This City is Ours?

Rarely does a game induce the need for so many superlatives, but this can certainly be said of tomorrow night's ultimate clash of the season; perhaps one of the biggest in history. Rarely does a game create so much excitement, with two local rivals fighting neck and neck, toe to toe for the ultimate prize in English football: The Premiership title. Words are not fitting of illustrating this titanic clash, one that has sparked huge excitement both in Manchester and all over the land.

Manchester City v Manchester United...the bitterest of rivalries, but now one with so much more to the tale; with so many more chapters being written over the last couple of seasons, purely on the basis that City are no longer light-years apart from the men in Red, and no longer simply the "noisy neighbours" that Sir Alex Ferguson once described them as. The threat is very real and all roads point to Manchester for possibly the biggest game the Premiership has ever seen.

All of this could have been so much simpler, as United, in losing at Wigan and then surrendering a 4-2 lead at home to Everton to draw 4-4, have opened up a title race that City looked to have thrown away. For much of the season, since a 6-1 massacre of the reds at Old Trafford, it has been the blue half of Manchester singing the  loudest, dreaming of a euphoric overhaul of their dominant neighbours. But, perhaps inevitably, this fixture remains, after all of the twists and turns of the title race, a hugely significant tie and one that is sure to shape the destiny for both of these Manchester clubs.

Some would say it is now in City's hands. With a superior goal difference over United and with goals flowing freely recently, as the pressure seems to have been lifted, because the weight of expectation has been lifted by Mancini, who quite cleverly distanced himself from the title race after their defeat at Arsenal earlier this month. United, however, are the masters of such situations. Blessed with the priceless experience of Giggs, Scholes, Ferdinand, Rooney and the rest, only a fool would rule United out of getting a result at Eastlands tomorrow night.

In terms of tactics, City possess a great deal of strings to their bow, with a midfield that oozes class and a strike force that can create menace at will. However, United's strength this season has been utilising their famous affection for attacking wingers, with Antonio Valencia, Ashley Young and Nani causing havoc week in week out. They also have their main man up front bang in form, with 12 goals in his last 11 appearances, and who would rule out another vital goal from that man, Wayne Rooney?

The scene is well and truly set for a dramatic night in Manchester, one where the winner takes a great stride forward, and the loser an even bigger one back. A few weeks ago, nobody would have predicted that City would still be in with a shout, but they will need to muster all of their spirit and resources to take the three points that they so crave. For United, they simply must not lose, but you will certainly not see the kind of performance and tactics implemented by Chelsea in the Nou Camp this week, as they simply do not know how to be so negative.

All in all, it creates a magnificent spectre, one that will define and illuminate our Premier League and one that's excitement is reverberating and capturing the world over. For Sir Alex, a win tomorrow night and one hand on yet another title will surely be his greatest achievement, but for Mancini, he could equally further his affections with the City faithful. It is a game that neither side need lose, both for local pride and for the sake of their rivals as the two biggest sides in English football.

Sit back and enjoy a night that will surely be remembered for an eternity, regardless of the result.

The Return of El Nino

Form is temporary, class is permanent, they say. Fernando Torres, since his earth-shattering £50m move from Liverpool to Chelsea, has had both his form and his class questioned, leaving fans up and down the country wondering how someone can fall from such a height. It seemed beyond comprehension how a player who, in his time at Liverpool, tormented defences throughout the land on weekly basis, yet suddenly seemed to have 'lost it'.

Earlier in the season, 'El Nino', as he was once affectionately named at Atletico Madrid, danced round David De Gea at Old Trafford, only to blaze the ball high and wide with an open goal gaping. It was one of the moments of the season; a collector's item that will be re-lived on Comedy Football DVDs for eternity, and a moment that highlighted the Spaniard's lack of form on the field of play. Perhaps furthermore, it also demonstrated a mental fragility, a weakness of the mind. During the week, however, Torres danced round Barcelona's goalkeeper Victor Valdes and finished in cool fashion, albeit after running half the length of the field unopposed.

