Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini hopes for better February after disappointing start to the year
Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini is hopeful that the start of February will provide his club with a change in fortune after a disappointing start to 2012 threatened to derail their quest for honours.
City's expensively-assembled side lost four of their eight matches in the first month of the year, exiting the FA and League Cups and seeing Manchester United draw level with them on points at the top of the Premier League.
However, the opening fixture of February saw City beat Fulham convincingly, a 3-0 victory maintaining their perfect start to this season of 12 wins from 12 home league games and restoring a three-point lead at the top over United who faced a visit to Chelsea on Sunday.
"I think maybe after tonight something can change for us," said Mancini. "January was not a bad month but a difficult month for us. Now, maybe, we can go the other way.
"The clean sheet was important for the team and it was important to win quickly after the Everton defeat.
"I don't think this puts pressure on United, they are used to always being there on top. But they are like us, we know if we want to win this league we should just try and win all the games and not think about other teams.
"We know we shall have to fight against fantastic teams - like United, like Tottenham - to stay on top so it is important to stay focused on yourselves."
After losing in midweek to Everton, their third league defeat of the campaign, City responded with a dominant victory courtesy of a Sergio Aguero penalty, an Adam Johnson shot, which took a heavy deflection off Fulham defender Chris Baird, and an Edin Dzeko strike.
City's recent indifferent form has not been helped by the absence, at the Africa Cup of Nations, of influential midfield player Yaya Toure of the Ivory Coast.
City have lost three of the six games for which he has been unavailable although Mancini was pleased with the individual displays of his goalscorers in Toure's continued absence.
"I was pleased with Adam," he said. "It was a good performance. I always thought he was a fantastic player, it is just that he can always improve.
"And I was pleased with Edin and Sergio, not just because of their goals, but because they played for the team."
Mancini confirmed that Samir Nasri was forced off during the game due to a hip injury although the midfielder has an extra day's recovery this week with City not in action until the visit to Aston Villa in Sunday's televised game.
Meanwhile, the Fulham manager Martin Jol confirmed his team hope to have the Russian forward Pavel Pogrebnyak available for next weekend's home game with Stoke after a delay to his work permit.
"He is in the country," said Jol of the player signed from Stuttgart before the deadline. "Hopefully we will have the work permit late in the week, not too late to be involved next weekend. We hope Thursday, it could be Friday."
Corinthians revive their interest in Tevez
Carlos Tevez has not given up on finding an escape route out of Manchester City after Brazilian club Corinthians revived their interest in the Argentine striker.
Tevez is still AWOL in Buenos Aires after his hopes of landing a move to AC Milan were dashed when the European transfer window closed on Tuesday night without a deal being struck.
But South America is still open for transfer business - and Tevez’s camp is hoping that a deal with Corinthians can be resurrected.
The Brazilian champions saw a £40million move for the 27-year-old collapse in the summer when they were unable to give City the bank guarantees about the cash being paid in four tranches.
But with City’s asking price now reduced to £25million following a bitter fall-out with their former captain, the move could be back on.
Corinthians have been sounded out about taking Tevez back - almost six years since he quit the club to begin his English adventure with West Ham - and they were receptive to the proposal.
Tevez was named in Roberto Mancini’s 25-man Premier League squad earlier this week and the City boss has made some conciliatory noises.
But it remains unclear how Tevez will be integrated back into the club after such a poisonous separation.
There have also been claims from Russia that Anzi Makhachkala are ready to spend some of their huge wealth teaming Tevez up with Samuel Eto’o.
But there has been no contact made with the Tevez camp and the Argentine would prefer a move back to South America.
MARIO MAGIC BOLLOX
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[/spoiler]OTHER BOLLOX
Tranny could make a spectacular return to English football in the summer.
The Portuguese winger – who celebrates his 27th birthday today – has told close friends that his ‘dream’ move to Real Madrid has become tarnished.
After almost three years in Spain, the lure of a return to the Premier League is growing stronger – and that news will place a number of top English clubs on alert, including Manchester City and Chelsea. But the special relationship with United could prove crucial if Real Madrid agree to sell.
http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/300 ... and-return
Newcastle have targeted Crystal Palace right-back Nathaniel Clyne, 20, as a possible replacement for Danny Simpson, who has yet to agree a new contract at St James' Park. Daily Star Sunday
Fulham manager Martin Jol says deadline day signing Pavel Pogrebnyak could be prevented from making his debut next weekend because of work permit complications. Goal.com
Blackburn boss Steve Kean remains hopeful he can resolve the uncertainty surrounding defender Chris Samba's future with the club. talkShite
John Terry planned to announce his international retirement after Euro 2012 even before the Football Association decided to remove the England captaincy from him. Sunday Mirror
Former Manchester United and England defender Gary Neville has called on the FA to produce a clear set of rules regarding the sanctions England players might face if charged with criminal offences. Mail on Sunday
Chelsea coach Andre Villas-Boas insists his team have more to play for this season than Sunday's opponents Manchester United. Villas-Boas also says he is not concerned by the form of Fernando Torres, who has not scored in the Premier League since September. Mail on Sunday
However, Villas-Boas is still fighting to save his Chelsea career - although claims Blues owner Roman Abramovich will reinstate Jose Mourinho are wide of the mark. Sunday Mirror
Former Gunners defender Steve Bould is the hot favourite to take over as Arsene Wenger's new assistant manager next season. Sunday Mirror
Everton's Steven Pienaar, on loan from Tottenham, has warned the Londoners that big clubs will make further attempts to sign their prized playmaker Luka Modric in the summer. Sunday Mirror
Norwich manager Paul Lambert insists the club are not yet safe from relegation, despite securing their eighth win of the Premier League season with a 2-0 victory over Bolton. talkShit
Sunderland's Danish international striker Nicklas Bendtner could return to training wearing a protective mask following a broken nose and damage to his cheekbone against Swansea last month. Newcastle Chronicle
Tottenham coach Joe Jordan believes Andy Carroll is beginning to settle in at Liverpool following his high-profile £35m move from Newcastle last year. Mail on Sunday
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson is confident goalkeeper David de Gea will prove his worth in the English game and says the Spaniard's mistakes have been highlighted because he plays for the current Premier League champions. Manchester Evening News
Burnley have confirmed that Centre of Excellence manager Vince Overson, the club's former defender, who has been on 'gardening leave' since November, has formally left Turf Moor. Lancashire Telegraph
Bayer Leverkusen striker Eren Derdiyok suffered a freak injury when he knocked over the glass in which he keeps his toothbrush, then trod on a rogue shard and needed seven stitches in a cut. Metro
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