Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini accepts decisions will go against his club - because referees can also get tired.
Mancini feels his team have suffered a series of injustices lately, most recently after conceding a costly penalty in Wednesday's Carling Cup semi-final exit at Liverpool.
That incident occurred after striker Mario Balotelli was retrospectively banned for four matches for violent conduct for an offence not punished on field by the referee against Tottenham last weekend.
City have also had to deal without captain Vincent Kompany for four matches this month after a controversial sending-off.
Mancini said: "I think playing a lot of games is also difficult for them [referees].
"The refs sometimes are tired - to play every two or three days is difficult for the players, and for the referee.
"The referee is like me, like the players. They can be tired sometimes."
Mancini, however, does not think his team are the victims of any conspiracy, only bad luck.
He said: "Yes, yes - in December and January, it is only this way."
Defender Micah Richards, who conceded the penalty at Anfield for handball when the ball rebounded off his foot on to his arm, also believes City have had more than their fair share of bad decisions.
The 23-year-old suggests the club's now prominent position, as Barclays Premier League leaders, might be costing them the benefit of any doubt.
Richards said: "I wouldn't say everyone is against us, but when a team comes from nowhere and is doing so well, top of the league, you are going to get decisions against you.
"We don't think everyone is against us. We have coped well getting this far in the season, and you could argue some decisions could have been dealt with better but we can't dwell on them."
City could only manage a 2-2 draw in the second leg of their Carling Cup semi-final at Anfield and went out 3-2 on aggregate.
Richards believes many neutrals are now willing City to fail because of their success and wealth.
He said: "The better you do, you will always have more people following you, more people talking about you.
"Sometimes it will mean people not liking you, but we have to just try to do what we do best, which is winning games.
"We are not always going to get the decisions that we want but we can't keep moaning about it as it won't get us anywhere.
"We will just have to make sure we win games and the referee doesn't have to make a decision - to win it without that.
"It would be nice for referees to give us a little bit more, but we don't want to moan about it too much.
"I wouldn't say there is a conspiracy but no-one likes a team that is doing really well, especially when two or three seasons ago it was a top-eight team and is now leading the pack.
"Not everyone will be happy, but it's down to us to get on with it and not get involved."
City are not in FA Cup action this weekend but travel to Everton in the Premier League on Tuesday.
Richards said: "We just have to move forward and we have a good game with Everton to look forward to next week, so we need to go there and look for three points."
Agent: Carlos Tevez could leave Manchester City for Paris Saint-Germain in the summer
The Argentine attacker's agent has revealed that his client could move to Ligue 1 at the end of the season if his proposed move to AC Milan falls through this month
Kia Joorabchian, the representative of Manchester City attacker Carlos Tevez, has stated that the Argentina international could join Paris Saint-Germain at the end of the season if he does not leave his current club in the January transfer window.
PSG director Leonardo revealed earlier this week that the Ligue 1 giants had ended their pursuit of Tevez as no agreement could be reached, but the transfer could be back on in the summer transfer window.
"If Carlos doesn't leave Manchester City this winter, we will not rule out the possibility that he joins PSG in the summer. That's definitely an option if he doesn't sign for Inter or AC Milan," Joorabchian was quoted as saying by L'Equipe.
"Carlos believes in PSG's project. He's held talks with Carlo Ancelotti, who is one of the best coaches in the world. He's also spoken with Leonardo, who really appreciates him. Paris is a realistic option."
The 27-year-old Tevez has a contract with City until the summer of 2014, but is widely believed to leave the Premier League side either this winter or at the end of the season after falling out with coach Roberto Mancini.
MICAH RICHARDS has blasted referee Phil Dowd for costing Manchester City a trip to Wembley.
Dowd left the Blues seething when he awarded Liverpool a controversial first-half penalty in Wednesday’s Carling Cup semi-final second leg at Anfield.
Richards was penalised, despite Daniel Agger’s shot hitting his boot first before deflecting on to his hand.
Steven Gerrard converted from the spot just before half-time to haul the Reds level on the night before Kenny Dalglish’s men went on to secure a 2-2 draw and go through on aggregate to next month’s final against Cardiff.
But England star Richards said: “I think the referee made a poor decision with the penalty.
“It hit my foot then went on to my hand, so I don’t know what he expects me to do. It’s hurting us.
“Everyone goes on about respecting referees, but decisions like these are costing us. I always give my support to referees but if they are not 100 per cent sure, then they shouldn’t be giving them.
“We just didn’t get a grip of the game, although we scored two decent goals.”
Mancini’s men have a free weekend to lick their wounds.
AC Milan have promised to make a decision today about tabling an improved bid for Carlos Tevez.
The Italian giants are keen to land the Argentine rebel but have seen an initial bid of £21m rejected by the Blues, who want at least £26m. Star
THERE IS NO ROOM FOR MANCHESTER CITY BIGHEADS
Some footballers think they are bigger than the club they play for and the league they play in.
