Silva could return from thigh strain in time for City's clash with Champions Bayern
David Silva could be fit to return to the Manchester City team for the visit of Bayern Munich in the Champions League next Wednesday evening.
The Spanish playmaker has not played for City since the 2-0 victory over Hull at the end of August after being sent home from international duty with a thigh strain at the beginning of September.
He has been absent for two Premier League games, the draw at Stoke and the victory over Manchester United, while he also missed City's opening Champions League game - the 3-0 win away to Viktoria Plzen - as well as the Capital One Cup success over Wigan.
Manager Manuel Pellegrini does not expect to have the Spaniard fit and ready to take on Aston Villa at Villa Park on Saturday afternoon, but is hopeful that Silva can return in time to face Bayern Munich in an eagerly-anticipated Champions League group game against European Champions Bayern Munich on Wednesday.
Speaking after Manchester City's 5-0 demolition of Wigan Athletic on Tuesday evening, Manuel Pellegrini said: 'We will see in the next days what happens with David Silva. The doctor can say better than me what will happen.
'For next Saturday, I don't think he can play. Maybe for the next game in the Champions League, he can play.'
To their credit, City have coped remarkably well in Silva's absence, netting twelve goals in a week as Pellegrini's side strolled to dominant victories over Plzen, United and Wigan.
Manchester City's Stevan Jovetic fires England warning
STEVAN JOVETIC warmed up for Montenegro’s vital World Cup clash with England next month with a double on his home debut for Manchester City.
Jovetic will admit his first was hardly a goal of the season contender but at least it helped City put a fairer reflection of their dominance on the scoreline as they took some revenge for their shock FA Cup final defeat to Wigan in May.
Edin Dzeko had given City a half-time lead but they had to wait until the hour for their second when the ball rebounded in off Jovetic after Lee Nicholls had saved his first effort.
That opened the floodgates as substitute Yaya Toure continued his scoring streak with his fifth goal of the season – and his third goal from a free-kick. Jovetic then added his second, again from close range, with a fifth goal from substitute Jesus Navas.
There was a stark contrast not only in atmosphere but also personnel to that historic day at Wembley in May. Wigan fielded only three players who figured in the FA Cup final while City had just one Wembley starter in their team, Gael Clichy, who was returning from injury.
Following the emphatic weekend derby triumph, Manuel Pellegrini made 10 changes, with Brazilian star Fernandinho the only survivor from Sunday. Wigan boss Owen Coyle was unhappy that his team were forced to play their third game in six days because Manchester United’s tie with Liverpool had been selected for TV coverage and responded by making nine changes following Sunday’s win over Ipswich.
With expensive stars such as Fernandinho, Dzeko and Jovetic included, City’s line-up still cost around £150m as opposed to £5m for Wigan’s. And the gulf in class was apparent from the kick-off with City pinning Wigan back in their own half for long periods.
Wigan ’keeper Nichols tipped over powerful early headers from Micah Richards and Dedryck Boyota. Richards was also on target with a fierce drive and Dzeko headed wide. Then Portugeuse youngster Marcos Lopes crashed a shot against the bar after Jovetic had embarrassingly slipped over as he shaped to convert Richards’ pass.
When the first goal came after 33 minutes the three most expensive players on the pitch were involved. Jovetic cut inside and passed to Fernandinho who chipped the ball over Wigan’s defence for Dzeko to beat the offside trap with a sliding volley.
With expensive stars such as Fernandinho, Dzeko and Jovetic included, City’s line-up still cost around £150m as opposed to £5m for Wigan’s. (yes we got that DSSC)
Wigan threatened only once in the first half when Jordi Gomez fired a free-kick over the bar. The only surprise was that City were not out of sight by the break. Derby hero Toure came on for Fernandinho at half-time as City went in search for the second goal to finish the game.
They went close when Nicholls parried Jovetic’s shot and James Milner’s fierce follow-up effort deflected off Stephen Crainey and on to the post.
Toure sent a diving header wide from Milner’s corner and City had to wait until the hour mark before making it safe.
There may have been a touch of good fortune about the goal but not the build-up. Milner, Dzeko and Richards combined to open up Wigan but Nicholls saved Jovetic’s close-range effort only to see the ball bounce back off the striker and into the net.
Toure underlined his class by curling in a superb free-kick in the 72nd minute – before Jovetic and Navas added two more goals in the final seven minutes as the home side won in a canter.
