Manchester City 1 Hull City 1       This is not real!!
Saturday 28th November 2009 : GYKO at the COMSTAD

And so for the £200m men it becomes seven points from a possible 21, and no Premier League win since September. No Mancunians have drawn this often since LS Lowry was in his matchstick prime, and the Eastlands natives are getting decidedly restless, booing City off the pitch at the end of another disappointing performance and deflating result.
Seven successive draws, some of them against modest opposition, is hardly the form of top-four wannabes, and it will be interesting to see how much longer the absentee sheikh remains steadfast behind Mark Hughes, whose excuses for his overpaid, underachieving team are wearing a bit thin. "We are still in the mix at the top," he insisted last night, as supporters were ringing the phone-ins to discuss his future. Pressed on the subject, he admitted: "There is pressure for me to get results – every manager has that."

In mitigation, Hull were combative throughout, and are impressively transformed from the relegation ragbag who had a moribund look a month ago, since when they have won two and drawn two of their last four. With the advent of a new chairman, Adam Pearson, the embattled Phil Brown has turned things around in the nick of time, and it will not have escaped his attention that this latest restorative result came on the ground at which he experienced his managerial low point last season.

It was in the corresponding fixture on Boxing Day that a dreadful first-half performance, which left Hull four goals in arrears, led Brown to admonish his players on the pitch at half-time. The result of his rant? A surly, resentful dressing room gave him two points from the next eight matches, and relegation was averted by a whisker. Fast-forward and, belatedly though it may be, they are playing for him now all right, and it was their indefatigable spirit that enabled Jimmy Bullard to celebrate his return to the starting line-up with a late penalty equaliser.

City, as has become their wont, had the initiative throughout, but were frustratingly unable to translate the lion's share of possession and chances into goals. Individually and collectively, Emmanuel Adebayor, Robinho, Carlos Tevez, Shaun Wright-Phillips, Craig Bellamy et al should be doing better against bottom-half opposition. Defensively, too, Hughes has problems. One clean sheet in the past 10 league matches points up the fact that Micah Richards, Joleon Lescott and Wayne Bridge are all operating way below the level that brought them England recognition.

Stephen Ireland, Tevez, Robinho and Wright-Phillips all threatened, to no avail, before City took the lead as the first half went into added time. Tevez set up Wright-Phillips, whose shot from 20 yards was deflected into his own net by Anthony Gardner's attempt at a headed clearance. Peskily persistent, Hull would have equalised straight after the interval but for Lescott's goalline clearance from Richard Garcia.

The second half followed much the same pattern as the first, with Tevez, Wright-Phillips and Robinho all failing to summon the required accuracy in front of goal, and paying the price late on, when Lescott's foul on Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink enabled Bullard to secure a point from the spot with 10 minutes left. By way of celebration, he imitated Brown's rollicking last season.

The Hull manager, in forgiving mood, smiled benignly, then said afterwards: "I'm still in a job because of the sort of spirit the players showed here."

Hughes's post-match comments induced a feeling of deja vu: "We have the look of a team that has been put together quickly," he said. "When you do that, you have to keep picking up points, which we are doing. I think the owner understands that." Famous last words? It is not about to get any easier, with Arsenal at home in the League Cup in midweek followed by Chelsea's visit next Saturday.

Man City: Given, Richards, Toure, Lescott, Bridge, De Jong, Ireland, Wright-Phillips, Tevez, Robinho (Bellamy 75), Adebayor (Santa Cruz 67). Subs Not Used: Taylor, Onuoha, Johnson, Kompany, Weiss. Booked: De Jong.

Goals: Wright-Phillips 45.

Hull: Duke, McShane, Gardner, Zayatte, Dawson, Bullard, Marney (Boateng 62), Garcia, Geovanni (Barmby 61), Hunt, Altidore (Vennegoor of Hesselink 73). Subs Not Used: Myhill, Kilbane, Mouyokolo, Ghilas. Booked: Dawson, McShane, Zayatte.

Goals: Bullard 82 pen.

Att: 46,382

Ref: Lee Probert (Wiltshire).

Liverpool 2 Manchester City 2            
Saturday 21st November 2009 : Paul Robinson for GYKO at Anfield

Liverpool proved they are not ready to be replaced in the top flight elite by Manchester City just yet as Yossi Benayoun's equaliser secured a draw at Anfield.

The mega-rich men from Eastlands arrived on Merseyside intent on proving they were top four material but they found a Liverpool side in defiant mood despite more injury problems.