And unfortunately for Manchester City, they have two of them.
There is no doubt in my mind that Mario Balotelli is an entertaining individual.
He has added a certain excitement to the Premier League this season with his cheeky goalscoring antics, his provocative T-shirts and even some of his madcap off-the-pitch behaviour, which has only affected his own reputation rather than that of anybody else around him.
The bottom line is that he is fun to have around and we should embrace him rather than want to get rid of him.
In other words, I am in the same camp as Gary Lineker, who has said he is brilliant, rather than with Alan Hansen, who thinks he is a liability for his team.
But there is always the danger that characters like Balotelli will overstep the mark – and that is exactly what he did last weekend when he stamped on Scott Parker’s head.
Only the Italian himself knows whether he meant to do it, but replays suggest it wasn’t an accident.
The situation was only made worse by the fact that referee Howard Webb missed the incident at the time.
It has dragged on all week as Balotelli was later banned, leading City boss Roberto Mancini to make claims of victimisation.
The fact that the striker now has a four-match ban is his own fault, because it is his second red card of the season.
The last thing we need to listen to is his agent bleating that ‘Super Mario’ needs protecting. What a load of rubbish.
A lot of the time, with the way Balotelli petulantly kicks out when he loses his temper, it is the other way round.
His agent Mino Raiola threatened that Balotelli may be forced to quit English football if things do not change.
He said: “If the English do not look to protect Mario a little more we will look for other alternatives and leave the UK.
“I don’t accept this kind of morality. Our plans were to stay in England but not like this.
“Mario loves the club. But if every week some referee has a problem with him, then maybe we will have to say,
‘That’s enough and I’ll try my luck in another country’.”
Well, if that is the case, good riddance.
While it is good to have the world’s top players in this country, it should not be at any cost.
Balotelli has often displayed his short fuse on the pitch and it is up to Mancini to sort it out, which he usually has done.
Thierry Henry never acted like this – and he is the best foreign player I have seen in England.
David Silva, a world-class star at the top of his game and one of Balotelli’s team-mates, does not do it either.
English football doesn’t need this side of Balotelli. The game here will survive and thrive – just as it has done year-on-year.
Perhaps Raiola should be careful what he wishes for.
It is the same with Carlos Tevez. The Argentine mercenary is not wanted or needed in England. He is a disgrace and the hard-line stance that City are taking with him should be an example to others.
Maybe they can only hold out with such principles because they have money to burn and a squad to die for.
But, whatever the reason, it is good to see.
Tevez has now cost himself £9m in fines for going AWOL from the club following his bust-up with Mancini after the Champions League tie against Bayern Munich in October.
The player and his advisers thought they could call the shots, while in fact it is City who are doing that by making sure they get the fee they want for their troublesome striker.
Tevez and his people say that the dispute is not about money. Believe that and you will believe anything.
It is an ugly affair which many would have thought would be over by now. And it would have been if it were not for City’s financial muscle.
The last thing I want to see, though, is Tevez back in English football.
So let’s hope it is City who win the battle and sell him quickly for the money they want and we can finally forget about Carlos Alberto Tevez. Star
Man City poised to sign young highly rated midfielder
Manchester City have gone from splashing millions of dollars on a player to picking up prodigious talents for pocket change. The Metro reports that City are close to signing Israeli midfielder Nir Biton, who currently plies his trade in the Israeli Premier League with AS Ashdod. The 20 year old recently underwent a trial at City, impressing in his week-long stint. Biton, who has been touted as the next Cesc Fabregas, is a player in demand as reports suggest that Aston Villa and Everton are also keeping tabs on the player.
City are planning for an initial six-month loan with an option to make the move permanent at the end of the season. But Biton are keen to sell the player outright when there are multiple clubs interested and that has seemingly caused a delay in the move to Man City being finalized.
Ashdod’s owner, Jacky Ben Zaken confirmed the ongoing talks with Man City as he told the Jewish Chronicle: “They want to take him on loan immediately and want an option to buy him in the future.”
Biton generally plays in a deeper midfield role as he sees the game in front of him. He can also bomb forward from midfield by making timed runs into the box. He is already represented the Israeli National Team, making two appearances since his debut in 2010.
This could represent a template of sorts for future recruits at the Etihad as the club gradually moves away from just buying expensive Internationals towards developing players from a young age. Roberto Mancini has been clamouring for funds to spend in the January window to reinforce his side as they head towards the business end of the season. But the Italian was reportedly informed by the club’s owners that new funds wouldn’t be made available for transfers as they seek to remove deadweight from their bloated squad first.
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Michel Platini: why do the English hate me? I'm French
Michel Platini has a problem with the English and he thinks he knows what it is.
It is not his support for Financial Fair Play, which will curb the excesses of the Premier League’s biggest spenders, nor his distaste for foreign owners and players flooding England’s clubs. And it is not his controversial support for Qatar’s 2022 World Cup, and subsequent advocacy of a winter World Cup.
