For now, as with any arrival, there is a great sense of anticipation. Manchester City’s hero Mike Summerbee had welcomed Patrick Vieria at the training ground and spoke of how he played until age 40. Vieira, who is turning 34 in June, will have been encouraged to know that age is not a stigma at City.

To be sure, even in the fast paced Premier League today, it is possible to have a long career without any significant decline in performance. Evergreens Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes are good examples but the injury plagued Patrick Vieira is a risky bet.

Patrick Vieira’s trademark tenacity in keeping and fighting for possession has become harder to execute with age. In fact, two former Arsenal team-mates, Lee Dixon and Nigel Winterburn, believe his best days are over.

To which the Frenchman retorted: “I have nothing to prove to anybody. I just have to believe in myself. I know what I am capable of and I am back in England because I feel I still have something to offer. And City believe in me as well.”

How long the goodwill in Manchester City last is unclear. For now, Vieira is making all the right noises for the benefit of his new club. He emphasized that Manchester United have lost their aura of invincibility, especially with the departure of Carlos Tevez and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Indeed, Manchester United’s dearth of attacking options has been compounded by an increasingly challenging Premier League. Besides the traditional Big Four, Tottenham, Manchester City and Aston Villa are also gunning for glory. The humiliating 1-0 defeat by Leeds United and fortunate 1-1 draw with Birmingham reflected Manchester United’s struggle to battle on all fronts with limited resources.

Not that Alex Ferguson needs any reminder and there is always a price to pay for stoking his competitive nature. The two Manchester clubs will clash in the Carling Cup later this month and emotions are set to run wild. It will be a time to settle old scores too as Vieria’s last kick for Arsenal was a penalty which cost Manchester United the FA Cup in 2005.

Rekindling intense rivalry is one thing but it is quite another to reinforce Manchester City’s title pretensions. Patrick Vieira has echoed Roberto Mancini’s sentiment that City could achieve the top prize this season.

So far, Mancini’s immaculate win record in 4 games since replacing Mark Hughes has left City fourth in the Premier League table, 7 points behind leader, Chelsea. They are definitely in contention for the title if we considered that Arsenal came back “from 15 points behind in one season.”

The owner, Sheikh Mansour, will actually be contended with a top four finish to justify his spending and account for half a season of “no progress” under Mark Hughes. Thus, talking up title hopes is something which Mancini and Vieira should refrain, lest it backfires on them.

Can Patrick Vieira Fit Into Mancini’s Plans?

In the past, Manchester City have had little luck in signing aging stars who integrate into the team and excel. Past failures include George Weah, Steve McManaman, Robbie Fowler and David Seaman. It is thus baffling to note that Roberto Mancini, with Abu Dhabi’s rich war chest at his disposal, decided to gamble on the 33-year-old Patrick Vieira, who is no longer a hot property.

Arsene Wenger was never interested in making a firm offer and he has politely remarked that Viera and City make a perfect match. As for Harry Redknapp, who has a knack of getting over-the-hill talents to outperform, the timing wasn’t right or maybe he just didn’t try hard enough.

It is too early to say Mancini has made a mistake as a veteran can provide experience, stability and leadership to a young squad. In his prime, Vieira was known as a tough player who could tackle, makes quality passes and score crucial goals. His height, stamina, strength and perception were important assets which drove Wenger’s stylish attacking side.

Getting the youngsters to learn what makes Vieira tick during training will benefit them immensely, even if he finds it hard to muster his old magic on the battlefield. Alex Ferguson favors such an approach too when he signed Teddy Sheringham, Laurent Blanc and Edwin van der Sar.

Despite success in the Premier League and Serie A, Patrick Vieira’s hunger to win more titles remains unabated. Currently, there is no player in Manchester City with a better resume than Vieira. During his nine years with Arsenal, Vieira won the Premier League and FA Cup Double in 1998 and 2001, clinched FA Cups in 2003 and 2005 as well as helming the ‘Invincibles’ campaign when the Gunners broke Nottingham Forest’s record for unbeaten games in the Premiership.

Patrick Vieira was also part of France’s 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000 winning sides. The only honor to elude him is the Champions League which is a major reason for his departure from Arsenal. When Vieira moved to Juventus in 2005, he helped them win the Italian Championship but a groin injury affected his performances.

His appearance in the Champions League quarter-finals at Highbury was a sham as Arsenal won 2-0 on aggregate against Juventus. Robert Pires and the 19-year old Cesc Fabregas upstaged Vieira who had little to show except for a yellow card.

When Juventus were rocked by a match-fixing scandal and subsequently relegated to Serie B, Patrick Vieira transferred to Inter Milan and enjoyed another streak of Serie A titles but he was relegated to a fringe player due to injuries.

Roberto Mancini, then manager at Inter Milan, recruited Vieira but ended up using Oliver Dacourt as his first choice. With the club signing Sulley Muntari and Thiago Motta, Vieira found it even harder to get into the first team.

Mancini duly delivered three Serie A titles but was surprisingly replaced by Jose Mourinho. The change of manager did not bring better luck for Vieira though. In last year’s Champions League game against Manchester United, Vieira looked like a passenger and was substituted at half-time. For this season, he featured just 16 times in all competitions – with most of those coming from the bench.

Despite adding more championships on his resume, it has become clear that the team is carrying Vieira to glory instead of him playing an instrumental role. You can’t blame Jose Mourinho for being happy to offload Vieira whose contract will be due in June 2010, after which he becomes a free agent.

Mancini’s Juggling Act In Midfield

Notwithstanding the risks, Roberto Mancini has huge plans for Patrick Viera. He said: “Patrick is a world-class midfielder with a winner’s mentality and will fit into this group very well. He knows me and my staff well and he also knows what the Premier League is all about. He will not need much time to settle in. Patrick is one of the great players of his era with almost every honor in the game to his name.”

We can expect Patrick Vieira to be a regular presence, though he won’t featuring any time soon due to a calf injury picked up in his last Inter Milan match. As for the captaincy, it stays with Kolo Toure for the time being.

