Friday Gossip

Fri 18 Nov 2011, 8:46AM
Posted by Tim Oscroft

City's assault on the established order has been acknowledged by none other than Gary Neville.



The one-time Blue antagonist turned pundit has inevitably been asked about our title challenge, what with us looking down on his former club from the top of the table, and he has told Gulf News that we are here to stay.

"Are they fly-by-nights? That depends upon the owner. If the owner stays with them for the long term and continues to put money into the club and buys quality players, then they won't be fly-by-nights.

"When clubs invest and break up the United, Arsenal or Liverpool domination I think it’s better for the Premier League. I genuinely believe spending to bring in Silva, Dzeko or Aguero is good for football. Do I want to see City win? No, I'm a United fan. But in terms of competition it makes for a better Premier League."

Turning to the home front, this Saturday's meeting with Newcastle rightly earns plenty of coverage. The news that Nigel de Jong has contacted Hatem Ben Arfa, who suffered a broken leg in a challenge from the Dutchman in the corresponding fixture last season, has been picked up by plenty including the Guardian.

"The Newcastle midfielder Ben Arfa has only just returned to action and his manager, Alan Pardew, has revealed he was concerned about the psychological impact of the player returning to the scene of the injury.

"Pardew said: "I had a conversation with him about it because I think you could carry some demons when you have an injury like that. But he was absolutely clear to me that he has no problem about going back there, no problem about facing their particular player.

"The player has contacted him, which I appreciate as the manager of the other team, and he wants to see Hatem. We have said after the game would be a good time, not before. Hopefully, that will then come to rest."

Our high standards, even in the midst of this fine run, get an airing with David Platt insisting to Sporting Life that it's clean sheets that mean the most.

"People talk about them [Italians] seeing 1-0 as a beautiful scoreline, but it's nothing to do with it. It's about saying 'no-one is going to score against us'.

"Everyone goes out with the attitude. You talk to [goalkeeper] Joe Hart, or defenders like Micah Richards, and they want to keep a clean sheet.

"Last year we were 3-0 up at West Ham and conceded a late goal from a corner, and the boys were distraught in the dressing room."