11am CHUMPS LEAGUE DRAW
City don't make life easy for themselves in European competition but they bounced back impressively to finish as runners-up in Group E behind Bayern Munich.
The Citizens failed to win any of their first four games and when they took just one point from the two games against CSKA Moscow they looked dead and buried.
But Aguero's hat-trick helped them beat Bayern and they held their nerve to win in Rome last week in a do-or-die showdown.
Odds to win: 12/1
MCF.net THREAD: viewtopic.php?f=119&t=49409
Today brings another momentous occasion in City's 2014/15 season. It's the day of the Chumps League draw.
Fans across the globe are abuzz with excitement and I'd imagine the question: 'so who do you want in the last 16?' has been uttered in every conversation between Blues since the Roma game...
The City faithful can take their pick from: Atletico Madrid, Real Madrid, Monaco, Borussia Dortmund, Barcelona or Porto - all thrilling prospects!
However, while supporters predict and fantasise, media sources around the world do not share the same focus today. Instead, they are concentrating on the champions' current striker shortage.
With the January transfer window fast approaching, a whole host of names are cropping up in this morning's headlines as potential replacements for the injured Edin Dzeko, Stevan Jovetic and Sergio Aguero.
The flames of these claims have apparently been fanned by manager Manuel Pellegrini, who told press he has a shortlist of targets in mind.
Quoted in an article on the Manchester Evening News website, the Chilean asserted: "The transfer window in January is always an option for all the teams and also for us.
"We decided to let Alvaro Negredo go because we had options to replace him in January.
"Of course, we have three strikers injured. It is an option for us to analyse - as we have important options - and we will try to, and one player we can't replace is Sergio.
"We'll see first of all options. We have options in January. After that, we will find an option for our team; we will see if the other club wants to sell the player. It is not easy in January to make a transfer."
As true as that is, it hasn't stopped a wave of speculation on who could be brought in. The same source has a separate article on their website, entitled: "Five strikers City could target in January" which includes Wilfried Bony, Saido Berahino, Mauro Icardi, Alexandre Lacazette and Edinson Cavani.
Meanwhile, Mark Ogden of the Telegraph states there are no plans to sign David Villa ahead of his move to New York City FC, insisting: "The former Valencia and Barcelona striker has since made four appearances on loan at Melbourne City - Abu Dhabi's A-League outfit - in order to maintain his fitness ahead of the MLS season, which kicks off in March.
"But although City have benefited hugely from Frank Lampard's presence at the club following his temporary move from New York, which may yet be extended until the end of the season, there are no plans to sign Villa on a similar basis."
Elsewhere, the Express believe the champions are also looking to strengthen at the back and are allegedly considering a move for Borussia Dortmund defender, Mats Hummels.
James Cambridge writes: "Manuel Pellegrini is said to be considering a January move of around £47million for the centre back who would ease City's defensive woes
"With Kompany leaving the field with an apparent hamstring injury and rumours of Matija Nastasic heading to Inter Milan, the move is also timely.
"The German international is enduring a torrid time at Borussia Dortmund as they battle relegation and look to stop the rot."
The same writer also elaborates on his claim Nastasic is wanted by former boss Roberto Mancini at Inter Milan, in a separate piece.
"Nastasic is said to be top of Mancini's shortlist because of his time at Manchester City and wants the defender on loan with a view to signing him permanently for £10m," Cambridge suggests.
"The 21-year-old has not featured in the league since the 1-0 defeat to Chelsea back in February, but remains still highly rated in Italy where he began at Fiorentina."
Jose Mourinho: Why I let Frank Lampard leave Chelsea for Man City
JOSE MOURINHO has revealed why he let Frank Lampard leave Chelsea.
Club legend Lampard quit the Blues last summer to join MLS outfit New York City.
But he sparked controversy by returning to the Premier League this season on loan at Manchester City.
Lampard has starred for Manuel Pellegrini's men this season, scoring the winner in City's 1-0 win over Leicester on Saturday.
But Chelsea boss Mourinho insists the club were right to move Lampard on.
"It's his life, nothing to do with us," he said. "He left Chelsea as a free agent and chooses his life, we can't complain about it. That's football.
"My view is that when you want to look forward, look to the future and have people like (Cesc) Fabregas and (Nemanja) Matic and Jeremie Boga (a midfielder with the under-21s) which are the next 10 years of the club.
"The project is to prepare for the next 10 years, not for the next year - we made the right decision.
"You can argue 'You have John Terry and Didier Drogba'. Different. Drogba is a striker that is coming to help and support the team.