It will be nice to see Patrick Vieira as the same resilient midfielder who break up opposing attacks, hoard possession and launch counter attacks intelligently, as well as score crucial headers.

Manchester City has no shortage of quality strikers so if Vieira marshals the midfield well and provides the aerial threat which Mancini relishes, he could easily resurrect a flagging professional career and his influence in the French national team.

Against Blackburn recently, Manchester City were dominant but after conceding the first goal, the team became unsettled and it took the fourth goal to put the game beyond doubt. It is likely that Vieira, had he been fit, will serve as a calming influence for the jittery back line.

However, there are huge risks for Roberto Mancini if the Frenchman is no longer the same player. If he wants a trusted deputy in the dressing room to lead and motivate the troops, it may backfire when Vieira struggles to justify his selection.

So far, Mancini has enjoyed success at City by letting everyone start on a clean slate. Reputation counts for little – whoever is on form and has a good attitude gets into the first XI. That explains why Robinho is benched while Bellamy who did not let his unhappiness about Mark Hughes’s dismissal get in the way of his performance, is now an integral part of Mancini’s plans.

However, the arrival of Vieira may result in Mancini getting a reputation of favoring certain players which was how Sven Goran Eriksson found himself. We have to remember that Vieira is not here for the money. Even if he meets all the performance targets in his contract, he gets about £70,000-a-week, hardly an eye-catching amount.

His main intention in signing for Manchester City is to win back a place in the French World Cup squad. Currently, his impact on the national team has been minimal. He played four international games since September 2007. For France’s friendly against Spain in February 2008, Le Parisien newspaper awarded him 2 out of 10 for his performance.

It is evident that Patrick Vieira has to start playing regularly to get back his sharpness and match fitness. This is a year when Vieira will not tolerate sitting on the bench. Thus, if he doesn’t get enough matches under his belt, Mancini will have one more disgruntled player in the dressing room.

I believe Nigel de Jong or Gareth Barry may have to make way for Vieira but that means disrupting the midfield equilibrium. Nigel de Jong has been one of City’s impressive performers this season. His physical strength in tackling and holding the ball makes it unlikely for Mancini to replace him.

In City’s 4-4-2 formation, the other half of the central midfield is Gareth Barry whose composure and reading of the game make him an invaluable asset. Barry may have underperformed for Mark Hughes but since Roberto Mancini’s arrival, he is beginning to regain the sort of sparkling form that attracted Liverpool.

Even if Mancini adjusts his formation to accommodate Vieira, Stephen Ireland may be a better choice with his attacking thrust. At the moment, City have no European commitments, except for domestic league and cups competition, thus, it is difficult to see Vieira breaking into the first team unless Barry or de Jong suffer serious injuries.

Persisting with Patrick Vieira and also handing him the captain’s armband could result in a dressing room revolt. There are enough opinionated characters in the dressing room for that to happen, like Adebayor, Craig Bellamy and Vieira himself.

I believe Mancini realizes his precarious position in Manchester City. Though Mark Hughes did himself no favors when he struggled to win matches and splashed out £50m on three defenders who cannot protect the goal properly, the callous manner in which he was dismissed will be a good reminder for Mancini.

Success has to be immediate to please his Abu Dhabi boss but even then it does not guarantee Mancini will stay on the job, like what happened in Italy, after winning three Serie A titles. Mancini’s position becomes even more untenable if he misses out on the top four finish while players lose confidence in his management. He could be whisked out of the the door faster than you can say Mark Hughes.

Mancini’s midfield juggling act has just begun and it will be interesting to see how it pans out. At his age, Patrick Vieira is winding down his career as a football legend and he cannot match his younger contemporaries for pace and has to be used sparingly.

If Vieira accepts his role as a substitute, especially in the later stage of the competition where experience can make or break a team, all is fine. If not, Mancini may regret signing a former legend who he has little use for.

Scolari’s position in Chelsea is increasingly shaky. His attacking style resulted in a vulnerable Chelsea at Stamford Bridge and the Brazilian has to juggle a language barrier, smaller transfer kitty, clash of ideals with Roman Abramovich and player politics to survive.

Chelsea fans have also whetted their appetite for trophies since Jose Mourinho’s reign and will not take kindly to empty-handed seasons. The “unqualified” Avram Grant managed to keep the ship on a steady keel last season so if Scolari falls short of that benchmark, his past glories will mean little in saving his job.

As for Mark Hughes, he is struggling with consistency. Manchester City lost 1-0 to Everton, marking the fifth home league defeat of this season. Despite the signing of £32.5m Brazilian superstar Robinho, Manchester City are looking nothing like championship material. At least Sven put up a fine pretense until Christmas when their title run fell apart.

Though Hughes’s Middle Eastern boss is not in a hurry to sack him, that patience may evaporate when he fail to match their expectations after more money is made available to recruit quality players in January.

But we may at least see the duo until the end of the season. Blackburn’s manager Paul Ince is in a far bigger crisis – his team has gone without a victory since September and he seems helpless in changing the team’s relegation fate. Though Ince survived a board meeting last week, his job is still hanging by a thread, especially after losing the first of “five cup finals.”

On Saturday, Wigan effortlessly blew Blackburn apart in a 3-0 victory, with goals coming from Emile Heskey, Antonio Valencia and Lee Cattermole. Paul Ince took full responsibility for their sixth successive defeat and vowed to carry on as manager.

Blackburn fans are not cheering that decision though. Once Wigan started banging in the goals, choruses of “You’re getting sacked in the morning” and “You don’t know what you’re doing” filled the stadium, a clear indication of Ince’s current standing among the fans.

By the 12th minute, any semblance of Blackburn’s resistance was destroyed. Valencia eased past Warnock and delivered a brilliant cross which was met by Heskey for his third goal of the season. Two minutes earlier, Valencia had nutmegged Warnock by slipping the ball between his legs and the live-wire was simply too hot to handle.

Blackburn had barely regained their composure when their defense was breached again in the 14th minute. Paul Robinson took a goal-kick but Mario Melchiot was first to the ball and played it to Valencia, who slotted home stylishly after a free run on goal. Once again, Warnock and Pedersen were negligent in their basic defensive duties.