And today, in similar fashion, as Torres swept round Paul Robinson, there was a conviction about his finishing that had returned. His touches were coming off and he looked a reformed player, finishing with a match ball and a bottle of Champagne after a hat-trick of emphatic finishes allowed his Chelsea side to sweep past a doomed Blackburn Rovers side. That goal in the Nou Camp might just have saved him.

For all of his faults this season; his poor touches and lack of clinical shooting, his Club have stood by him. When Roman Abrahmovic shelled out such a gargantuan fee, nobody questioned Torres' ability or his standing in the upper echelons of World Football. However, as the goals failed to materialise as they so frequently did North of the border at Anfield, people started to wonder. But how fickle football is.

What this week has summarised is essential to understanding the Psychological aspect that is so vital in Sport in general: if you do not believe in yourself, you cannot achieve. You can be the most gifted centre forward in the world, but without that belief you are nothing; which is something that has been demonstrated in a number of Sports and by a number of leading characters. The goal in Barcelona was essential in Torres' re-emergence; a significant turning point in his journey back to success and one that has reflected in his rampant goalscoring mood today.

With the season drawing to a close, the Spaniard must be longing to continue. And what would be a better way to end a fascinating season for both himself and his club, than to score the winner in the Champions League final, a trophy so craved by his club's Billionaire owner? It is surely another chapter waiting to be written.

Forget Chelsea v Barca...The Big Contest Begins in Munich!

Forget the hype swirling around yet another meeting between Chelsea and Barcelona, there is no doubt in my mind that the more enticing fixture in this season's set of semi finals is the contest between Bayern Munich and Real Madrid. And as the two giants of European football prepare to battle this evening in the Allianz Arena, a great deal is at stake.

Bayern Munich have been presented with the opportunity of a lifetime; the opportunity to participate in the Final of European football's greatest club competition, the UEFA Champions League, in their own ground, the venue for tonight's battle with Mourinho's men. And for Jose's La Liga leaders, it is a chance for the Portuguese to enter yet another final, after lifting the giant trophy with both Porto and Inter Milan.

For all the talk of Messi, Xavi and Iniesta gracing English turf once more, this intriguing battle between the Germans and the Spaniards has been left simmering under the surface, bubbling and ready to explode in what is bound to be far more thrilling than the rather one-sided match-up of Chelsea and Barcelona. Granted, Chelsea have suddenly sparked the imaginations of their fans, with Roberto Di Matteo rekindling the spirit of Mourinho, while Barcelona have recently been labelled as being human after all and have had weaknesses identified, something that seems absurd given they have a talisman who has now scored 63 goals already this season.

However, behind all of this hype, Barcelona have an inherent knowledge of how to win games, after countless trophies, many of which have come under the reign of current manager Pep Guardiola, who has created a seemingly unassailable powerhouse, a team with so many dimensions and a team able to control games at will. For all the luck of offside goals and goals where the ball didn't even cross the line, the rookie Di Matteo is going to need far more than luck. Against a withered Tottenham side, Chelsea had a field day, yet tomorrow night is a test of a whole different magnitude. It is a test of whether they can even keep the ball against the mercurial pass masters.

In essence, tonight's game is one that should be far more enthralling, with Bayern Munich packing tremendous power and oozing attacking ability in the shape of former Real and Chelsea winger Arjen Robben, and the likes of Franck Ribery and leading scorer Mario Gomez. This is a team that blitzed Basle 7-0 previous to this, and also finished top of a seemingly tricky group which included Manchester City, and with the incentive of a home final, they may feel that their name is on the trophy, something famously snatched from them in 1999 against Manchester United.

But with Jose Mourinho at the helm, you can never write him off, as has he galvanised arguably Europe's biggest name and even taken them above Barcelona with the La Liga title race drawing towards its dramatic conclusion. It cannot be doubted that both teams will be going all out tonight to write history for their famous clubs, which sets it up as an exciting night, something that seems to have been lost on those merely concentrating on the game tomorrow night, which Chelsea will be lucky to survive to the second leg, in my eyes.