"John Terry is the best central defender in English football and it doesn't matter how old he is.
"The nucleus of the team has to be developed and to have a big player like Frank we would stop the development of the other guys."
Atlético rejected offer from Manchester City for Giménez
The English champions are keen on the 19-year-old, who has excelled in recent weeks for Atlético.
The 19-year-old is rated as one of the finest young centre-backs in the world.
The English team offered 22m euros. José María Giménez has taken advantage of the opportunities handed to him in recent weeks by coach Diego Pablo Simeone. Ten days ago Atlético Madrid received a tempting offer from Manchester City to sign Giménez during the forthcoming January transfer window.
The Spanish champions rejected the bid of 22m euros that was offered for the young Uruguayan centre-back. For several seasons City have been looking for a reliable centre-back. They made a good offer to take Pepe from Real Madrid and tried for Diego Godín last summer too. Now Txiki Begiristain wants to give City boss Manuel Pellegrini one of the most promising centre-backs in the world. But Giménez remains at Atleti.
Manchester City Eye Signing Of Top Manchester United Target With £47m Bid
City join clubs in chase for world class target.
Manchester City are the latest club to be linked with a move to sign Borussia Dortmund centre-back Mats Hummels, according to the Daily Express.
The German international has long been targeted by the likes of Arsenal and Manchester United after his fine performances in the Bundesliga, which have seen him become regarded as one of the best players in the world in his position.
City are also in need of new signings in defence this winter after an unconvincing start in that department, and it looks as though Manuel Pellegrini will make Hummels his top target.
An injury to club captain Vincent Kompany seems to have forced the move, while Matija Nastasic could also be leaving the club for Inter Milan in the upcoming transfer window.
This would leave City very short of options at the back, and there’s no doubt Hummels would be a top investment to fix a problem area for the Premier League champions
Manchester City's string of muscle injuries to key players leaves manager Manuel Pellegrini vowing to unearth the reason
Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini is to investigate the spate of muscle injuries that threatens to undermine his side's return to form.
City could have to play through the Christmas programme without a recognised senior striker and their captain after a costly 1-0 victory over Barclays Premier League bottom side Leicester on Saturday.
The club's only fit striker, Edin Dzeko, suffered a calf muscle injury in the warm-up before skipper Vincent Kompany pulled up with a recurrence of a hamstring problem late in the second half.
Both are unlikely to be fit before new year and join forwards Sergio Aguero and Stevan Jovetic on the casualty list.
Their absences will leave sizeable gaps at both ends of the field and Pellegrini wants to find out if there is an underlying cause, although the Chilean will not make excuses.
'Maybe we must find a reason why,' said Pellegrini, whose side have won seven in succession. 'It is very unlucky to have the three strikers out with injuries but we must try to solve the problem and play another way, or keep a clean sheet.
'It is difficult because we have to play a lot of games during the last days of December, but I never complain about the players who cannot play.'
Kompany had been making his comeback after a three-game absence with a hamstring injury and the influential Belgian also missed a game at QPR in November with a calf problem.
Dzeko had only recently returned from a four-game lay-off with a calf strain while Jovetic has had niggly hamstring issues in recent weeks and aggravated them in Wednesday's Champions League win at Roma.
Full-back Aleksandar Kolarov missed all City's November fixtures with a calf injury. Top scorer Aguero has knee ligament damage and could be out for up to eight weeks.
Teenage striker Jose Angel Pozo was drafted into the side at the King Power Stadium at the last moment and the lack of current alternatives could force City into the transfer market in January.
Pellegrini said: 'In January we will see, it is an option. I think our squad must always be strong.'
Another looming problem is the loss of midfielder Yaya Toure to the African Nations Cup next month.
That is likely to mean Pellegrini will press harder to extend the loan of Frank Lampard in the coming days.
Former England and Chelsea midfielder Lampard again proved City's chief inspiration and was their match-winner at Leicester, netting the only goal - his sixth for the club - five minutes before half-time.
The 36-year-old's loan from sister club New York City expires at the end of the month and Pellegrini has made clear he wants him to stay longer. He also said after the game that Lampard himself also wanted to stay on.
A decision has not yet been made but Pellegrini had already come to a firm opinion on his value before the injuries to strikers that left the veteran as one of the team's few obvious goalscorers.
'That is why he is now on the team but he would not stay with us because we have injured strikers,' said Pellegrini. 'He would stay with us because he is a very important player.'
City were laboured but at least kept claimed the three points needed to prevent Chelsea extending their three-point advantage at the top of the table.
