Source: Eurosport
Hughes tips Ireland for award
Manchester City manager Mark Hughes has tipped Stephen Ireland to be named PFA Young Player of the Year on Sunday evening.The 22-year-old Irishman scored the second goal in the 2-1 victory at Everton - City's first away from home since August 31 - to cap another impressive performance.Hughes was delighted with the result, only their second victory outside Eastlands this season and their first at Everton for nearly 17 years.But it was the displays by Ireland, in the running for the PFA Young Player of the Year Award tonight, and Robinho which made the Welshman most happy."Stephen Ireland has had a fantastic season and from our point of view he is the best young player this season," said Hughes."He has 13 goals now (nine in the league), which is an outstanding return for a midfield player in the Premier League and we are very pleased with his performance."Stephen is still hitting the levels he was at the start of the season and we feel it (the award) should be a foregone conclusion but probably isn't."If he misses out he has already said, 'I'll have to win it next year' and that is the attitude we are looking for."Ireland's 54th-minute goal came just as Everton seemed to be getting a foothold in the game and it owed as much to Robinho's vision as it did to the midfielder's lung-busting run to the edge of the penalty area.When Felipe Caicedo laid off the ball to Robinho wide on the left just over the halfway line there appeared to be little danger.However, four Everton players were drawn to the Brazilian, who spotted Ireland's run into the space behind the defence and picked him out to leave the former City academy player with plenty of time to control and shoot past Tim Howard.Robinho showed similar composure in the first half when he collected Elano's first-time pass to go past Phil Jagielka and fire through Howard's legs."Stephen has been doing that all year," said Hughes."His understanding of the game and when to join in from deep positions - he joins in the play with pace and is difficult to track because he has such energy - means opposition teams can't track him each and every time."He has had a major impact on how we play."The City boss also had praise for Robinho after much criticism for previous poor performances away from Eastlands."Robinho had a real focus to his play and he enjoyed the way the team performed, he got good service and was able to express himself," Hughes added after the £32.5million British transfer record signing scored in successive matches."Whatever profile you have as a player if you haven't scored for a while and you get back on the goal trail that helps confidence and you saw a confident player out there."He's had too much criticism - the focus and expectation that surrounds him is understandable but some of the criticism of his performances has been way off the mark."He made a statement about where he sees his career, and when you see him perform like that you understand what a good player he is."Everton, visibly fatigued by their exertions after beating Manchester United on penalties in the FA Cup semi-final and securing a goalless draw at Chelsea, struggled to find a response to going 2-0 down.They were hampered by having to play the last 20 minutes with 10 men when, with all three substitutes used, Jagielka's season was ended by a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee.That was more of a blow to them than the defeat which keeps them sixth in the Premier League table.Substitute Dan Gosling scored a late consolation but even seven minutes of injury time were not[LNB]