The Incredible Story of Carlos Tevez: The Latest Chapter

Carlos Tevez dramatically re-announced himself to the Premier League yesterday with a sensational hat-trick that has seemingly left all of his past misadventures stored away in the abyss of forgetfulness. But as Manchester City fans revelled in an emphatic 6-1 victory away at Norwich, singing their former captain's name, one is left to wonder how the past can simply be forgotten.

Carlos Tevez has immersed himself in controversy from the moment he arrived at West Ham, following that shocking move alongside fellow Argentina international Javier Mascherano, which itself sparked outrage. He then moved to Manchester United where he elevated himself to being a hero of the Stretford End, with crucial goals scored aplenty, helping United to triumph in the 2008 UEFA Champions League final against Chelsea. However, after a couple of seasons, it was time for him to move on again, and you all know the story.

And, after his acrimonious move across Manchester to rivals City, Tevez continued to illuminate his talents, becoming a god-like hero at Eastlands, a status that lead to his role of Captaincy in 2011, before suddenly declaring that he wanted to leave due to 'family reasons'. In choosing to broadcast his distaste of Manchester life live on Argentinian television, Tevez left City reeling and United laughing. One was left to wonder whether Tevez would ever settle or be happy in England.

Then came another compelling twist, as on September 27th 2011, Tevez refused to emerge from the City bench in a Champions League game away at Bayern Munich, a decision that left manager Roberto Mancini declaring that Tevez was "finished" and that "if I have my way he will be out", strong words from a manager who had clearly had enough.

And after the continuous fines and Tevez's exile to Argentina for all these months, it makes it all the more peculiar that Tevez is suddenly back, scoring 4 goals in 2 games, keeping City apace with bitter rivals United. Mancini, after the Norwich game, even seemed to suggest that his side would have benefited from Tevez's talents over the course of the whole season.

Clearly a baffling story and how one can forget Tevez's behaviour merely illustrates the fickle nature of football. How a man can refuse to play for his club, storming off to his homeland whilst still picking up an astronomical wage, yet simply come back and be welcomed with open arms is bizarre.

Patrick Vieira, ambassador for Manchester City, described Manchester United's decision to bring back Paul Scholes from retirement as "desperate", to which Sir Alex Ferguson pointed the finger to Tevez, insisting that surely his return would be "desperate". Because, whilst Ferguson would naturally be delighted to be able to draw upon one of the world's greatest ever midfielders, and one with a professional attitude second to none, the Scotsman would never tolerate the kind of behaviour demonstrated by Tevez.

How Manchester City can  adore the Argentinian once more is beyond me, regardless of his ability. Perhaps an over-reliance on such individuals will continue to trouble the blue half of Manchester.

Momentum with Newcastle

Alan Pardew's Newcastle are a team on the up; a team who have slowly but surely crept up the Premier League table, and capitalised on the failings of both Tottenham and Chelsea. But now they are starting to be recognised as serious threats, with the mercurial front three of Demba Ba, Papiss Cisse and Hatem Ben Arfa leading their charge to Europe's top competition, something completely unpredicted at the beginning of the season.

Since the departure of Andy Carroll in that sensational £35m move to Liverpool last January, Pardew has crafted a multi-faceted team, who can both express themselves and graft for results, with a settled side that has gelled into a well-oiled unit. With the dominating figure of Fabricio Coloccini in defence, ably supported by the emergence of Tim Krul, one of the league's best goalkeepers, Newcastle have built the foundations for a team that can go on to greater things, perhaps showing themselves to be the best Geordie side since Kevin Keegan's side, who came so close yet so far to winning the title in 1996. Yohann Cabaye and Cheik Tiote have also revelled in their midfield roles, showing themselves to be of the calibre to elevate Newcastle to unprecedented levels of success.