Just before the break, the match could be sewn up had Cattermole scored from Valencia’s assist but his header hit the underside of the bar. It was finally over in the 77th minute when Valencia’s cross was deflected by Warnock and Cattermole was alert enough to drive the ball into the net.

I must say Rovers defense was extremely sloppy and unrecognizable from the team of spirited fighters crafted by Mark Hughes. It has caused much of their demise today. Not that the midfield performed any better as Blackburn surrendered possession easily and frequently, with Tugay the serial offender.

In the aftermath of this defeat, Paul Ince cut a lonely figure in the Blackburn camp. Fortunately, Wigan’s manager Steve Bruce, stood behind his former team mate in his darkest hour. He urged patience, saying: “I’ve known him for a long, long time and you don’t play for Milan and Liverpool unless you’ve got a bit of bottle. I don’t want to comment on him losing his job and I’m sure he will turn it around.”

Bruce is being kind but Blackburn fans are running out of patience and they will prefer the axe to fall on Paul Ince tomorrow. The question is no longer if but when for these diehard supporters. If Ince flunk the next four games, the inevitable may just happen.

I know it is heartbreaking for the fans to see the deterioration of their club. Blackburn finished 7th last year and have been in the top half of the league for the last 3 seasons. They earned a reputation of being defensively tight and had a manager that was tactically astute and motivated the players well. Now, with gov’nor Paul Ince around, the oomph factor is gone.

However, the fans have to discard the “we want it now” mentality. Developing a mid-table club into perennial title contender requires patience, planning, vision, and if possible, truckloads of cash. Patience is in especially short supply these days but if Hodgson (Fulham), Moyes(Everton) and Megson(Bolton) are still in their jobs after experiencing nasty setbacks, then sacking Paul Ince may be too hasty.

Ince has appealed for more time to grow accustomed to the pressure of managing a Premier League club and I believe it is justified. There is no point in handing Ince another 4-5 games without giving him the whole season. Many managers had escaped the drop right till the last day of the season so why should Ince be deprived of the chance?

Beginners must be given a fair chance at success and in order to have more English managers gaining international recognition, the least we can do is to give them time and space to develop in the Premier League. There will be no Sir Alex Ferguson today if results were expected of him in the first attempt.

To alleviate the stress, Ince had shifted some responsibility back to the Blackburn board when he called upon them to spend. He said: “The cold hard fact is we need investment. You saw Wigan today “lots of pace, power and we need new faces coming in.”

Paul Ince may have a point there. To be a major title contender, you can’t be signing players like Keith Andrews – a 29 year old 3rd division player, or bringing in Robbie Fowler and Matt Jansen for trials.

If these guys are good enough to make the first XI, then other players may not be motivated to perform. Existing players like Tugay has lost the plot and Santa Cruz’s heart is no longer with the club. Coupled with the departure of David Bentley, one of Blackburn’s most promising stars, Ince’s trump cards are limited when the going gets tough.

I wouldn’t blame the board for not getting solid reinforcements though. The club is not exactly flush with cash and the January transfer budget, if any, is expected to be modest. Ince has no choice but to make do with the lack of depth in the squad.

In any case, getting additional quality players is not a process which is achievable overnight. If the board adopts a financially reckless approach, in the worst case scenario that Blackburn are demoted which means considerably less revenue, they may do a Leeds’ United and have to liquidate their best assets.

I believe Paul Ince may be facing lesser criticisms if he has some notable achievements under his belt. Unlike Scolari and Hughes, Paul Ince can only claim to have saved Macclesfield from relegation and took MK Dons to the title and a cup but both clubs are in the lower divisions.

On hindsight, it may be better for Ince to spend a few more years managing these clubs and leading them to titles to build up his reputation and experience before moving up the ladder.

Blackburn were lucky when they took a gamble to appoint Mark Hughes. He did not have much experience (Blackburn was his first club appointment) but things worked out perfectly. Sparky learnt quickly on the job and was able to impose his own presence in the dressing room.

But if Blackburn were hoping for a second time lucky, they were greatly disappointed. Paul Ince’s learning curve turns out to be more eventful and in terms of tactical acumen, organization and encouraging his team, he has lots to catch up.

Nevertheless, not all aspects are negative about Paul Ince’s reign. When we consider Blackburn’s efforts against Liverpool or even against Spurs, Rovers were unorganized but worked hard to frustrate their opponents. After resilient performances characteristic of Ince, Rovers finally succumbed to the meekest of goals.

Blackburn’s next matches are against Stoke, Sunderland and Manchester City – all matches in which they have an even chance of winning. If they picked up full points, jumping out of the relegation zone is not impossible. Let’s keep our fingers crossed that Ince can do just that and prove his critics wrong.

There were barely whimpers of protest that a traditional English club fell into the hands of oil sheiks; in fact, most fans were smitten by the wealth of Abu Dhabi royal family… their finest hour of football success is nigh.

Roman Abramovich is also coming to grips with the fact that his money is no longer the decisive factor in luring football superstars. For years, Abramovich reveled in the fantasy football game by making record signings with an unlimited transfer budget but now, he has to contend with participants who are even more liberal with their money.

Despite courting Robinho aggressively, the Brazilian snubbed Chelsea and Abramovich when the Arabs dangled a fatter carrot in front of him. Nevertheless, when the bruised ego is cast aside, at least Abramovich is enjoying the last laugh… for now.

After viewing the mind-boggling zeros in the check and trading hyperboles, it was the same old Manchester City when the battle lines were drawn. Chelsea emerged victorious by hammering 3 goals past City defenses and it was a convincing display despite falling behind to an early goal.

As if the gulf in footballing standards needs to be emphasized, Chelsea manager Luiz Felipe Scolari took time out to impress on his Premier League rivals that his team is just warming up. Certain key players (Michael Essien and Michael Ballack) were missing in action and he has yet to pick a settled first XI.

This is indeed a fearful prospect that Chelsea, sitting pretty at the top of the Premier League table (six points ahead of reigning champions Manchester United who lost 2-1 to bitter rivals Liverpool) can play much better once they adapted to Scolari’s football philosophy and have a fully fit squad.

