at the Etihad Stadium to see Jesus make his debut before flying back to Spain.
It was a proud moment for Paco, who used to watch the third of his five sons learn the game by kicking an orange juice carton outside the primary school where he worked as an administrator when football was banned in the playground.
A young Jesus was said to be good at science and maths but there was only ever one occupation in the equation as far as he was concerned.
‘We both dreamed of playing football,’ his brother, Marco, who has signed for City’s League Two neighbours Bury, told Sportsmailyesterday. ‘I also wanted to be a sports teacher in the future, but Jesus? A professional football player. There was never anything else.’
The Navas family were raised in Los Palacios, a small town south of Seville. Descended from Romany Gypsies common to the Andalusia region of Spain, they were a deeply religious and close family.
Jesus’s other elder brother, Paco, became a teacher, while his two younger siblings, Jose Maria, 20, and Javier, 18, are both students.
Jesus followed Marco to their local club Sevilla at the age of 14 and made his first-team debut in November 2003, two days after his 18th birthday.
Three months later, however, he lost his place on the right wing — to Marco.
‘The coach chose me over Jesus,’ recalls the older Navas, who has the same striking green eyes as his brother. ‘Jesus was very skinny and struggling to adapt but after that his career went upwards.
‘The next year I was injured and I went to other clubs in other divisions. This is football. I’m very happy that Jesus played for Sevilla and the national team and now Manchester City.
‘We are a very close and happy family. Our parents always helped and supported us when Jesus and I played football when we were very small. For me it’s very important that my brother plays for the top clubs. I’m envious but in a good way.’
Such were the concerns over Jesus’s slight frame that, while his Sevilla team-mates were kept on a strict diet, he was allowed to eat practically whatever he wanted to build himself up.
A timid boy with a lisp in his Andalusian accent, Navas was already starting to struggle with homesickness. Indeed, for someone with gypsy blood, travelling had become a big problem.
He opted out of pre-season tours and rejected call-ups to the junior national team. Once his father had to collect him from a training camp only an hour away from home. The issue came to a head when it kept him out of the Spain squad that won Euro 2008 and Navas sought professional help.
Shortly afterwards in 2008, Marco spoke publicly about the nature of his brother’s condition; why Jesus was uncomfortable being the centre of attention and avoided relationships and how the family were careful not to put him under any pressure.
Part of Navas’s therapy was to tackle the problem head on and the breakthrough came when he travelled to South Africa in 2010, returning with a World Cup winner’s medal.
Now Spain always make sure he is in a room next door to his close friend Sergio Ramos, who left Sevilla for Real Madrid. The timid Navas is now a slightly incongruous sidekick to the ebullient Ramos on international trips.
He shares an agent, Jaime Rodriguez, with another former Sevilla player, Jose Reyes, the former Arsenal winger who was also of gypsy descent and suffered from homesickness.
By the time Navas left Sevilla this summer to join City in a £14.9million deal, he had won two UEFA Cups, two Copa del Reys, one Spanish Supercup and a European Super Cup and had clocked up nearly 400 appearances for his local team.
Arsenal had been rejected 12 months earlier, but this time Navas decided it was time to take the plunge and move abroad with his wife, Alejandra, and their baby son, Jesus.
City’s director of football Txiki Begiristain did not mince his words, warning that the weather in Manchester was far from welcoming and this would be strictly a football project. Navas bought into it but the fact that Marco, 30, has joined Bury this summer suggests there are still concerns over Jesus settling in.
City clearly had a hand in the deal and Bury manager Kevin Blackwell admitted this week that ‘with his brother being at Manchester City it was felt they would like some family in the north west’.
However, Marco insists that he has not been merely parachuted in to babysit his brother and the issue is a thing of the past.
‘All of the family helped him through it,’ he said yesterday. ‘We spoke to Jesus and his problem is forgotten. He is a different person now.‘I knew the problem was gone when he joined the national team five years ago. If he still had it, he would not have come to England. He would have joined Madrid or Valencia or other Spanish clubs in the Champions League.