Martin Skrtel put Liverpool in front but Emmanuel Adebayor and Stephen Ireland sent City ahead before Benayoun equalised. Despite the furore over Liverpool's use of a Belgrade clinic to get players fit for a key week of vital matches in Europe and the Premier League, all four of the men sent to Serbia for treatment failed to make the starting line-up. Glen Johnson was not even on the bench, where Benayoun, Albert Riera and Fabio Aurelio were initially named. Liverpool had Steven Gerrard, Ryan Babel and Jamie Carragher, the latter after a ban, returning from the side that drew with Birmingham last time out.

Manchester City made one change from the side that were held at home by Burnley last time out, Nigel De Jong coming into the side in place of Carlos Tevez, who was a substitute.

Liverpool started well, Gerrard attacking the right flank of City's defence when the opportunity arose. The first chance came after five minutes from a free-kick following a Gareth Barry foul on Dirk Kuyt. Gerrard swung the set-piece in from the right, Daniel Agger flicked on and centre-back partner Skrtel saw a free header from the left brilliantly saved by Shay Givens. Agger, though, was injured in the incident after clashing heads with Kolo Toure. The young Dane's legs buckled under him as he was receiving treatment and he was carried off suffering from concussion. Greek defender Sotirios Kyrgiakos was soon on as substitute, a reshuffle Liverpool did not need against the pace of Emmanuel Adebayor, with Craig Bellamy itching to run at Carragher on the left.

Soon Liverpool suffered more injury trouble. Babel was hurt in a collision with De Jong, and needed treatment on the line. Babel lasted only a couple of minutes more after his limping return and was replaced by Benayoun.

City were intent on containment and eventual control. De Jong effectively regained midfield possession to set in motion City's calm, thoughtful approach play. Toure, suffering following an earlier tackle with Gerrard, was replaced at the break by Nedum Onuoha.

And Liverpool produced the lift the game needed with a goal after 49 minutes. Pablo Zabaleta had given away a needless free-kick for holding Ngog on the left, and when Gerrard swung the set-play into the box, Skrtel was there first in front of Adebayor to stab home from six yards.

City needed to up their game now, and with the fire-power of Tevez and Roque Santa Cruz on the bench, they certainly had the ammunition. And they waited until the hour mark to withdraw Barry and send on Tevez, who instantly drew a booking for Lucas following a tangle on the half-way line. City cranked up the pressure as Liverpool fell deeper, and they were level after 69 minutes. Bellamy's corner swirled into the box and it was Adebayor's turn to lose Skrtel this time, heading the ball down into the turf from where it bounced high into the top corner. City struck again after 76 minutes when Tevez and Wright-Phillips worked well to create a chance for Stephen Ireland to flick the ball past Reina.

Liverpool's response came within 60 seconds. Ngog crossed from the right, the ball deflecting to Benayoun who forced it home from a couple of yards out.

Teams:

Liverpool Reina, Carragher, Skrtel, Agger (Kyrgiakos 11),Insua, Mascherano, Lucas, Kuyt, Gerrard, Babel (Benayoun 18),Ngog, Benayoun (Aurelio 85).

Subs Not Used: Cavalieri, Aquilani, Riera, El Zhar.

Booked: Carragher, Lucas.

Goals: Skrtel 50, Benayoun 77.

Man City Given, Zabaleta, Toure (Onuoha 46), Lescott, Bridge,De Jong, Barry (Tevez 61), Wright-Phillips, Ireland, Bellamy,Adebayor.

Subs Not Used: Taylor, Johnson, Santa Cruz, Kompany, Weiss.

Goals: Adebayor 69, Ireland 76.

Att: 44,164

Ref: Phil Dowd (Staffordshire).
 

United Arab Emirates 1 Manchester City 0  Abu Dharbi Loss
Thursday 12th November 2009 : Gary Morgan in Abu Dharbi for GYKO

An eighth-minute penalty proved decisive as Manchester City slipped to defeat in their friendly match against a youthful United Arab Emirates side in humid conditions at Abu Dhabi's Zayed Sports City. The key moment in the Emirates Foundation Cup match came when goalkeeper Stuart Taylor fouled UAE skipper Saeed Al Kasand and was beaten down to his right side by Mohamed Al Shihi.

Pablo Zabaleta, Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha were the only established first-team players named by boss Mark Hughes in a young City line-up. After falling behind the nearest the visitors came to scoring in the first half was when Paul Marshall's free-kick from 20 yards curled over the bar in the 25th minute.

Onuoha blocked a 44th-minute effort and City's night was summed up in the closing stages when their appeals for a penalty were unsuccessful when Kieren Trippier's cross appeared to be handballed, before Alex Nimley's low cross was sliced just wide by a UAE defender.

City: Taylor, Trippier, Onuoha, Mee (Boyata 66), Vidal, Zabaleta, Tutte (Redshaw 78), Marshall (Poole 56), Ireland, Benjani, Nimley. Not used: Nielsen, Moore, Kay, Redshaw, Johansen.