In this match, I was particularly interested in Robinho. Was he worth the whopping 32.5 million pounds of transfer fees and the preferential treatment of a private jet? And how long should Mark Hughes indulge this over-hyped Brazilian before showing his disciplinarian side?

To his credit, the fleet-footed Brazilian took only 13 minutes to impress all and sundry as he whipped a free-kick over the Chelsea wall and past Petr Cech. The stadium erupted in wild celebration and City looked to be on their way.

However, City’s happiness was short-lived. In the space of three minutes, the lead was erased when John Terry’s header deflected to Carvalho who thundered home with aplomb. City may have lost part of their English identity but they retain their joker character by throwing away advantages with slack defending. This led Mark Hughes to lament: “If we could have stayed in front for just 10 or 15 minutes it would have helped…”

The scoreline could have been more embarrassing if not for Chelsea’s profligate finishing. Florent Malouda headed against the bar when unchallenged in front of goal and put a second opportunity just wide. In the dying seconds of the first half, City were again spared the blushes when Nicolas Anelka missed from an open goal.

Chelsea hardly looked flustered as they knew it was just a matter of tightening the noose on their captive. Manchester City, for all their ambitions, were given a harsh football lesson by a relentless Chelsea.

Frank Lampard put the Blues ahead on 53 minutes with a fine strike after an incisive pass from Malouda. The game was over when Anelka scored the third goal and Terry’s dismissal for a professional professional foul on Jo proved immaterial.

Besides the first goal, there is nothing lyrical to wax about Robinho. His passes went astray and he added to City’s woes by losing possession easily with flamboyant dribbling. The greatest joke was when Robinho completed four step-overs and then passed straight to Ashley Cole.

To seek positives in Robinho’s abysmal control of the ball, I can only say that he met his team mates on Friday and he is tired from playing for Brazil on Thursday morning. After assimilating into the City setup, we should expect more of the Brazilian.

Mark Hughes was clearly resigned to this defeat, saying: “People have got a little ahead of themselves but we know the level we are at. We are still a very young team and it is not going to happen overnight. You saw a team in Chelsea who know exactly what they are trying to do and that is a consequence of playing and winning together consistently for the last five years.”

Hughes is right that Manchester City have got ahead of themselves and should temper their ambitions. Money alone cannot buy titles, you need a fair element of luck and managerial abilities.

Throughout the week, we heard about City’s plans to become a dominant force in European and domestic football. And to do so, they will spare no expenses to assemble a star-studded championship team which includes Cristiano Ronaldo. No wonder Sir Alex Ferguson was pissed off and dismissed them as nothing but hot air.

However, Mark Hughes is wrong if he thinks he is going to get five years in office. Looking at the case of Chelsea, the manner in which Roman Abramovich splurged his money shows a certain method to his madness.

In less than two years, the backwater Chelsea was established as one of the major title contenders in the Premier League and Champions League. Abramovich was quick to dismiss Claudio Ranieri and appoint Jose Mourinho who had just completed a prestigious Treble with Porto.

Ranieri set the framework for success by buying several exciting players – Claude Makelele, Frank Lampard, Peter Cech, Joe Cole, Damien Duff, Arjen Robben, Glen Johnson, Wayne Bridge, Geremi, Hernan Crespo, Eidur Gudjohnsen and William Gallas. But it is Jose Mourinho who gets the acclaim for winning the trophies.

Of course, the latter did his fair share of rebuilding by purchasing a mixed bag of flops and winners such as Paulo Fereira, Ricardo Carvalho, Assier Del Horno, Tiago, Michael Essien, Shaun Wright-Phillips, Didier Drogba and Mateja Kezman.

Too often, Ranieri’s role at Chelsea has been belittled unfairly. His last season was trying, and that is an understatement. He added to the sense of dread by proclaiming himself as a “dead man walking” as the club made it clear they would be getting a new coach at the end of the season, without actually sacking him.

Under such circumstances, the Italian turned in a credible report card by leading Chelsea to second in the Premier League and the semi-finals of the Champions League before Mourinho came in to finish the job. And just to complete the story, Jose Mourinho’s fantastic achievements cannot even guarantee his own survival as he was eventually removed under a combination of player politics and stepping on the toes of Abramovich.

Can Mark Hughes outdo Claudio Ranieri? It is a stretch to think he can squeeze into the top four, not to mention a second spot. Yet, Ranieri has no place at Chelsea, so if the ruthlessness of Abramovich is replicated by the Abu Dhabi clan, the situation for Hughes is nothing short of a pressure cooker.

Though I respect Mark Hughes’s management skills and feel that he has a bright future, he is, after all, a dispensable candidate for those with money to burn. It does not bode well that his credentials are bereft of major titles as patience may run out very quickly. In fact, I seriously doubt if Mark Hughes can last an entire season if Manchester City continue to flounder in mediocrity – the club had already lost two of their first four games.

Manchester City’s new bosses will prefer to appoint a world-class manager with a track record of winning titles in his place to go along with their expensively assembled superstars.

While Robinho can bring some glamor and quality into Manchester City, the same cannot be said for other players which Mark Hughes had signed in the close season. Shaun Wright-Phillips, Vincent Kompany, Pablo Zabaleta and Tal Ben-Haim are not exactly the kind of elites the Arabs have in mind.

Gelling the team and tightening defenses are currently Mark Hughes’s top priorities, rather than to secure any Champions League football. Unfortunately, Chelsea had raised the bar and the new oil money cannot be seen to be doing less. It will require a miracle for Manchester City to displace Liverpool and Arsenal and the huge gulf with Chelsea is already apparent on the basis of this match.

So, after Kevin Keegan’s acrimonious parting of ways with Newcastle last week, the odds are high that Mark Hughes could be the next dead man walking.

As for Chelsea, they have built up strong and enduring qualities as a championship team over the last 5 years and while clubs like Manchester City will try to chip away at their advantage, Stamford Bridge will not fall overnight. In fact, the Chelsea empire will be setting their sights on conquering Europe this season.

