Hughes Leaves City With Head Held High

It is unusual for a sacked manager to get so much sympathy from the media like Mark Hughes has done this week. He is the only man connected with Manchester City to come out with any credit after he was thrown on the scrap heap by the money men at Eastlands.

So was his dismissal fair? Probably not. According to Hughes it was agreed between the owners, Chief Executive, Gary Cook and the manager that a top six finish would be acceptable for this season. And where do City currently sit in the league table? That's right, sixth after just two defeats all season. There have been eight draws from 17 games though, but City remain only six points behind fourth spot with a game in hand and above one of the 'big four', -Liverpool - in the table.

Okay, so you might point to the millions that Hughes has spent on the likes of Robinho, Adebayor, Tevez, Lescott et al, but it takes more than a season for players to gel and become potential title challengers. The heavyweights of the Premier League will not be just pushed aside in one false swoop.

There is also the argument that the Premier League has tightened up more this year. Champions Manchester United have already lost five games, Liverpool seven whilst Chelsea have been stumbling of late too.

What angered the football world the most though was not particularly the sacking of Hughes - we've seen big clubs dump bosses before such as Chelsea with Phil Scolari - it was the deceit. The fact that it leaked out that Hughes was going during a game of football, one that Hughes won too. Apparently it did not matter though, as he was replaced a couple of weeks earlier according to reports.

The truth is that Manchester City's owners are not fans, they are businessmen. They want Champions League football this season, a title challenge next and then to win them both. It is a difficult job for 'big name' Italian Roberto Mancini and I'll be very surprised if City finish in the top four.

What would City fans make of the whole situation though? Perhaps a bit of regret at the way Hughes was treated maybe, but with Mancini coming in with money to spend at will they may just be licking their lips with anticipation. The sad thing is the only way we are ever going to see the dominance of the big four challenged is this way, by money.

Mark Hughes shouldn't be too worried though, it won't be long before the offers come flying in from other clubs, hopefully clubs that will give him the time he deserves.

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To show that the Premier League is not all doom and gloom on the managerial front, I'd like to give a special mention to a man who is often overlooked to what a magnificent job he has done.

After arriving at Craven Cottage in December 2007, Roy Hodgson walked straight into a relegation battle. A man who had only managed in the Premier League for a short time at Blackburn during the 90's, little was known of what to expect. He had a good reputation abroad and at international level, but would he be able to handle a relatively small Premier League outfit with limited funding?

The answer soon became clear. After keeping the Cottagers up on the final day of the 2007-08 after a miraculous escape, even better was to come the following season. Seventh place and European football, Fulham's highest top-flight finish in their history.

And it was no fluke. In a season where the Premier League has seemed to become the 'big four' and the 'next three', Fulham currently sit ninth, one place behind Liverpool and just three points behind Manchester City in sixth with a game in hand and have qualified for the knock-out stages of the Europa League from a group that contained Roma and Basle. And things just keep getting better after, quite frankly, a 3-0 demolition of champions Manchester United on Saturday.

A simply brilliant job done by a superb manager. It's a shame then that Roy Hodgson will never get a chance to manage a side in the top four. He is often overlooked as people talk of O'Neill and Redknapp and Moyes -who have also done good jobs-but he is left out.

The next time the England job becomes available though, I would look no further.

Big Two Falter As Villa Make Their Move

What an unpredictable day it was in the Premier League yesterday. Chelsea, Manchester United and Tottenham all slipped up in apparent 'home bankers'. Spurs were toppled by my team Wolves, while United lost to Aston Villa and Chelsea were held to a 3-3 draw by Everton at Stamford Bridge.

So while it seems nobody wants to take the title race by the scruff of the neck it looks as if Spurs are determined to stuff up their chances of Champions League football - they have not won since that 9-1 drubbing of Wigan. We also saw more of Manchester City's leaky defence and ruthless attack in another goal glut at Bolton, another 3-3 thriller.

So it seems it all worked out perfectly for Aston Villa. Not only did they notch up their first win at Old Trafford since 1983, with their main rivals slipping up they found themselves sitting in the top four. While it has been Tottenham and Manchester City thumping their chests and talking up their chances of breaking into the top four, it's Aston Villa quietly going about their business on the pitch.

Incredibly Villa have now won at Anfield and Old Trafford this season while beating Chelsea on their own patch - that's championship winning form! In fact, the only thing keeping them out of the title race are the defeats against the likes of Wigan, West Ham and Blackburn.

But it's a carbon copy of last season. A blistering start to the season including a win at The Emirates saw Martin O'Neill's men firmly placed in the top four, they were the only side who were going to do it. However, they faded dramatically after Christmas as Arsenal clawed them back to comfortably finish above them in the end as Villa finished sixth.

So O'Neill will be hoping that Villa have come into form at just the right time to have a real go at securing Champions League football. With no Europa League football this time around, Villa can focus firmly on the League, depending whether O'Neill fancies a crack at the FA Cup, but this wouldn't be too demanding.

Looking over their shoulders, you would expect the firmest challenge to come from Liverpool, who will surely return to top form at some stage, especially with the return to fitness of Fernando Torres. Though O'Neill may take comfort from the fact that the Reds will have to travel across Europe some Thursdays before returning to League action on the Sunday.

One thing's for sure, an interesting battle lies ahead for fourth spot just as for first. For now though, I'm sure Villa supporters are revelling in their fabulous victory and trying not to look too far ahead.

Spurs Miss Big Opportunity

Can anybody break the big four? The long established quartet that have dominated English football over the past few years. No one has achieved this feat since 2004/05 when Everton beat city rivals Liverpool into the last Champions League place.