UAE: Khsaif, Dhanhani, Qassim (Fayez 76), Jaben, Mubarak, Kamali (Abbas 79), Khater (Rahman 46), Al Wahiabi (Awana 46), Khamis, Al Kas (Khalil 46), Al Shihi (Mabkhout 67).
 

Manchester City 3 Burnley 3             Same old same old City
Saturday 7th November 2009 : GYKO at the Comstad

Kevin McDonald had the last word in an amazing six-goal thriller which brought Burnley their first away point of the season and condemned Manchester City to a fifth successive draw. Graham Alexander's penalty and a Steven Fletcher effort seemed to have Burnley well placed for their first top-flight away win since April 1976.

But Shaun Wright-Phillips breathed fresh life into the home side two minutes before half-time and Kolo Toure and Craig Bellamy seemed to have set the stage for a City win in 15 raucous minutes either side of the break.
However, after spending almost all the second period on the back foot, Burnley found a final burst of energy three minutes from time. Substitute David Nugent crossed for Fletcher, whose nod back invited McDonald's gleeful finish and drew boos of derision from City fans at the end as their team slipped out of the top four.

On Monday, the Blues fly out to Abu Dhabi for a friendly with the United Arab Emirates and promotional work in a place which is now a home from home. Manager Mark Hughes wanted three points to cushion the landing and impress his new owners, who have spent £200million on the Eastlands outfit so far. With Toure and Emmanuel Adebayor returning from injury, there appeared little chance of resistance from Burnley but, as owner Sheikh Mansour and chairman Khaldoon al-Mubarak are quickly learning, there is far more to the Premier League than merely spending fortunes on players.

The squad Owen Coyle has assembled cost a fraction of the one Hughes has at his disposal, but what they lack in star quality they go some way to making up for with endeavour, team spirit and an eye for an opportunity. And it was with a sense of purpose that Alexander drilled home the penalty after Joleon Lescott had handled ex City player Tyrone Mears' right-wing cross. Any sense that was a fluke was quickly exposed, as was Wayne Bridge's defending, when Fletcher doubled the visitors' lead. Bridge has not quite delivered since his £10million move from Chelsea last January and speculation suggests Hughes has not abandoned the idea of bringing in a replacement.

Certainly a video of Burnley's second will not be on any showreel for the England international, who found himself upfield and totally helpless as Robbie Blake's quick free-kick opened up City. Of the three men who filled the left-back area Bridge was supposed to be patrolling, it was Chris Eagles who received the ball. Fletcher's run was timed to perfection and the cross made his finish easy.

Few of City's expensive recruits were impressing. Wright-Phillips was one and it was no surprise he was the man who struck two minutes before the break, his shot flicking off former City defender Stephen Jordan to raise hopes of a successful second-half comeback. Within 13 minutes the seeds of a revival had reached full bloom, Burnley's marking coming under question on both occasions.  First Lescott got behind Clarke Carlisle at the far post to reach a Gareth Barry free-kick and steer it into Toure's path. The City skipper was coming in as Burnley's defenders were rushing out. The ensuing tap-in was simplicity itself.

City's third was not quite a replica but the cross from Wright-Phillips, who had been sent galloping into the box by Stephen Ireland, was from the same side. And Bellamy was also in oceans of space as he fired home the fifth goal of a very impressive season. The Welshman set up Carlos Tevez as Burnley struggled to cope but the Argentina star was off target as he arrived at pace and tried to turn the ball home. When Adebayor just failed to reach Martin Petrov's cross there was a sense Burnley would have one last opportunity to salvage themselves. McDonald did not let his team down.

Teams:

Man City Given, Zabaleta, Toure, Lescott, Bridge, Wright-Phillips, Ireland, Barry, Bellamy, Tevez (Petrov 73),Adebayor.

Subs Not Used: Taylor, Richards, Johnson, Santa Cruz, De Jong,

Weiss.

Booked: Bellamy.

Goals: Wright-Phillips 43, Toure 55, Bellamy 58.

Burnley Jensen, Mears, Carlisle, Caldwell, Jordan, Alexander, Bikey (McDonald 61), Eagles (Nugent 71), Elliott,Blake (Gudjonsson 62), Steven Fletcher.

Subs Not Used: Penny, Duff, Thompson, Guerrero.

Booked: Bikey, Mears, Carlisle.

Goals: Alexander 19 pen, Steven Fletcher 32, McDonald 87.

Att: 47,205

Ref: Stuart Attwell (Warwickshire).
 

