Webb missed ackle claims Barry
[i]Manchester City midfielder Gareth Barry has claimed that referee Howard Webb admitted that he missed Glenn Whelan's two-footed challenge on Javi Garcia.
Whelan went unpunished despite jumping into the tackle with the Spanish midfielder during City's 1-0 victory over Stoke in the FA Cup fourth round on Saturday, but Barry has revealed that Webb claimed that he didn't have a good view of the incident.
Barry told Sky Sports News: "I think the referee said at the time - I spoke to him and he said he didn't have the right angle on it
"Javi said in the changing room that the player went in with both feet and caught his ankle so I think they showed that on television too."
Whelan could still face retrospective action from the Football Association as he was not cautioned for the challenge during the match.
Are you Jav-ing a laugh? Silva caught chuckling while Garcia lies hurt after stamp
With Manchester City team-mate Javi Garcia lying hurt on the floor from a two-footed Glenn Whelan tackle, the Spanish maestro still finds time to share a laugh.
Whether it was at his compatriot's expense we can only speculate, but we're sure Silva won't join in the fun next time he finds himself on the end of a similar tackle.
What's so funny? David Silva (centre) has a laugh at Javi Garcia's expense
Stoke midfielder Whelan got away with the tackle, referee Howard Webb didn't even blow for a foul, and Whelan insisted there was no malice in the challenge.
He warned that players will no longer want to tackle if they are placed under so much scrutiny.
‘I don’t think I caught him as much as we was rolling about,’ said Whelan.
‘I’ve gone in for the challenge and I don’t think I tried to be dirty, but it if it looks that way then I’ll have to hold my hands up.
‘People have talked about tackling going out of the game but that’s only because we’re not allowing it. It’s not as if we don’t want to tackle.
‘If you’re getting pulled up on little things every week then people will stop.
'It’s the English game, the old-fashioned game, and that’s what the Premier League is so good for.’
Last man standing: Forgotten Joleon Lescott ready to answer City's defensive crisis
With Kompany and Nastasic injured and Toure away on international duty, England defender is the only available senior centre-half
Forgotten man Joleon Lescott will answer Manchester City’s defensive SOS against QPR tonight.
Lescott has spent most of the season on the margins, but will take centre stage tonight when he could be City’s only available senior centre-half.
Vincent Kompany is out with his calf injury, Kolo Toure is at the Africa Cup of Nations, while Matija Nastasic is struggling with a knee ligament injury.
Lescott has not moaned about being restricted to just eight Premier League starts because Roberto Mancini has preferred Nastasic and coach David Platt is delighted by his professionalism.
“I’m impressed with his attitude, but then I would not have expected anything else from him,” said Platt.
“He is an extremely good professional. Never once, since I came here two-and-a-half years ago, from being an ever-present to sometimes finding himself on the bench, have his training levels gone down.”
Platt claims Nastasic could recover to play alongside Lescott and says Mancini would have no worries about playing rookie defender Karim Rekik if the Serb misses out.
Rekik, 18, has only played one Premier League game for City against Reading last month and City have big hopes for the Dutchman.
“We’ve also got Karim Rekik,” said Platt. “He’s in the running for tomorrow.
“We would have no qualms about sticking him in and he was on the bench on Saturday against Stoke.”
Platt admits City are worried by Kompany’s latest calf problem, even though the Belgian international could be back for Sunday’s clash with Liverpool.
“It’s a concern that it’s not a fresh injury,” he said. “The calf is the strangest muscle and there is probably more more re-occurrence than with hamstrings, groins and things like that.
“It has happened on a couple of occasions so the concern is to make sure we clear the problem and that is what we will be working through.”
City have won their last six games and Platt claims their form is “more satisfying” than last season when they steamrollered the likes of Manchester United and Tottenham on the road.
He feels City have shown more control in games, even though they are five points behind Manchester United in the title race.
“I don’t know how many times we reached the heights last season,” he said. “There is a perception we did so on a regular basis because we went to Old Trafford and won 6-1, and to White Hart Lane and won 5-1.
“We probably haven’t hit those heights, but they are a little bit false anyhow. They give you a false perception.
“The control we have had over our performances in the last couple of months has been more satisfying.
“We have been going into games with a belief that we will do something, and no more so than at the weekend against Stoke.
“I have read about it being a dour game, but I thought we were controlled.
“We have been to Stoke before and there has been a worry, but I never felt that on Saturday, even at 0-0, I never felt that we wouldn’t win the match.”