And what a piece of business that Carroll deal is looking, with his replacement Cisse taking his goal tally to 10 from 9 games, whilst the former occupant of the famous number nine shirt has struggled to live up to his astronomical price tag, with a measly 6 goals from 40 appearances. The figures speak for themselves, as Cisse's emergence has already made Carroll a distant memory, something highlighted when Newcastle recently beat Liverpool 2-0, with both goals scored by Cisse and with Carroll booked for diving, booed off and storming off down the St James' tunnel.

And whilst their remaining fixtures, with a difficult trip to Chelsea, rivals to a Champions League place, and a home game against Manchester City look challenging on paper, the momentum is certainly with the Geordies, who since beating likely title winners Manchester United 3-0 have looked well on course to continue their relentless run.

Whatever happens come the end of the season, Newcastle will have enjoyed a fantastic season, and one that will live long in the memory of some of the most dedicated and passionate fans in the country, fans starved of success in recent years but fans who have plenty of reason to be optimistic looking into the future.

Balotelli: Why Always Him?

A week in the life of Mario Balotteli is no ordinary week. The Italian began the week littering the front pages, before finishing it on the back pages, and both for all the wrong reasons. For all the stories that have evolved throughout the season, this maverick character, signed from Inter Milan last summer for £25m, has taken his behaviour to an all-time low, leaving manager Roberto Mancini admitting that enough could finally be enough.


Balotteli began the week admitting an affair with prostitute Jennifer Thompson, formerly linked with Manchester United hero Wayne Rooney, insisting that it was better to admit than hide his debauchery. To make matters worse, the Italian, of Ghanian descent, then managed to crash his white Bentley, forcing more media coverage, something that he seems to revel in, despite his best attempts to paint a modest image of himself in a recent rare interview with music legend Noel Gallagher. 


But the stories have escalated all season, a season in which Manchester City seemed to be set to bridge the gap between their ever-successful rivals United, something that is now so far out of reach and largely down to the kind of temperament portrayed by Balotelli. From fireworks set off in bathrooms, to broken curfews to turning up at the press conference of new Inter Milan manager Andrea Stramaccioni, completely unannounced, Balotteli never seems to be far from trouble. 


On October 23rd 2011, 'Super Mario' scored two goals in an emphatic 6-1 victory for the blue half of Manchester over their bitterest rivals at Old Trafford, the home of the Champions and the likely winners of this season's title. On that particular day he revealed a slogan on his t-shirt reading 'Why Always Me?' which is something that we have all been left wondering ever since. Despite a decent record of 19 goals in 39 games at the Etihad Stadium, Balotelli has become increasingly frustrating, with his input in games largely innocuous, strongly conflicting with the grit and determination of the likes of Yaya Toure and Vincent Kompany, who have been integral in City's push for the title. 


Perhaps pre-season was an early indicator of this erratic psyche, whereby, when clean through on goal against La Galaxy, he opted to spin around and attempt a back-heel, to which Mancini immediately substituted him in disgust. And on Sunday evening, Balotelli showed the dirty side of his game, as he could have merited two red cards after scything into Alex Song of Arsenal, before three late tackles on Bacary Sagna culminated in two bookings, as Mancini looked on in despair, before later admitting that he may be sold in the summer.


Gary Neville recently drew comparisons with another maverick-figure, and one he himself worked with: the legendary Eric Cantona. Neville discussed, in his role of Sky Sports pundit, how Cantona was a colourful character, yet he managed to hone it in, allowing his personality to seamlessly flow with his flamboyant playing style. And his character was expressed with countless moments of magic and last gasp winning goals that made him the Manchester United idol that he still remains. Balotelli, on the other hand, is still yet to come close to demonstrating these traits, as his unpredictable and erratic temperament has gone hand in hand with City's capitulation in the title race. 


If, as predicted, the red half of Manchester are revelling in a 20th title in May, a great deal of the blame will surely be placed at his door.