Birmingham City 0 Manchester City 0    Given Saves a Point
Sunday 1st November 2009 : Josh Carpenter for GYKO at St Andrews

Manchester City's season has turned into a grind. Four successive league draws have applied the brakes to their early momentum and, in the process, provided a reminder of just how far Mark Hughes's side have to travel before they can be considered title contenders. For the first time in nine matches, the visitors kept a clean sheet, although Birmingham City's failure to score owed little to the Manchester City back four and everything to Shay Given.

Amid the glittering array of attacking talent assembled at Eastlands, it is easy to forget the £7m that was spent on the Republic of Ireland goalkeeper in January. On days like this, however, Given looks like the best signing Hughes has made. The save he made from a penalty to prevent James McFadden putting Birmingham ahead in the 56th minute was the most crucial but his contribution was excellent throughout on an afternoon when City made little impression.

Unable to retain possession for any period because of Birmingham's high-tempo approach, the visitors never found any fluency and, at times, struggled to contain the threat of a side whose tally of eight goals from 11 matches makes them the Premier League's lowest scorers. A combination of the woodwork, Given's heroics and Birmingham's profligacy meant that City escaped with a point. The bigger picture, though, is that City have won one of their last six in the league.
by Guardian Chalkboards The introduction of Stephen Ireland in place of Nigel de Jong gave Manchester City more attacking thrust in midfield, yet they failed to break down Birmingham

That statistic does not make for comfortable reading, even if Hughes tried to apply a positive sheen by highlighting that three of the four draws have come away from home. He did not, however, make any attempt to paper over the cracks of a disappointing performance in which the midfield triumvirate of Shaun Wright-Phillips, Nigel de Jong and Gareth Barry were subdued and the trio in front of them, Carlos Tevez, Roque Santa Cruz and Craig Bellamy, threatened only sporadically. Given, in contrast, was outstanding.

"Shay played very well," said the City manager. "Saving the penalty and other key moments kept us in the game. We found the game itself a struggle. We didn't impose ourselves for a considerable time. But credit to Birmingham. They chased everything down and made it uncomfortable for us to play the game we wanted to play. At times we possibly got sucked into the game that they wanted to play."

For that, Alex McLeish deserves credit. Birmingham worked tirelessly and took the game to City during a first half in which Given made four decent saves. Christian Benítez was denied twice in the space of a couple of minutes, his first shot tipped onto the post, via a deflection off Vincent Kompany, and the second attempt smothered as Given dived at his feet. McFadden was the next to be thwarted before Lee Bowyer saw his curling effort parried two minutes before half-time.

Then came the penalty kick after De Jong, jumping alongside Sebastian Larsson, raised his hand to gain leverage but succeeded only in making contact with the ball. A breakthrough beckoned but Given read McFadden's intentions and, with the ball struck at reasonable height, was able to save.

Hughes had no complaints with that decision but was aggrieved that Mike Dean, the referee, failed to point to the spot at the other end later when Tevez tumbled under a challenge from Larsson.

The City manager did, however, have the good grace to admit "it would have been a bit unfair on Birmingham if we had won the game". There was a sense that McLeish, his counterpart, would have needed picking up off the floor had that happened.

"We are little bit disappointed not to get the three points because I thought it was a very powerful performance," said the Birmingham manager. "The final touch was the only thing missing."

Other than their failure to convert chances into the goals, the only other sour note for McLeish was the sending off of the influential Barry Ferguson, who was dismissed in stoppage time for two bookable offences, the latter of which saw him cautioned after raising his hand to prevent Pablo Zabaleta from taking a throw-in. "He should have known better," said McLeish.

City remain in fourth place but badly need to get back into their stride. "We made a flying start [to the season] and people were expecting us to win every game. That's not going to happen this year," said Hughes, who was celebrating his 46th birthday.

"You can see right through the Premier League that everyone is dropping points. We're not immune from that. Today was a day where we needed to try to get something out of the game. But we're honest with ourselves.

"We didn't produce anything like what we're capable of. Maybe that's a good lesson and we'll be better in similar games in the future."

Teams

Birmingham Maik Taylor, Carr, Roger Johnson, Dann, Ridgewell,Larsson, Ferguson, Bowyer, McFadden (Fahey 61),Jerome (Phillips 88), Benitez.

Subs Not Used: Doyle, McSheffrey, Parnaby, Carsley, Vignal.

Sent Off: Ferguson (90).

Booked: Ferguson, Dann, McFadden.

Man City Given, Zabaleta, Kompany, Lescott, Bridge,Wright-Phillips, De Jong (Ireland 60), Barry, Bellamy,Santa Cruz (Petrov 66), Tevez.

Subs Not Used: Taylor, Richards, Johnson, Sylvinho, Weiss.

Booked: Bridge, Santa Cruz.

Att: 21,462

Ref: Mike Dean (Wirral).