Referee Mark Clattenburg was embroiled in another elbow controversy on Wednesday night.
Clattenburg booked Mario Balotelli for felling Aston Villa's Chris Herd in Manchester City's 3-0 FA Cup win.
But the clash appeared far less serious than Wayne Rooney’s challenge on Wigan's James McCarthy on Saturday, for which the referee failed to show a card.
Clattenburg was faced with another big decision in the second half of City's fifth-round success. With Villa players and coaching staff on their feet imploring him to take action, the official issued just a yellow card.
Read Ian Ladyman's report on Manchester City's progress past Aston Villa to an FA Cup quarter-final meeting with Reading
Villa manager Gerard Houllier said: 'It was right in front of me. It looked harsh at the time but I have seen it again and I don't think he did it on purpose.'
City manager Roberto Mancini replaced Balotelli immediately after the second-half incident, no doubt concerned that the striker would add to the nine cautions he has already picked up this season.
City will face Reading at Eastlands in the next round of the competition after an easy win that was secured by goals from Yaya Toure, Balotelli and David Silva.
Houllier faces criticism for leaving out first-team players such as Stewart Downing and Ashley Young, but he said: 'If I had to do it again, I would.'
Manchester City Council and Club solidify partnership:
New East Manchester Limited (NEM), Manchester City Council (MCC) and Manchester City Football Club are to step up consultation and engagement with the East Manchester community, as the working relationship between Club and Council was solidified yesterday.
The previous partnership arrangement, which began with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding in March of 2010, is to be formalised with the creation of a legally binding Joint Venture. The Eastlands Development Partnership, as the Joint Venture will be known, is the vehicle through which activity and development opportunities for land in and around the City of Manchester Stadium and its neighbouring communities, is delivered.
Further to this, the Eastlands Regeneration Framework document has been set out, which outlines the overarching vision for the development of land held by the parties, which when combined, totals approximately 200 acres.
In the short term, land already owned by Manchester City Football Club on the Openshaw West site will be the focus of exploratory remediation in the coming weeks and months. It is intended that the land in this area be made good in order that it becomes useable should the Club deem further development of football facilities on the site appropriate.
In addition to the Club’s review of potential football facilities, the partnership is gauging opportunities to expand community facilities. Such opportunities, on both the land under the Club’s ownership as well as on that across the broader 200 acre site, may include but are not limited to educational, recreational and swimming facilities which would form a part of the development of an Eastlands Community Sports Plan.
A period of significant community consultation will now begin to discuss possibilities for the area and to establish the wishes and needs of the local community.
Simon Bate, chairman of New East Manchester, said: “This is the latest milestone in the regeneration journey that east Manchester has been on for the past 15 years. We have already seen how the area has gone from having no economic future to one where public and private partners together have stabilised the area and put in place a proposal for economic growth.
"We now have a long-term plan which will act as a platform for our priorities and actions over the coming years, enabling businesses, local resident and visitors to benefit from future investment opportunities.”
Sir Richard Leese, leader of Manchester City Council, said: "This framework along with the partnership will drive progress over the next decade and will not just secure the economic success of the area, but also be a truly groundbreaking relationship setting the benchmark in the world of regeneration.
"Our joint partnership is progressive and maturing and our mutual commitment means that our shared vision for the area can become a reality that will create jobs, visitors and opportunities for residents of east Manchester."
Garry Cook, CEO of Manchester City FC added: “Manchester City is a Club at the heart of the city and at the heart of its community. It is therefore wholly appropriate to strengthen our links with the City Council, whilst at the same time reaching out to those in the community around us and establishing ways in which we can best serve them."
The development framework, which will be subject to formal consultation in May, can be read at:
http://www.manchester.gov.uk/meetings/m ... _committee
MCF.NET THREAD: viewtopic.php?f=119&t=37410
WAG OF THE DAY
OTHER BOLLOX
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is keen to tempt Barcelona winger Victor Vazquez to the Emirates Stadium. The 24-year-old, who plays primarily for Barcelona B, is a free agent in June. the Sun
Manchester United are monitoring Athletic Bilbao's Spainish international striker Fernando Llorente. His buy-out clause is £34m and he will only leave for one of Europe's elite clubs, with Real Madrid also keen. the Sun
Udinese chairman Franco Soldati says a bid of about £25.4m has been made for striker Alexis Sanchez. The 22-year-old has been linked with Manchester United and Chelsea but Soldati refused to identify the bidder. (Sky Italia)
Injury-plagued England midfielder Owen Hargreaves is set to leave Manchester United on a free transfer in the summer after the club decided against offering him a new contract. Goal.com
Chelsea will have to move swiftly to set up a summer deal for Brazilian playmaker Paulo Ganso after his club Santos promised to double his wages if he signed a new contract with them until 2016. The 21-year-old is also a target for both Milan clubs as well as Lyon. Daily Mail
Liverpool are keeping an eye on Blackburn goalkeeper Paul Robinson amid growing concern that they could lose current stopper Pepe Reina to Manchester United or Arsenal this summer. Daily Telegraph
Barcelona have joined Arsenal and Manchester United in the race to sign highly-rated Southampton midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. (Daily Star)
Newcastle are interested in signing 30-year-old former Liverpool defender John Arne Riise from Roma as a replacement for Jose Enrique, who could be on his way to Anfield. Daily Mirror
The Football Association wants Manchester United's TV station MUTV to send them the recording in which manager Sir Alex Ferguson criticises referee Martin Atkinson following his club's 2-1 defeat by Chelsea. Daily Mirror
Ferguson is facing the possibility of a minimum two-match touchline ban for his comments. FA lawyers are deliberating over whether to open proceedings against the Red Devils boss, while United have already spoken to their own legal advisers and Ferguson has indicated he intends to plead not guilty if he is to face disciplinary action for the fifth time in as many years. the Guardian
Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas is confident he can shrug off his hamstring injury to play against Barcelona in the second leg of their Champions League last 16 tie on 8 March. Daily Mail
Everton striker Yakubu, who is currently on loan at Leicester, wants to sign a permanent deal with the Foxes if they are promoted to the Premier League. Daily Mirror
West Ham's bid to take over the Olympic stadium is set to be rubber-stamped by the government and London mayor Boris Johnson on Thursday. the Guardian
Hammers skipper Matthew Upson says his 21-year-old defensive colleague James Tomkins has what it takes to play for England. Daily Mirror
The Football Association of Wales has apologised and expressed its regret over an embarrassing error which has forced the English FA to ask England fans to return 951 tickets for this month's Euro 2012 qualifier in Cardiff. the Guardian
Former Tottenham manager Ossie Ardiles and Peter Taylor, who left Bradford last week, are vying to become the new Swindon boss after Danny Wilson resigned from the struggling League One club on Wednesday. Daily Mirror
The Manchester United squad clubbed together to buy team-mate Ryan Giggs a £5,000 drum kit for his 20th anniversary as a Red Devils player. (Daily Star)
West Brom defender Jonas Olsson is considering buying Stoke a new photo frame. The Swede apologised after smashing a picture in the tunnel following the Baggies' 1-1 draw at the Britannia Stadium on Monday and said: "I'll replace it - and I thought of [home products store] IKEA. It was heated at the end of the game after our equaliser. I didn't go berserk. I hit my arm against a wall and hit the frame. It was a team picture of Stoke and they thought it was disrespectful. I can agree on that." the Sun
Deportivo Pereira defender Luis Moreno has apologised after the owl he kicked off the pitch in a Colombian league match died. Daily Mirror