Leicester made the early running and rallied late on but City's defence held firm and recorded a valuable third clean sheet in the space of a week.
'As a defender it is always nice to have a clean sheet but I want to say all the team defended well,' said right-back Bacary Sagna. 'We faced a very athletic team. They tried to create problems but we stayed compact as a team and finally we got the three points. We have to look forward and keep working.'
Leicester boss Nigel Pearson feels his side are letting themselves down at both ends of the field.
The result left the promoted Foxes bottom of the table and without a win in 11 games, since they stunned Manchester United on September 21.
He said: 'This remains the frustrating aspect about our season so far - that we are not converting key chances and an inability to keep that clean sheet.
'We find ourselves adrift at the bottom at the moment and that is something we are going to have to rectify.
'From a tactical perspective we didn't really allow them to have a great deal of dominance.
'But the bottom line is, it is about being dominant in both boxes and we have not delivered that again.'
Spanish approach for City youngster
Manchester City Malaga have made an approach to take Manchester City's Nigerian starlet Chidi Nwakali on loan for the rest of the season. The 18-year-old midfielder is tipped for a big future and joined the Citizens earlier this year along with fellow Nigerian prospect Kelechi Iheanacho. They both played a key role in Nigeria's Under-17 World Cup triumph last year and attracted interest from a posse of clubs around Europe. City are confident they will be granted a work permit later this week for striker Iheanacho, who is poised to be drafted straight into the first-team set-up. But the Citizens feel Nwakali needs to regain some confidence by playing every week after suffering some injury setbacks. Malaga are hoping their former boss Manuel Pellegrini will now do them a good turn with Valencia also in the frame.
Five strikers Man City could target in January
Manuel Pellegrini has revealed that the Blues have shortlist of potential replacements for Alvaro Negredo - but who should be on it?
Wilfried Bony
Manuel Pellegrini need only look at the Premier League's top scorers list to see that Bony is one of the best forwards in the English top flight who does not currently play for a top side. The Ivorian has netted eight goals so far this term despite Swansea's mixed form and would be a superb addition to any squad's striking options.
Rumours that a release clause is contained in the new contract he recently signed will not go away, and the Blues could do far worse if they decide to add a fourth centre-forward to their ranks.
Saido Berahino
Sticking with Premier League experience, Berahino is just one goal behind Bony so far this term. That he is just 21 also makes his achievements even more incredible.
The Burundi-born striker would be more than willing to wait for his opportunities behind the likes of Sergio Aguero and Stevan Jovetic at the Etihad Stadium, but already possesses the quality to make an immediate impact if he is brought in.
And City are snapping up a potential future world beater if they elect to go for Berahino.
Mauro Icardi
Icardi is another young forward making his name in one of Europe's top leagues, this time Serie A.
The Argentine has netted 12 goals in 20 appearances for Inter Milan already this season, despite his side's less-than impressive performances in the Italian league.
There is a certain degree of risk involved in bringing Argentine forwards in from Italy, as Tottenham have found to their cost with Erik Lamela, but Icardi could be a punt worth taking.
Alexandre Lacazette
Pellegrini could instead elect to go shopping in France, where Lacazette simply cannot stop scoring for Lyon so far this season.
The 23-year-old picked up his best-ever haul of 22 goals in 54 outings last term but is well on his way to beating that this time around having clocked up 16 strikes in just 22 appearances.
He is the right age for a move to a more testing league and City should consider giving him the chance to make the step up.
Edinson Cavani
Of course, developing young stars or handing players their first opportunity at the highest level can be extremely risky - and that is why City may just go all out for a bona fide star.
Paris Saint-Germain star Cavani fits that bill, with his goalscoring record and pedigree at the top of the European game making him all-but a dead cert to be a success in the Premier League.
It has long been suggested that the Uruguayan would jump at the chance to move out of Zlatan Ibrahimovic's shadow in Paris, and the Etihad could be the perfect new home.
Celtic boss Ronny Deila confident of sealing deal for on-loan hitman John Guidetti
CELTIC have already agreed a £3m deal with Manchester City for the Swedish striker and Deila is confident he can persuade Guidetti to extend his stay at Parkhead.
RONNY Deila last night revealed he’s confident of sealing a deal for red-hot hitman John Guidetti in talks this week.
The Hoops boss will meet the Swede’s agents in the next few days to discuss personal terms after a £3m transfer fee was struck with his club Manchester City.
The Celtic gaffer said: “There has been some movement on Guidetti.