Balo and goodbye
Mario set for AC - after throwing farewell party
AC MILAN look to have finally prised Mario Balotelli away from Manchester City.
The Premier League champs are expected to announce they have sold the hothead striker for around £17million today.
It is understood Milan could include former Spurs midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng on top of that fee.
Italian ace Balotelli threw a leaving party at his house for close pals last night.
He told them he was off to the San Siro and gave away mementos from his controversial stay at the Etihad.
City had been holding out for a much bigger return on the player they paid Inter £22m for in August 2010.
But the relationship between Balotelli and City boss Roberto Mancini seems unsustainable.
Milan have been banking on City being prepared to cut their losses on the 22-year-old.
And agent Mino Raiola has done everything he can to make the move happen.
He said: “The truth about Mario? Ask the others because I can’t say. Until January 31 everything is possible.
“A loan deal has been excluded by their directors.”
Last night Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani said: “At today’s price it’s 99.5 per cent certain that he is not coming. The stock market is closed until tomorrow.”
But just 24 hours earlier Galliani had said the deal was “99.9 per cent” dead.
And in Italy that softened stance was seen as a clear indication that Balotelli would soon join the Rossoneri.
Milan coach Massi Allegri said: “Balotelli is a Manchester City player for now. If he comes, I’ll think about how to manage him.”
[spoiler]
[/spoiler]MANCHESTER TITLE RACE
PTS +5 GD +1
Queens Park Rangers are preparing an improved £3.25m bid for the 31-year-old West Brom striker Peter Odemwingie, who will be fined two weeks' wages by the Baggies after criticising the club on Twitter. Daily Telegraph
Chelsea made a sensational bid to re-sign Didier Drogba, 34, but the striker turned down their offer and is set to join Turkish side Galatasaray from Chinese side Shanghai Shenhua. Sun
Norwich are preparing an improved £7m offer for Celtic striker Gary Hooper. The SPL side insist they want £8m for the 25-year-old and Norwich have only offered £4.5m. DSSC
The Canaries and Fulham are both lining up £3m bids for QPR winger Jamie Mackie after the 27-year-old was told he could leave Loftus Road. Daily Mirror
Arsenal are set to step up their chase for Barcelona's David Villa, 31, after manager Arsene Wenger admitted his side are short of fire power ahead of the close of the January transfer window. Metro
Chelsea are getting ready to make a surprise deadline bid to sign Birmingham City's England under-21 keeper Jack Butland as a long-term investment. Daily Mirror
Everton manager David Moyes will redouble his efforts to bring in a new face before the transfer window closes in order to ease the burden on his squad. DSSC
Paul Dickov is facing the sack just hours after masterminding Oldham's shock FA Cup fourth-round victory over Liverpool. Daily Mirror
Huddersfield Town want to interview former Southampton manager Nigel Adkins this week as they step up their search for a new manager, following the sacking of Simon Grayson. Daily Telegraph
Former Manchester United goalkeeping coach Tony Coton has defended under-fire keeper David De Gea, describing criticism of the club's current shot-stopper as "over the top". Goal.com
Arsenal's FA Cup win over Brighton was overshadowed by a fight among Gunners supporters after a fan unfurled a banner calling for Wenger to leave the club.
Chuck it and see! Stoke ball-boy snowballs Manchester City coach driver
Naughty but ice at the Britannia ahead of FA Cup clash - but teenage Potter picker-upper banished to the stands...
Artist's impression: The guilty snowball
A ball-boy was taken off duty at Stoke for hurling a snowball at the driver of the Manchester City team bus.
The teenager was banished to the stands after the incident shortly after the City squad arrived at the Britannia Stadium on Saturday.
City's players had left the team bus and were safely inside the stadium when the ball-boy threw the snowball at the coach driver.
The culprit was identified as a ball-boy and told he would not be required to perform his normal match-day duties following the incident.
The episode came just four days after Swansea ball-boy Charlie Morgan was involved in an altercation with Chelsea's Eden Hazard at the Liberty Stadium.
Hazard was shown a straight red card for violent conduct after kicking the ball from underneath Morgan, who had fallen on it in a bid to waste time in the Capital One Cup semi-final second leg.
The FA deemed Hazard's three-match ban "insufficient" and have referred to an independent disciplinary commission, which can lengthen the player's suspension.
LAHAD'S LICK BINGO OUT BOLLOX
A perfect place to honour the Fez & Nipple Tassel wearing one ....
So What should go on Bingo's plaque? .... You decide ...
viewtopic.php?f=121&t=45089
more bollox soon ....[/i]