However, most superstars in the Premier League have no idea what a recession means. If anything, they will be clamoring for fatter pay packages as investors continue to spend exorbitant amount of money to grab a piece of the Premier League action.

In the recent transfer window, deadline deals break a Premier League transfer record by surpassing the 500 million mark from some 470 million in 2007.

As Paul Rawnsley, director of the Sports Business Group at Deloitte, remarked: “This transfer spending is far in excess of other European leagues. English football clubs are proving resilient to the current challenging economic environment.”

Can’t argue with his observation… and no complaints either since this crazy money provides us with great entertainment. Let’s review two of the last minute transfers and see whether this money-inundated night yields any value for the Premier League clubs.

Manchester United

I am glad that Dimitar Berbatov is no longer sulking. A dream move to Manchester United on a four-year contract from Tottenham Hotspur for 30.75 million pounds finally came to fruition, making him the most expensive Bulgarian.

The Premier League and European champions had to fend off an audacious late bid from derby rival, Manchester City, to sign Berbatov. City offered a British record of 32.5 million pounds and higher wages but Alex Ferguson has already courted Berbatov’s heart.

City’s bid serve only to buttress Tottenham’s negotiation terms and to give their arch rival a miserable time by coughing up more cash. Tottenham are not going to give up their crown jewel cheaply, if at all, but the signing of Russian striker Roman Pavlyuchenko from Spartak Moscow for 17 million euros and a season long loan of United’s striker Fraizer Campbell allowed for a more flexible solution.

In any case, this was a deal which Alex Ferguson will not give up easily. With Cristiano Ronaldo sidelined until October after an operation, Louis Saha sold to Everton, that leaves Carlos Tevez and Rooney in Manchester United’s front line.

Most managers will gladly take this partnership which is sufficient to terrorize any defense but in the event of injuries or suspensions, United’s title hopes could be dashed. In fact, even without any mishap, there is an inherent problem, as seen from Cristiano Ronaldo scoring 42 goals last season.

Both Rooney and Tevez love to drop into deep positions, roam freely around the field and supply passes rather than to capitalize on goal-scoring opportunities. Ronaldo, as a midfielder, ended up shaming other Premier League strikers as he has little competition in putting away the chances.

Since Ronaldo is out of action and that vain pot seems more happy at Santiago Bernabeu, it is a matter of time before Manchester United run out of patience and place him on the selling list. But until then, the search for a conventional striker must be resolved first.

A point man in the box, much like what Ruud van Nistelrooy used to do is urgently needed, and Dimitar Berbatov fits that role like a glove. Berbatov has a history of slow starts in competitions but once he gets into the groove, he is unstoppable.

Between 2000-2006, Berbatov plied his trade in Bayer Leverkusen and he endured two forgettable seasons before establishing himself as the first-choice forward in the 2002-03 season.

The following year, Berbatov shone by scoring 16 goals in 24 starts and in the next two seasons, he grew from strength to strength, netting 46 goals including five in the Champions League, raising awareness of his prodigious talent throughout Europe.

In 2006, Dimitar Berbatov was lured to Tottenham for a fee of 16 million pounds. He did not disappoint as he ended the 2006-07 season with 12 goals in 33 appearances in the Premier League and 11 assists. That form coincided with one of Spurs’s best showing in the Premier League in recent years.

Despite Tottenham’s shaky start last season, Berbatov still managed 15 league goals (overall of 23 goals in all competitions) and an identical 11 assists.

Considering the ammunition at Berbatov’s disposal from the free-flowing attacks launched by his Manchester United teammates, and this being his third season in the Premier League, I will not be surprised if he score 30 goals, barring injuries.

Manchester City

It was not a bad day for Manchester City despite losing out on Dimitar Berbatov. They secured Robinho’s transfer from Real Madrid for around 32.5 million pounds. Spanish sports daily Marca revealed that Robinho will be paid six million euros per season – about three times what he reportedly earned at Madrid.

Are they trying to paint Robinho as a mercenary? That he left for monetary rather than football reasons? I believe Robinho will not have left Madrid under any circumstances if he was treated with dignity. During Madrid’s hot pursuit of Cristiano Ronaldo, they were insensitive to Robinho’s feeling, which hastened his departure. After all, nobody likes to be told they are surplus to requirement.

Manchester City also snapped up defender Vedran Corluka for 8.5 million pounds. City certainly have the cash. Their financial muscles bulged after the club confirmed a memorandum of understanding with an Abu Dhabi investment company for a takeover. Thaksin will remain as a board member but without “administrative duties.”

Robinho’s arrival was definitely a stunner for me as the Brazil forward was all but ready to join manager Luiz Felipe Scolari at Stamford Bridge. In this case, money is secondary because Scolari commands a certain stature among fellow Brazilian players. That reputation came after he led his country to World Cup glory in 2002, from a virtually impossible situation where Brazil was struggling to clear the qualifying rounds.

The fact that City snatched Robinho under the nose of Roman Abramovich indicates that they are now in a position to challenge super-rich Chelsea for players, at any price. At least, United can heave a sigh of relief as City did them a favor by stopping Robinho from bolstering Chelsea squad.

Mark Hughes was delighted, saying: “I have said that in order to compete with the best teams in the Premier League we have to be in the market for players of this calibre, and Robinho is undoubtedly one of the best players in the world. This is a real statement of intent as to the ambitions of Manchester City Football Club.”

Is Robinho value for money? After all, he won the Spanish league for the past two years with Real Madrid and has scored 11 times in 42 caps for Brazil.

In the 2005-2006 season, Robinho made 37 appearances and scored eight goals. The following year, he fell out of favour with new manager Fabio Capello, and was benched for a long spell. He got a break after winter by forcing into the first XI. Last season, he contributed eleven goals and fourteen assists for Real Madrid.

However, I am not sure how much change Robinho can wrought on Manchester City’s fortune as Brazilians are relegated to water-carriers and do not take the Premier League by storm. Robinho is an excellent dribbler but his close control is still inferior to Cristiano Ronaldo or Ronaldinho (at his best).

Mark Hughes may be happy that the City management is fast in handing him the money to make quality signings but he has little time to build his team. Expectations are high and it will be unlike Blackburn where there are little hopes of competing for trophies and Hughes calls the shots without question.