Man City (4-4-2): Pantilimon; Richards, Boyata, Lescott, Clichy; Milner, Fernandinho (Toure 46), Garcia, Lopes (Navas 71); Jovetic, Dzeko (Negredo 79). Goals: Dzeko 33, Jovetic 60, 83, Toure 76, Navas 86.
Wigan (4-1-4-1): Nicholls; Boyce, Rogne, Barnett (Shotton 59), Crainey (Redmond 68); Espinoza; McCann, Gomez, Fyvie, Garcia; Dicko (Powell 80). Booked: Barnett, Fyvie. (That will be £145mil less than the City team cost then)
Referee: K Friend (Leicestershire).
You ain't seen nothing yet! Pellegrini fires warning to title rivals that Toure is going to get even better after stunning free-kick in comfortable win against Wigan
Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini has warned that midfield powerhouse Yaya Toure has the potential to improve even further.
Toure has made a blistering start to the season, firing five goals and producing several dominant performances in the heart of the City midfield.
The Ivory Coast international was outstanding in eclipsing Manchester United's Marouane Fellaini and Michael Carrick during the 4-1 derby demolition at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday, and he followed it up with a scorching free-kick in the 5-0 victory over Wigan on Tuesday evening.
'He is an excellent player.' Pellegrini said, 'If he adds goals from free-kick and he scored again on Sunday, it is very important. A player can always improve more and Yaya is trying to do that.'
Toure is already well on his way to overtaking the nine goals he netted in City colours last season and it is his proficiency from free-kicks that has stood out at the beginning of this campaign.
The midfielder has developed a dipping, powerful strike that swerves in the air and it has been too much for the goalkeepers of Newcastle, Hull and Wigan, with three of Toure's five goals coming from set pieces.
Pellegrini admits that Toure has made an effort to improve his set-pieces, with the player regularly staying behind after training to perfect his technique.
'We are always practising,' Pellegrini said, 'Yaya stays normally kicking after we finish the daily work. He is in a very good moment. He is a very important player for the team.'
Pellegrini was in high spirits after witnessing his City side net twelve goals in three games over the past seven days, with a 3-0 victory over Plzen in the Champions League being followed by a 4-1 humbling of Manchester United and a 5-0 win over Wigan.
City have hit of a hot streak in front of goal, with six different goalscorers finding the net in the past week, and although Pellegrini made ten changes to the team that beat Manchester United, his side maintained a high level of performance for the visit of Wigan in the Capital One Cup, with £23million signing Stevan Jovetic grabbing two goals on his home debut.
The Chilean boss added: 'The goals are important. I spoke with the players before we started and told them that we must always play in the same way.
'We can change names but for me, It was very important to see the same team that we saw on Sunday against Manchester United. We had to play with the same philosophy and with a high performance.
'I think it is very important for Stevan, too. He wasn't playing because he has had some physical problems but he has been working hard for the last two weeks.
'I'm sure he is going to to be a very important player for us. He really played well in the second-half. He moved more and received the ball. I am very happy with him.'
Mancini lined up to take over at Galatasaray after big-spending Turkish giants sack Terim
Roberto Mancini is being lined up to be Galatasaray's new manager following the departure of Fatih Terim.The former Manchester City manager was sacked at the end of last season following a disappointing campaign but his reputation on the continent remains highly respectable after leading City to the Premier League title and reports suggest he is in Istanbul discussing the vacancy.
The experienced Terim was dismissed after refusing to sign a new contract and his side's 6-1 Champions League defeat at home to Real Madrid and the club hope to secure his successor in time for the October 2 fixture away to Juventus.
'After Fatih Terim's rejection of our two-year contract offer, the Galatasaray board have decided to find a different solution,' read a statement from Galatasaray. 'We have decided to terminate Fatih Terim's contract.
Patrick Vieira: English grassroots football decades behind
PATRICK VIEIRA has criticised the state of English football’s grassroots game and that its backward level is hampering the prospects of the national team winning at major tournaments.
His comments follow Football Association chairman Greg Dyke writing off England’s hopes of winning the 2014 World Cup in Brazil and that target was to get the Three Lions ready to be serious contenders by the time of the 2022 finals.
Speaking about limited opportunities for young English players in the Premier League, Vieira told Sportsmail: “To talk about foreign players is the easy answer. The problem comes from the grassroots. How can you improve the quality of the boys?
“The game has changed and football has changed.
“Now, it is completely different to football from thirty or forty years ago.