‘He had offers from other clubs every year. He could have gone to Italy, France or England. Last year Arsenal wanted him and he’s had offers to go to Madrid and Juventus. He chose Manchester City. He preferred them.’
While Jesus is living in a luxury Manchester hotel, Marco has set up home in Burnley with his wife, Eva, and their baby daughter, Martina.
The two brothers talk every day. ‘Just to say what’s up,’ says Marco. ‘It’s important for me to have my brother near.
‘He’s very happy. He has gone to a good club and I think he has adapted perfectly in England.
‘It has helped that there are a lot of Spaniards there and the coach speaks Spanish.’ Earlier this year Navas had a new house built in Los Palacios and gave work to as many unemployed labourers in the areas as he possibly could; his way of helping out with the deep economic crisis that is crippling much of the country.
The boy from Los Palacios might have overcome his homesickness, but he has not forgotten home.
Manchester rivals up for award
United’s Michael Carrick and City’s Pablo Zabaleta are in the running to win a top, end of year piece of silverware.
The Reds' England midfielder and the Blues' Argentinean defender have been nominated for Premier League player of the year in the Northwest Football Awards.
They are on a five-strong shortlist that includes Wigan's Shaun Maloney, Everton's Leighton Baines and recently retired Jamie Carragher of Liverpool.
Zabaleta, 28, has become a fans favourite at the Etihad since his arrival from Espanyol.
And his decision to extend his contract by another four years has been greeted with delight by all City supporters.
Carrick, now 32, has had his ups and downs at Old Trafford since his £14million move from Spurs to United in 2006.
But only Patrice Evra and Robin van Persie played more minutes in United's successful bid to regain their Premier League crown.
So, who will succeed Liverpool defender Martin Skrtel as the north west's top player at the awards night at Lancashire Cricket Club's the Point Conference Centre on November 4?
It's down to the region's football fans to decide.
To vote and also see the full list of Player and Rising Star nominations - http://www.northwestfootballawards.com/voting2013
GOLDEN BOLLOX 21-8-2010
Stephen Ireland fury at City of despair: 'Milner is in for a shock and I'm glad to be out of there'
Stephen Ireland launched a bitter parting shot at Manchester City as he laid bare his misery at being left out in the cold at the world's richest football club.
The midfielder, who traded places with Aston Villa's James Milner in a £24million swap deal earlier this week, let rip over feeling 'unwanted' at Eastlands.
New start: Ireland is delighted to be at Aston Villa
Ireland, 24, claimed that manager Roberto Mancini did not enjoy a relationship with any of the players, spoke of disrespectful youngsters 'walking around wearing £10,000 wristwatches as if they had played 200 games', and warned that Milner, too, will soon discover the grass is not greener.
Ireland, who complained that City's squad is full of high-profile mercenaries, said: 'I've been there eight or nine years, but loyalty doesn't matter much to that club any more. It's heartbreaking the way it's all finished.
'From my part there is only sadness. People who I grew up playing with and who coached me are now gone. There are lots of faces who don't feel that much for Manchester City and a lot of the homegrown guys feel like that.'
In an echo of the comments from Craig Bellamy, who has gone on loan to Championship club Cardiff City, Ireland added: 'A lot of high-profile players are there now and I'm not sure they are going to be happy with just a place in the squad and not in the team. They want two players in each position and it'll be down to them to see how they work that.
'James Milner has obviously seen the attraction of going to Manchester City. He sees players going there and he wants to be one of those so-called superstars and nail down his place in the England team, become more established and play 90 minutes for his country.
'I guess he must think the grass is greener on the other side. He's going to get a shock soon. I can understand why he's gone there but I can tell him that I'm very happy to leave there and come to Villa.