The atmosphere at City will be a pressure cooker, not because of the fans but because of the management. Results will be demanded from him quickly, according to the ambitious plans tabled by Thaksin, else he may be forced to follow Eriksson’s footsteps.

I have a feeling his new Middle East boss will be no less demanding or ruthless than Thaksin when it comes to non-performance.

Ever since owner Thaksin Shinawatra indicated publicly his unhappiness with City’s poor form and wanted change, Sven’s future has become the subject of intense debate. Is Sven a victim of his own early success? After all, City got off to a flying start, and they even manage to ride roughshod over Manchester United twice this season with dominant performances.

Such overwhelming form deserted City since the turn of the year and they have slipped down the rankings due to a series of sputtering displays. Their recent 1-0 loss to Liverpool ensure they are still stuck in ninth spot with one game left.

So far, no firm indication has come from Thaksin’s camp as we are told only about his ambitions – City to qualify for Champions League football within the next two years by signing top quality, internationally recognized players. Nevertheless, fans can read between the lines that Sven is deemed only as a half-way house by Thaksin and not the right candidate to lead City into their golden era.

It could be the remnants of mediocrity from the England stint that I have little sympathy for Sven. When we consider the highly successful reign of Jose Mourinho at Chelsea can be undone by a rocky relationship with the owner, what is there to stop Thaksin from removing Eriksson whose title winning record in the Premier League is as yet unproven. By the way, Abramovich will be having the last laugh if his chum, Avram Grant defies all odds and clinch the prestigious double.

Eriksson conceded that Manchester City fans’ mass show of support for him in the 1-0 defeat at Liverpool will not be enough to prevent owner Thaksin Shinawatra from sacking him. The fans are desperate to cling on to their most successful manager in recent years, evident from their loud slogans and banners of “Hey Thaksin, Leave our Sven alone,” in the stadium. Similar scenes can be seen at Anfield where the fans are simmering with hostility towards the American owners.

Losing to Liverpool was expected but Eriksson did himself no favors when he lost to relegation-bound Fulham 2-3 last week. A victory will have secured an European spot and strengthened his hand in negotiations with Thaksin over transfer budget, new signings, as well as his own future.

Asked if the Swede would still be at the helm next season, Eriksson’s agent Athole Still said: “It’s looking odds against. If Dr Shinawatra was going to give a ringing message of support, I think we would have heard it.” Still added Eriksson was unhappy that Thaksin had aired his displeasure with the team’s performance so publicly before communicating with each other first.

Currently, the major factor in Eriksson’s favor is his popularity as most of the supporters feel this season has already been excellent. It is only phase 1 of the makeover and key targets have already been met – a commendable effort as nobody expected them to be champions. Indeed, a win next week at Middlesbrough would give City its highest Premier League points tally. When Sven was appointed after the England debacle and his indiscreet romances, it was assumed that his magic touch has vaporized and he does not have the panache to mold a championship team.

I believe Eriksson should be given another season before hanging him out to dry. Consistency does not happen by coincidence, money and patience are needed to lay a solid foundation. Blackburn, Aston Villa, Everton or Portsmouth are starting to see results by placing faith in their managers.

However, there are questions regarding Eriksson’s desire to extricate the team out of its slump. City has declined into a clueless and nervy team and the cumulative effects from insipid displays against Everton, Wigan, Reading, Derby and in the FA Cup elimination by Sheffield United have killed a promising season. In fact, City will be in the relegation zone if they started off on this form.

Moving on to Eriksson’s purchases, it is not reassuring as there are more misses than hits. Rolando Bianchi came for the price tag of £8.8m, a club record signing. Those who have watched him at Portsmouth will agree he is a decent striker; before his arrival at City, he took over a season before hitting a purple patch for Portsmouth. His brilliant form must have caught the eyes of City’s scouts and an aggressive bid was mounted.

I am sure Redknapp is laughing all the way to the bank as players like Bianchi are a dozen a dime for a shrewd recruiter like him. Eriksson prefers a cautious style of play and launching counter-attacks so it is not surprising that Bianchi finds it even harder to excel in such an environment. Spending so much money but lacking the confidence to keep faith in Bianchi smacks of bad management. Eriksson must make extra efforts to help Bianchi achieve success instead of hoping for miracles from a bench-warmer.

Elano and Martin Petrov have shown their talents in flashes but they should be shouldering carrying more of the club’s expectations given their sublime skills. City received lots of plaudits when Elano was creating and scoring goals freely. His loss in form is a major reason for City’s poor poor play in 2008. Eriksson also needs to examine if dead wood like Dickov, Corradi, Samaras, Danny Mills and Mpenza can be better utilized.

Sadly, the foundation of City’s success belongs to players whom Eriksson inherited, such as Richard Dunne and Micah Richards. Castillo and Caicedo are worth keeping but they are a long way off from being world-class players, that is if they even develop under Eriksson. The silver lining is Eriksson’s latest pursuit of Jo may indicate that he finally realizes what a quality striker looks like.

Sven has made a mistake by signing too many new players in such a short time frame. I know the money is free-flowing and he does not feel the pinch but the influx of players can disrupt the stability of a team and gives the manager more headaches. Established players take months to assimilate into the system or club culture while young talents take even longer to blossom.

When this process is interrupted and discontent boils over, the manager ends up with more on his plate than he can handle. Another of Sven’s flaw, as with England, is his dependence on the best players for his first XI, cast them in their preferred roles and allow them to weave the magic. With several injuries down the road, the missing key players spoiled his plan A and he doesn’t know what to do without a feasible plan B.

In truth, the investments City have made on new players is paltry compared to the other Premier League clubs, especially when seen in the context of a 3-5 year plan to conquer Europe and the Premier League. City will probably need another half a dozen first team players to stand a chance of competing with the Big Four.

Despite spending more than 40 million pounds, Thaksin is aware of the buying spree needed when he said: “We have to sell some players and buy some new ones. We need some defenders, midfielders… midfielders are the key.” This statement is certainly debatable as strikers should be the main priority, unless he is talking about attacking midfielders in the mold of Cristiano Ronaldo or Kaka.