“I believe that at grassroots level in England, the football has not really changed. Maybe this is one of the issues and one of the problems.”
The former Arsenal midfielder and current Manchester City Elite Development Squad manager added: “In English football, the grassroots football has taken time to change the way young players train and play.
“When you look at the quality of players you have had in this country, it is unbelievable. You are talking about [Steven] Gerrard, [Paul] Scholes, all these outstanding players. The game has changed, now. The coaching and the grassroots have to change as well.”
On the subject of his own prospects of taking over a big side as manager, Vieira said: “It’s too early to say. I don’t want to get myself too excited about it.
“It is important that I learn a lot in the next few years and see if I am good enough because it is not an easy job at all.
“Then, I will decide if I want to manage a first-team or not. Now, what is important to me is to learn and see what is going to happen in the next few years.”
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[/spoiler]Manchester United 'Twitter trolls' threaten Wayne Rooney, family with 'death tweets' following loss to Manchester City
Although Rooney scored United's only consolation goal, it did not stop him from getting death threats by angry fans, who also targeted his wife Coleen and their two children Kai and Klay.
Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney and his family were reportedly made the target of 'vile' death threats on Twitter following United's Premier League drubbing by arch-rivals Manchester City on Sunday.
Although Rooney scored United's only consolation goal, it did not stop him from getting death threats by angry fans, who also targeted his wife Coleen and their two children Kai and Klay.
According to the Daily Star, a fan tweeted that he hopes that 'something tragic' happened to Rooney, 'his missus and the kids', while other tweets slammed Rooney as an 'ugly overpaid f***' and that they wanted to kill the star.
However, Rooney's wife reportedly was unfazed after she replied as 'another nob' to the threats concerning her and the children, although many other fans leapt to the couple's defence and slammed the 'sick' trolls.
Meanwhile, the report said that the culprits could face police action as specialist force IT experts monitor internet traffic, with a police source saying that social networking sites are not an excuse for people to say whatever they like to whoever they like.
Wales winger Gareth Bale, 24, flew back from Spain and held talks with Manchester United before completing a world record £86m move to Real Madrid. Daily Mirror
The Premier League champions offered Tottenham more than £120m in a bid to get Bale. Sun
Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham could be alerted by uncertainty of Andrea Pirlo's future at Juventus. The Italy midfielder, 34, could be allowed to leave in January if the Turin club decide against extending his current deal beyond this season. DSSC
Chelsea are set to move for Porto defender Eliaquim Mangala, 22, in the January transfer window. Monaco are also interested in the France international centre-back. Daily Mirror
Manchester United defender Rafael is considering a return to Brazil, with Corinthians a possible destination for the right-back, 23. Daily Star
Athletic Bilbao could move for Chelsea defender Cesar Azpilicueta in January. The Spanish right-back, 24, has only made one substitute appearance in the Premier League this season. Daily Express
Arsenal and Juventus are both interested in Red Bull Salzburg's Austrian defender Martin Hinteregger, 21. Inside Futbol
Manager David Moyes says Manchester United are short of two players. Sun
Arsenal and Tottenham are set to miss out on 27-year-old free agent striker Ciprian Marica. talkSHIT
Former Brighton manager Gus Poyet has held talks with Sunderland owner Ellis Short about replacing Paolo Di Canio at the Stadium of Light. Steve McClaren and Tony Pulis are also in the race for the job. Daily Telegraph
Uruguayan Poyet, 45, is set to be offered the job, with director of football Roberto De Fanti wanting a young "tracksuit" manager with good man-management skills. Daily Mirror
Former Birmingham manager Alex McLeish, 54, says he wants the Sunderland job. talkSHIT
Norwich manager Chris Hughton could face the sack if the Canaries are beaten at Stoke on Sunday. Daily Mirror
Sweden striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, 31, will now earn £12.6m a year, rather than an annual salary of £11.6m, after signing a contract extension at Paris St-Germain. L'Equipe
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers will have no hesitation about using Luis Suarez against rivals Manchester United at Old Trafford on Wednesday following the end of his 10-match suspension. Guardian
Twenty-eight-year-old striker Leroy Lita's time with Swansea's first-team squad has come to an end says manager Michael Laudrup. Daily Express
Gareth Bale is renting Kaka's house in Spain. Real Madrid mediated on a rental agreement between Bale and the Brazilian midfielder, 31, who has returned for a second spell at AC Milan. El Mundo Deportivo
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