'I know I'm going to feel at home at Villa Park - I'm actually shocked at how good it is.
'Even the young lads here are so polite. At City they are not like that. They are coming in with £10,000 watches on their wrists and are walking around like they have played 200 games in the Premier League.'
Ireland claimed that he knew the writing was on the wall 18 months ago and that it was just a matter of time before he left.
And he said that Mancini had few relationships with his players as he complained about being marginalised through no fault of his own. 'I felt unwanted,' he added. 'I felt like I was banging my head up against a concrete wall. In fact, I haven't felt part of it at Manchester City for the past 18 months. 'It didn't matter what I did in training, I wasn't ever going to get anywhere.
'I didn't share a relationship with Mancini. The last manager I had a relationship with was Mark Hughes - Mancini doesn't do relationships.
'He brought Patrick Vieira into the club. When I spoke with Patrick, he said that he worked with Mancini for seven or eight years but he didn't have one with him either. I think that's the way Mancini is. He has everyone on edge.
'And he said I needed to change my attitude, which was really unfair.
'Every player there knows that I was the first into training and the last to leave. I worked the hardest.
'With all the heart-rate monitors and tests, I was ahead of everyone. I was practically always the best player in training, too.
'If Mancini (right) is standing there watching that, I don't know how he doesn't see it. I can easily say I've got, if not more ability, as much ability as any player they have signed this year.'
Ireland is likely to go straight into Villa's side at Newcastle on Sunday as caretaker boss Kevin MacDonald has several injuries and is unlikely to field many of his youngsters in their third match inside eight days.
'I didn't feel part of it at City,' added Ireland. 'The Premier League is a hard league and I hope Villa will benefit.
'It was obvious straightaway that Villa owner Randy Lerner is a gentleman, someone who knows how to run a football club properly. Some people have used the phrase that I've been forced out. I couldn't be more happy to be forced to come to a club like Aston Villa.'
City, meanwhile, will continue their quest to elbow their way into Europe's elite, no matter if it leaves players like Ireland out in the cold. 'But that's the way they want to do things,' added Ireland. 'Manchester City are on a journey. There are so many new players, I don't think you can know what is going to happen.'
Even Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti, whose side face City on September 25, had a dig at Mancini's men - but expects things to change at the club. Ancelotti said: 'City are not a team again yet. They have a lot of skill and ability but don't have a clear identity. You will see their power in a month, that's a normal time to adapt.
'The reason they have spent so much is they needed the players. I prefer to have the players than to search for them. You're not always able to take the players you want. I have a fantastic squad. City need time because they've changed a lot of players.'
So how's it all working out 3 years on Stephen???
CAMELGOB BOLLOX
Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand was not impressed by the lack of English players on show during Manchester City's Premier League opener with Newcastle.
Manchester City demolished Newcastle in their season opener, via goals from David Silva, Sergio Aguero, Yaya Toure and Samir Nasri.
Their football was a joy to watch, with new manager Manuel Pellegrini seeing his tenure get off to a perfect start.
For Newcastle fans it was uncomfortable from the off, shorn of playmaker Yohan Cabaye after he was omitted after not being in the right frame of mind following Arsenal's bid for him.
One watching observer, was Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand, who will no doubt have been watching rivals City's attacking display with concern.
But rather than praise his rivals, Ferdinand stuck the boot into both sides lack of faith in English players.
Rio Ferdinand ✔ @rioferdy5
Shame that only 3 players on show tonight were English....doesn't bode well for the future of our national team that...
10:13 PM - 19 Aug 2013
Joe Hart and Joleon Lescott of Manchester City were the side's only starting Englishmen, while for Newcastle it was just Steven Taylor - who was sent off at the end of the first half.
A lack of English players in Premier League fixtures has been a point of contention ever since Chelsea fielded the first ever side without one back in 1999.
Successive international tournament failures have only increased the spotlight on the issue, and this weekend clubs as a whole kicked off with fewer Englishmen than at any point in the Premier League's history.