It is not surprising that City experience fatigue after Christmas as the hectic schedule exposes their lack of depth. In addition, teams are able to grasp and counter Eriksson’s inflexible tactics after the first round. But City should not recklessly loosen the purse strings and implement a comprehensive overhaul of the rank and file. If Thaksin suddenly gives up on the club or disappears tomorrow, the fans will have another Leeds United ready to implode on the back of deep deficits.

Thaksin is right to expect returns in the long run, after forking out the initial investments. This is the only way for the club to be self-sufficient and less dependent on a sugar daddy’s money for survival.

I believe getting rid of Sven may set City back as the appointment of a new manager spells a new regime and the players have to adjust all over again. However, if Thaksin has made the decision to sack Sven, I can only hope that the post is filled by another experienced manager, not the likes of say, Steve McClaren.

Before we get into the match actions, it is worth noting that the minute’s silence was observed impeccably – sense and sensibility prevailed despite no love lost between both clubs. It was a touching moment that led United fans to applaud the 3,000 visiting City supporters.

Unfortunately, while Manchester City paid tribute to the tragedy of Busby Babes, they did not spare the same consideration for their arch rival’s Premier League title ambitions. Not surprising since City are battling to secure a Champions League spot by finishing fourth.

The Red Devils are now two points adrift of Arsenal who should widen the gap after meeting Blackburn Rovers at home on Monday. City are in seventh place, on the same points as fifth-placed Liverpool who drew 0-0 with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

United started off with all guns blazing and nearly scored the opener in the seventh minute when a left volley by captain Ryan Giggs forced a tremendous save from City goalkeeper Joe Hart. City responded through Martin Petrov who fired a 20-yard strike narrowly over the crossbar.

The match then see-sawed between both teams without any breakthrough. In the 25th minute, City made a successful foray, with a combination of swift counter-attack and element of luck.

Petrov, in the thick of action, crossed to Stephen Ireland whose shot was blocked by Edwin van der Sar. Darius Vassell picked up the first rebound which was again blocked but he made no mistake with his second effort by tapping in from close range into an empty net.

Tevez who was the savior in last week’s draw with Tottenham Hotspur nearly equalized three minutes later. His stinging volley from the edge of the box will have bulged the net normally but it was not meant to be, with Hart in inspirational form.

Manchester United were subdued while the stars shone brightly for City who proceeded to double their lead on the stroke of half-time. Once again, Petrov was a key factor in unlocking the defenses. Having failed to clear his corner, United gifted the ball to the winger and his cross was glanced into the far corner by Benjani. The Zimbabwean was making his debut after a transfer-window signing from Portsmouth and looks likely to get an extended run.

The second half was a frenzied push by United but City withstood the constant (and non-threatening) pressure. Chances went begging as Tevez, Giggs and Ronaldo left their scoring boots at home. As the minutes ticked away, it became increasingly clear that a draw was not possible and Manchester City may have let their guard down in this respect.

Deep into storage time, a lapse in concentration finally allowed United to score a consolation goal through Michael Carrick. It was too late for United to rescue any points and it only serves to make the score-line more respectable.

Was Manchester United so overwhelmed by the occasion that they allowed City to create history at their expenses? Not since Dennis Law backheeled United to relegation in 1974, has Manchester City claimed United’s scalp at Old Trafford. This victory also gave City their first league double over the Red Devils since 1969.

Although United pushed forward bravely and had an abundance of chances, their passing was in disarray, they committed elementary mistakes in the final third, and the absence of the effervescent Wayne Rooney was felt sorely.

Another culprit for the downfall was Cristiano Ronaldo who was so brilliant in recent matches but exceptionally poor in this derby. His second-half display was marked by wayward shooting and inept crossing, just when his team needed him to step up a gear.

Without Rooney acting as a focal point to supply the final killer pass, the midfielders who are used to making deep runs or lurking just outside the box became clueless. The result is United were bereft of any penetration to seriously trouble City’s defenses.

City, with skipper Richard Dunne and Micah Richards outstanding in defense, Dietmar Hamann anchoring the midfield and Martin Petrov a constant thorn upfront, fully deserved this victory and United’s hopes of retaining their title were seriously dented.

The Red Devils are typically strong in the second half of the season and they will bounce back for sure. However, Arsenal have the upper hand now and the title is theirs to lose. If ever they dethrone Manchester United, they have to thank Manchester City for doing them a favor.

Dimitar Berbatov’s first half effort put Tottenham in the lead but United leveled three minutes into stoppage time with a close-range Carlos Tevez volley that went in off defender Michael Dawson.

Third-placed Chelsea are six adrift after drawing 1-1 at Portsmouth as last-minute signing, Jermain Defoe scored on his debut. Everton stayed fourth after a 0-0 draw at Blackburn Rovers.

Adebayor has brought his league tally this season to a decent 18 for Arsenal. In the 9th minute, the Gunners cantered ahead when Adebayor unleashed a shot through Joe Hart after a surging run from Bacary Sagna. He then provided an excellent assist after 26 minutes, heading down Gael Clichy’s cross to Eduardo da Silva who chested and volleyed beyond Hart.

Manchester City were proffered an unexpected lifeline when Vedran Corluka robbed Clichy and set up Gelson Fernades for a neat finish past keeper Jens Lehmann, making a rare start in place of the injured Manuel Almunia.

The goal was a shot in the arm and City pressed hard for an equalizer but the Gunners kept them at bay and restricted them to taking potshots. It was Arsenal or rather Adebayor who, two minutes from time, wrapped up the match after Cesc Fabregas’s ball reached him on the edge of the area.

“At the moment I am enjoying myself like a little kid,” Adebayor, who has scored eight goals in his last six games, told Sky Sports. “At 2-0 we thought we had already won it but they scored and that made it a bit difficult.”

Adebayor has scored 21 goals this season and god knows where the Gunners will be, if Togo had qualified for the African Cup of Nations. It’s a treat to see him whacking the goals in from left, right and center, easy is the word, and I bet the fans as well as Arsene Wenger are impressed by how well he has developed as a player.