“Hopefully that’s encouraging. If it wasn’t, I don’t think he’d want to meet us, so it’s positive.
“There is no problem with his club Manchester City. It’s now about gettingthe player on board.” The 22-year-old hitman has bagged 11 goals for Celtic since arriving from City in August.
His contract at the Etihad Stadium is up this summer and Celts have sealed a deal with Man City for Guidetti’s permanent transfer.
However, Deila’s hopes of signing Norwegian prodigy Martin Odegaard faded last night as it was revealed he was training with Bayern Munich who were confident of winning him over.
The Hoops gaffer is looking to make three new signings in the January transfer window.
And despite scouting in his native Scandinavia, he’s keen to add some Scots. He said: “We have a list of players and are trying to sort them out now, who is available and what is our best option.
“Two or three coming in would be good. I’d be happy. But it’s about making sure they’re of the quality we want. It could be loans again but with an option to buy.
“We’re also looking at players in Scotland. It would be good for togetherness, they’d know the culture and the environment.”
But the gaffer also stressed keeping the likes of Guidetti, Virgil Van Dijk and on-loan defender Jason Denayer is a priority. He said: “We’re in the last 32 of the Europa League and that could be tempting.
“But it’s much more secure to keep than to buy. That’s why it’s important we keep Guidetti, Denayer and Van Dijk for as long as possible.”
Manchester United could sign winger Gareth Bale, 25, from Real Madrid for £90m, with the Spanish giants to use the money to sign Chelsea midfielder Eden Hazard, 23. (Daily Star)
New York Red Bulls sporting director and former Liverpool boss Gerard Houllier is ready to offer Steven Gerrard a lucrative deal if the 34-year-old turns down a new contract at Anfield. (Daily Mirror)
Tottenham are considering a bid for Israel striker Eran Zehavi, with the 27-year-old Maccabi Tel Aviv player believed to be available for as little as £1.6m. (caughtoffside.com)
Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher has urged Reds manager Brendan Rodgers to offer at least £20m for Swansea striker Wilfried Bony, 26, in January. (Daily Express)
Arsenal are preparing to move for German defender Benedikt Howedes, 26, as Arsene Wenger looks to strengthen his under-manned defence in January. (Metro)
Inter Milan will battle Ajax and Real Sociedad to secure a loan deal for Manchester United winger Adnan Januzaj, 19, in January. (Daily Star)
Despite injuries to all three of their frontline strikers, Manchester City have agreed a £3m deal to let John Guidetti, 22, turn his loan move to Celtic into a permanent deal. (Daily Record)
Werder Bremen are being linked with a January move for 24-year-old Sunderland striker Jozy Altidore, who is rated at £7m despite failing to score in the Premier League for more than a year. (Sunderland Echo)
The Glazer family intend to maximise their investment in Old Trafford by using big-name signings to drive the club's value up to £3bn. (Daily Express)
Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher has warned current Reds boss Brendan Rodgers that his job is not safe under the club's "ruthless" owners. (Sun )
Hull manager Steve Bruce has admitted he does not know where midfielder Hatem Ben Arfa, 27, is and that his career with the Tigers appears to be over. (Times )
Former Manchester United captain Bryan Robson has questioned whether manager Louis van Gaal's double training sessions could be the cause of the club's injury crisis. (Talksport)
West Ham striker Andy Carroll, 25, says his partying days are over as he rebuilds his reputation. (Daily Mirror)
West Brom have halted contract talks with leading scorer Saido Berahino, 21, over concerns about his lifestyle. (Express & Star)
Inter Milan have opened talks to sign Chelsea winger Mohamed Salah, with the 22-year-old struggling to impress since arriving at Stamford Bridge in January. (Talksport)
Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gea's heroics against Liverpool sparked a series of internet viral images about what else the 24-year-old could save, including Game of Thrones character Ned Stark, Dumbledore from the Harry Potter movies and planet Earth.
Injured Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge, 25, tweeted to admit he was "absolutely gutted" after his side's 3-0 defeat at Manchester United.
Mexico goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa, 29, who is at Spanish side Malaga, Gstarted following Liverpool FC on Twitter minutes after they dropped Simon Mignolet.
Former Manchester United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel and ex-Liverpool striker Robbie Fowler were in attendance as tens of thousands fans turned up to a live screening of United's 3-0 win over the Merseyside club in Mumbai, India on Sunday. (Daily Telegraph)
Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton was named BBC Sports Personality of the Year last night, but Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has been named Belgian Sportsman of the Year to become the first footballer to win the award. (DSSC)
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