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The original FA Minute Book, compiled in 1863 and valued at £2.5m, is unveiled as the centrepiece of the British Library's first-ever football display to mark the 150th anniversary of The Football Association.
Handwritten and compiled 150 years ago by Ebenezer Cobb Morley, the 1863 FA Minute Book - containing the 13 original laws of football - went on display in the Sir John Ritblat Treasures Gallery alongside some of the world's most significant books including the Magna Carta, Shakespeare's First Folio and Captain Scott's diary.
The British Library football exhibition also includes a Guide to Referees from the 1930s complete with 20 diagrams explaining the offside rule.
Real Madrid's long-running pursuit of forward Gareth Bale, 24, is close to a conclusion with Tottenham poised to accept an offer of £93m plus 25-year-old Portuguese wing-back Fabio Coentrao. Metro
Chelsea are set to make a £28m bid for Wayne Rooney after failing with two previous bids for the Manchester United striker, 27. Daily Express
Manchester United will return with an improved £35m joint bid for Everton pair Marouane Fellaini, 25, and Leighton Baines, 28, after an initial offer of £28m for the midfielder and defender was dismissed as "derisory and insulting". Daily Mirror
Arsenal could face competition from Monaco and Juventus if they pursue an interest in 20-year-old Sevilla midfielder Geoffrey Kondogbia. Daily Express
Newcastle intend to spend the proceeds from the possible sale of 27-year-old midfielder Yohan Cabaye to Arsenal on Blackpool's Tom Ince, 21 - but could face competition from Tottenham for the attacker's signature. Daily Mirror
Manchester United have turned their attentions to Southampton's £10m-rated left-back Luke Shaw, 18, after being rebuffed in their pursuit of Everton's Leighton Baines. Daily Express
Southampton could sign Scott Sinclair on a permanent £5m deal with Manchester City keen to sell the 24-year-old winger rather than allow him to join West Brom on loan. Daily Mirror
Stoke manager Mark Hughes is attempting to sign Tottenham striker Jermain Defoe with the 30-year-old potentially moving to the Britannia Stadium on an initial loan deal. Sun
Liverpool defender Sebastian Coates, 22, could be out for six months after suffering a knee injury on international duty with Uruguay - prompting the Reds to step up their pursuit of Sporting Lisbon's 20-year-old centre-back Tiago Ilori. Daily Mirror
Liverpool are closing in on a £6m deal for Derby's 18-year-old midfielder Will Hughes after sending chief scout Dave Fellows to assess him in action for England Under-21s. Metro
West Ham will make a move for Benfica striker Oscar Cardozo if they can get players off the wage bill to fund a bit for the Paraguayan, 30. Sun
Reading have made a £1m move for Sunderland midfielder David Vaughan after the 30-year-old was told he could leave the Stadium of Light. DSSC
Arsenal will attempt to strengthen their goalkeeping options with an approach to Valencia for Vicente Guaita, 26. talkSHIT
Newcastle manager Alan Pardew believes his side need another striker and still have not adequately replaced Demba Ba after the 28-year-old's move to Chelsea in January. Newcastle Chronicle
Bologna midfielder Saphir Taider, 21, has completed a £4.7m move to Inter Milan. Sky Sports
Former sports minister Gerry Sutcliffe has called on the Football Association to find a role in the women's game for Hope Powell after she was sacked as England boss on Tuesday. Guardian
Midfielder Scott Parker, 32, is sure he can win over the Fulham supporters after joining from Tottenham despite having played for bitter rivals Chelsea. Sun
Peterborough director of football Barry Fry helped deliver his granddaughter when his daughter Amber and her partner - Brighton striker Craig Mackail-Smith - were too late to reach hospital for the birth. Metro
Bayern Munich manager Pep Guardiola has posed as part of lederhosen-clad team photo for the European champions. DSSC
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