Certainly, as Arsenal sit aloof at the top, Thierry Henry who left for Barcelona last year in a 16 million pounds transaction is hardly missed. It was a rewarding deal, not least because Adebayor filled the void well but also because of the depreciation from Henry’s age. Henry was also not keen to stay with the Gunners as he yearned for challenges aboard and most importantly to clinch a Champions League medal to complete the European Championships and World Cup glories in his CV.

With Adebayor, it is fair to say there is an extra edge to Arsenal’s attack now. While Henry’s pace, guile and close control of the ball is legendary, he is lacking in the air prowess and brute force of Adebayor.

The latter has mastered the art of outjumping defenders – inherent height advantage aside, there is also timing and strength involved. Adebayor has also forged a formidable partnership with Eduardo. The only sore points are his indiscipline and ongoing feud with fellow striker Bendtner.

Arsene Wenger could be facing a tough battle to keep Adebayor as there are reports of Real Madrid, Juventus and AC Milan being interested. Even if he is forced to sell, it will definitely be at a much higher price than the 7 million pounds he paid Monaco, which again is a firm indication of the Midas touch of Wenger when it comes to development of young players.

Another positive for Arsenal comes from defender Philippe Senderos who is gradually finding his feet. A long-term injury had reduced him to a pale shadow of the brilliant player which caught the eyes of several bigwigs before the World Cup 2006.

He had a solid game against Manchester City and the partnership with William Gallas is clicking. The stratgey of Senderos stopping the opponent in his track while Gallas waits for the straying second ball is working wonders.

Their defensive telepathy will be crucial in their league title race but I expect more twists and turns before the champion is revealed.

Without exception, the FA Cup Third Round saw several casualties. Everton FC was the latest club to suffer an ignominious elimination after losing 1-0 to third division Oldham Athletic. Three other Premier League teams, Birmingham City, Blackburn Rovers and Bolton Wanderers, were also displaced by lower league opposition.

Havant & Waterlooville, a minor league club, advanced into the fourth round after snatching a late 1-1 draw at third division leaders Swansea. No doubt the press will have a field day if this minnow clears all obstacles and progress to the FA Cup Finals.

Fortunately, the Big Four are as yet unscathed – an outcome which can determine the glamor and viewership of the competition. FA Cup holders Chelsea scraped through with a 1-0 win against Queens Park Rangers at Stamford Bridge. The Blues struggled to stamp their authority and when QPR gift-wrapped three points for them with an own goal by their keeper Lee Camp, Avram Grant took it with aplomb.

His relief is understandable considering how badly Chelsea squad is decimated. The African Nations Cup deprived them of their effervescent Ivory Coast striker Didier Drogba, his mate Salomon Kalou, Ghana’s Michael Essien and Nigeria’s John Obi Mikel.

Chelsea’s skipper John Terry heads the injury list with three broken bones and is now on crutches, while vice captain Frank Lampard, Florent Malouda, Claude Makelele and Andriy Shevchenko are also incapacitated. The absence of Cech and Cudicini has allowed third-choice keeper Henrique Hilario to feature in three consecutive games (conceding two goals) but he did enough to keep Chelsea in the running.

The impending swop for Nicolas Anelka, a rumor at this stage, is practically certain. Manchester City may throw a spanner into the works as manager Eriksson needs a free-scoring forward to boost their chances of qualifying for Champions League. Darius Vassel, Emile Mpenza and Rolando Bianchi don’t quite cut it.

Since both clubs have sugar daddies to finance the transfer, Anelka can sit back and let them battle it out. His agent will be laughing all the way to the bank, having secured the seventh astronomical signing-on fee for his representative.

As for Manchester United, last year’s runners-up, they had a 2-0 success at Aston Villa, thanks to goals from Cristiano Ronaldo and substitute Wayne Rooney in the last nine minutes. The other half of the Premier League Big Four, Arsenal and Liverpool, will see action later tonight, away to Burnley and Luton Town respectively, while struggling Newcastle United face a tough trip to Stoke City.

Everton’s loss is baffling considering their excellent form. They have suffered only two defeats in their last 17 games and both at the hands of Manchester United and Arsenal. However, Oldham claimed their scalp with a Gary McDonald’s 25-metre strike at the end of the first half. Everton fought back valiantly but was frustrated by a combination of bad luck and a stubborn Oldham defense. Their best chance came in the last minute but was denied by the post.

“To come to a Premier League ground against a team who are really flying at the moment was a great performance,” Oldham boss John Sheridan told Sky Sports. “I told the players to really enjoy the occasion, because things like this might not happen to them again. I was so pleased and proud of them.”

Coventry, also caused a major upset by winning 4-1 at Blackburn with two goals by Michael Mifsud and one each from Elliott Ward and Dele Adebola. Coventry, made a mockery of their precarious position (17th spot) in second division with this lop-sided result. The players went in hard to win the ball and paid little respect to Blackburn’s Premier League standing. Maltese striker Mifsud said: “Every one of us played with his heart and gave his best to ensure we got the result.”

Third division Huddersfield were also celebrating after a 2-1 home win over Birmingham, while Bolton, having rested Nicolas Anelka and most of the rest of their leading players, lost 1-0 at home to Sheffield United.

In other matches, Tottenham Hotspur, who beat Reading 6-4 last week, drew 2-2 with them at White Hart Lane. West Ham United and Manchester City drew 0-0 at Upton Park while Wigan Athletic won 3-0 away to Sunderland, whose performance left manager Roy Keane “ashamed.”

Keane is in a rut-hole at the moment. Sunderland have make it a habit of losing and the commitment to fight for every point is missing. The hairdryer treatment, if Keane has not already done so, is needed to jolt his defense from their slumber. Wigan, also missing a few key players, look slick standing beside them.

The FA Cup may not rank highly in Sunderland’s priority but being relegated will be a serious setback. Sunderland’s next three Premier League home games against Birmingham, Portsmouth and Wigan will be the right opportunity to get back to winning ways.

I will have more reports on the FA Cup later. Till tomorrow.