Sitting in a conference room at Uefa’s headquarters in Nyon, a magnificent vista of lake and mountains behind him, Platini says it is more straightforward that that. “No, no, no, It is because I am French,” he smiles, adding a shrug that fulfils every stereotype of Gallic insousance. “It is part of the legendary rivalry between England and France, that is all it is.”
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/footba ... rench.html
Chelsea to swoop now for £3m Pogba as rivals wait until summer for United rebel
Up for grabs: French midfielder Paul Pogba is out of contract at Old Trafford this summer
Chelsea are prepared to rival Arsenal and Manchester City for the signing of Paul Pogba with a £3million bid this month.
The Manchester United contract rebel has been long been tipped as one of the stars of the future, but he is yet to secure a regular spot in Sir Alex Ferguson's first-team squad.
Pogba is now in the final six months of contract, allowing him to speak with other clubs about a possible cut-price transfer come the summer. And his refusal to agree terms has seen him marginalised by his manager.
With City and Arsenal already tentatively making enquiries over an end-of-season switch, Chelsea boss Andre Villas-Boas has attempted to steal a march on the rest with a January bid, according to the Mirror.
Two scouts were deployed to watch the Frenchman in action on Thursday night as Manchester United's second-string run riot against Newcastle. Alongside captain Davide Petrucci, Pogba was instrumental in the 6-0 win.
The France Under 19 international joined United from Le Harve in 2009 and has made three Carling Cup appearances this term.
Juventus and Inter Milan are also keen.
Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish is plotting a move to bring Napoli's Uruguayan striker Edinson Cavani, 24, to Anfield before the end of the transfer window. Footybunker
Tottenham are holding transfer talks with Sao Paulo about Brazil Under-20 defender Bruno Uvini. Full story: Daily Mail
West Brom want Russia striker Pavel Pogrebnyak, 28, on loan from Stuttgart with a view to a permanent move. Daily Mirror
Fulham manager Martin Jol is looking to bolster his midfield with a move for 25-year-old Colombian Carlos Sanchez from French side Valenciennes. talkShit
Chelsea have not given up in their attempts to sign Ajax's 23-year-old defender Gregory van der Wiel. talkShit
Fulham striker Andy Johnson, 30, has attracted attention from Russian club Rubin Kazan and Turkish side Galatasaray. Daily Mail
Sunderland are considering offering Bolton Wanderers' 34-year-old striker Kevin Davies a permanent deal in order to clinch his move to the Stadium of Light. Sunderland Echo
Meanwhile, rivals Newcastle have made an improved offer for Watford defender Adrian Mariappa after a £2m bid was rejected. Daily Mail
Wayne Rooney's 21-year-old brother John has left the New York Red Bulls to sign for Orlando City. Sports Illustrated
Manager David Moyes's search for a striker to revive Everton's season has led to an enquiry about taking 27-year-old Guillaume Hoarau on loan from Paris St-Germain. the Guardian
Swiss international right-back Scott Sutter , 25, is closing in on a move from Young Boys of Bern to Blackburn Rovers. Lancashire Telegraph
Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard has pleaded for calm ahead of their FA Cup match with Manchester United at Anfield. Daily Star
Liverpool's Dutch forward Dirk Kuyt says that after knocking Manchester City out of the League Cup, Manchester United are next on their Anfield hit-list. Daily Mirror
And Liverpool will be boosted by the news that Manchester United's Wayne Rooney could miss their FA Cup clash with an ankle injury.
the Times
Referee Martin Atkinson will definitely miss the game, after pulling out because of illness. It is now almost 11 months since Atkinson took charge of a Manchester United game, after he was fiercely criticised by Sir Alex Ferguson after United's 2-1 defeat by Chelsea. the Times
Queens Park Rangers defender Anton Ferdinand will spend £30,000 on extra security ahead of his side's highly charged FA Cup match against Chelsea on Saturday.the Sun
Arsenal's 18-year-old star Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has played himself into Fabio Capello's England squad, according to a source close to the Italian. Daily Star
Nedum Onuoha says the Mark Hughes-factor convinced him to seal his £2.5m switch from Manchester City to Queens Park Rangers. Metro
Real Madrid will look to prise Arsene Wenger away from Arsenal if the side, also known as Los Blancos, continue to lose to Barcelona. Daily Express
Unsettled Blackburn defender Christopher Samba says he cannot give 100% for the club if he is forced to stay - and has hit out at the club's owners Venky's, claiming they were not honest with him. the Sun
Rwandan president Paul Kagame says it is time for Arsene Wenger to step down as Arsenal manager. Daily Telegraph
Bayern Munich scored a spectacular PR own goal with their fans following a failed media stunt, when supporters thought they had signed a big name forward, only to announce the release of a new app. Metro
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