And with Liverpool's current form, many have begun to wonder whether this will be the season when the 'big four' will be broken apart.

So who's in pole position? Currently it's Tottenham who sit in third for now, after yesterday's draw at Villa Park. Aston Villa themselves and then big spenders Manchester City will also think that they are in with a shout.

But I would say that Spurs are the only team who look likely to do it if anyone does. While on the face of it the point they picked up in the 1-1 draw with Aston Villa may seem a good result, it was a game that Spurs dominated for large parts. A fantastic performance, especially as the away side, something that the 'big four' consistently do.

Something else they consistently do, however, is win when they're on top and Spurs didn't do this yesterday. Full marks to them for their performance, they were very impressive, more so than the home side. At present they certainly look more likely than Villa and Manchester City, who seem to be in the 'best of the rest' section of the Premier League.

You do feel though that if Chelsea, Manchester United or Arsenal had been playing so well in that game that they would have persevered at prevailed with three points. It was also a massive opportunity for Tottenham to put some distance between themselves and Liverpool, who will surely return to form and push hard for fourth spot.

It's quite unbelievable to be lamenting Spurs for wasteful finishing after they put nine past Wigan only a week ago. All the ingredients are there for Spurs to get into that big four. They must be ruthless though, and they must win games when they're on top. A point here and there off the big four wouldn't hurt either.

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What a long journey home it must have been for those Barnsley fans travelling home from Plymouth. After being euphoric with a 4-1 first half lead, those celebrations were cut short and the three points that were surely coming their way taken away.

This was because after 58 minutes the game was abandoned after the Home Park pitch was deemed unplayable and dangerous by referee Gavin Ward.

As a football fan, this has got to be the worst feeling in the world, worse than seeing your team get hammered, because you've not had that joy - especially on a long away trip - snatched away. Of course, if the referee felt that there was a danger to the players, then this had to be the right thing to do.

In the aftermath though comes the argument whether the points should be given to Barnsley. It's a difficult one. While it seems unlikely, with half an hour left Plymouth had more than enough time to go and get three goals. Barnsley boss Mark Robins was understandably outraged and said he didn't think the referee would have given the same decision had Plymouth being winning 4-1. This was probably just heat of the moment stuff though, if the pitch is unplayable, the decision has to be made regardless of the result. But what of the travelling fans? I'm assuming the return game will be free.

It all seems very unjust, for Plymouth to get another crack, for Barnsley's players to have to forget they ever had a 4-1 lead and go out and do it again. It's probably the only solution though as there was too much time left on the clock to give a final result.

Henry's Reputation Tarnished?

Likeable, genuine and probably the best player the Premier League has seen. These are the words I would have used to describe Thierry Henry before Wednesday night's crucial World Cup play-off between France and Republic Of Ireland.

Now he is been branded a cheat after blatantly handling the ball before teeing up William Gallas to score in extra time to send France to the World Cup and break Irish hearts.

Looking at the incident myself I would have to say it was deliberate, there was a definite move towards and then control of the ball by Henry's hand. It may have been instinctive though. The ball would have gone out for a goal kick and with time running out, this was a desperate move by a player desperate to appear at the World Cup, possibly his last.

I am not saying it was right, of course not, it was cheating because it's against the rules. If it had happened against England I'm sure I'd be outraged. The Irish have every right to feel aggrieved. I don't feel the referee can be blamed either. It happened so fast and nobody knew until they saw the replays afterwards. In fact the referee had earlier spotted Nicolas Anelka's dive although not deciding to book the player.

There have also been suggestions that Henry should have gone over to the ref to admit what he had done. Would this have not risked the wrath of the French, especially if they had gone on to lose? And would the referee even have changed his mind? I seem to remember Robbie Fowler once saying he hadn't been touched by David Seaman after a penalty had been given during a game at Highbury. The referee refused to admit he was wrong and Fowler went on to miss the penalty.

It looks like calls for a replay, which is the least Ireland deserve, have been turned away and in truth this was never going to happen. Every time there was an incident in a game that a referee didn't spot, teams would call for a replay because Ireland were given one. Indeed Birmingham could ask for a replay at Anfield after David N'Gog's dive (though I'm sure they would settle for a point).

Thierry Henry is still a very talented player and always will be remembered for what he did for Arsenal over the first half of this decade, but you sense that he won't be quite seen in the same light by many which is a great shame.

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Big Game For Both Clubs At Anfield

The Premier League makes a welcome return tomorrow after yet another international break, as eventful as it turned out to be. The biggest game of the weekend is first up, a Saturday lunch time duel between an out of sorts Liverpool and Manchester City.

For Liverpool a win is surely a must if any lingering title hopes are to be kept alive, especially with both Chelsea and Manchester United both playing at home and expected to take maximum points. Liverpool have won just one of their last five Premier League games and currently sit in seventh. Rafa Benitez may also have one eye on Tuesday night's must win Champions League match against Debrecen.

As for Manchester City, they need to prove they have what it takes to compete with the big boys. Of course, they don't have to win at Anfield to prove they are a good side. Current champions Manchester United lost twice against Liverpool last season and have already once this.

But after the feeling of injustice City felt at Old Trafford after that late, late Michael Owen winner, here is a chance for City to take advantage of Liverpool's uncharacteristically leaky defence. City themselves have gone off the boil of late, drawing their last five league games. If Mark Hughes' men are serious about finishing in the top four, here lies the perfect opportunity to put some distance between themselves and the reds.

It's a close one to call, but I would sit on the fence and call a draw. I think right now Hughes would take that.