Source: Northern_Echo
Manchester City 4 Sunderland 3
Manchester City 4 Sunderland 3[LNB] I COULD be next, admitted a grim-faced Steve Bruce after hearing that his former Manchester United team-mate Mark Hughes had been sacked from his post as manager of their city rivals.[LNB] Bruce's comment looks premature, but pressure is mounting on the Sunderland boss to turn around a run of four defeats in five games.[LNB] Manchester City's foreign owners ran out of patience with Hughes and club insiders reckon the Welshman's demeanour prior to the game suggests he knew he was being axed long before the thrilling 4-3 victory over Sunderland that took his side above Liverpool in the Premier League table.[LNB] He did, however, yesterday issue a statement denying any prior knowledge.[LNB] Sixth place does not, it appears, match the ambitions of the richest club in the world.[LNB] The appointment of Roberto Mancini, a man with no management experience in the English game, suggests that the City owners are running the club as if they're playing the computer game Championship Manager rather than building a sustainable challenge to Chelsea and United.[LNB] Bruce and Hughes have enjoyed a frosty relationship since the latter persuaded Bruce's former assistant Mark Bowen and midfielder Robbie Savage to swap Birmingham for Blackburn Rovers.[LNB] Nevertheless, the Sunderland boss empathised deeply with Hughes' plight and for the first time since his appointment in July showed signs that he fears a similar fate could befall him if results don't pick up for the Wearsiders.[LNB] I think it's pretty obvious to anyone in management that when a new regime comes in they want their own man and Mark wasn't their man to start with. Possibly they had this in mind the moment they came in, he suggested.[LNB] This has become part and parcel of football. I could be next. We've not won in five games. I know what's round the corner if we don't get a win over Christmas.[LNB] The Black Cats have taken only one victory from their last nine league matches and are on the same number of points as at the same stage last year. They are displaying what is commonly known as relegation form.[LNB] In that respect, the club's owner Ellis Short may be asking himself, what genuine progress has been made since he funded a major squad rebuilding programme over the summer[LNB] Tellingly, it was Bruce who raised the subject of his own future.[LNB] Last week he admitted he had only met Short on a couple of occasions and spoke of hoping that he enjoyed the owner's support.[LNB] His comments in the aftermath of an emotional afternoon both on and off the pitch may have been rash. Certainly, talk of needing to win a game over the Christmas programme or he'll join the January jobless lists sounds alarmist.[LNB] Perhaps Bruce's comments were a double-bluff intended to flush out a public declaration of support from Short and chairman Niall Quinn. He can probably rest assured.[LNB] Unlike their Man City counterparts, Sunderland's hierarchy do not have a reputation for being trigger-happy when it comes to off-loading their managers.[LNB] Quinn kept faith with Roy Keane when other chairmen would have reached their wits end with the maverick boss, and the club still believe Bruce is the man to establish the club firmly in the upper half of the Premier League.[LNB] Impressive results this season against Arsenal, Manchester United and Liverpool should have built up sufficient credit in the bank for Bruce to survive Sunderland's current recession.[LNB] And forthcoming games against Everton and Blackburn offer him an ideal opportunity to rebuild the winning mentality that Quinn wants to see embedded in the club.[LNB] Saturday's defeat at Eastlands, the most enthralling encounter Sunderland have been involved in since their return to the top flight two and half years ago, showed the best and worst of Bruce's team.[LNB] To level the scores on three occasions against a City side who were in rampant mood spoke volumes for the character in this Sunderland team.[LNB] Three goals away from home should have secured at least a point and there were even brief spells on Saturday when it appeared the visitors would take three.[LNB] Such was their never-saydie attitude driven on by the superb Jordan Henderson and skipper for the day Lee Cattermole.[LNB] But Sunderland were shambolic in defence.[LNB] BBC 1 viewers may have thought that cringeworthy sitcom Big Top offered the worst ensemble performance of 2009. On Saturday, the Black Cats' back four challenged Amanda Holden and cast for that title.[LNB] Nyron Nosworthy divides opinion among Sunderland supporters. To some, Nuggsy is a cult hero, a wholehearted performer whose lack of grace is overcome by his fearlessness and bravado.[LNB] But at Eastlands, Nosworthy was made to look clownish when trying to keep up with Craig Bellamy's wizardry on the left wing. The former Newcastle forward is unplayable even when facing the finest full-backs in the country.[LNB] Against Nosworthy he was able to showcase a talent that Bruce admitted had prompted him to bid for the Welshman on three separate occasions.[LNB] How Sunderland would love a player with Bellamy's wit, invention and pace.[LNB] Bruce's ponderous five-man midfield had barely touched the ball before Bellamy tempted Nosworthy into making a clumsy challenge that won City a penalty. Carlos Tevez duly dispatched it, adding to Roque Santa Cruz' fourthminute opener.[LNB] But credit to Sunderland, who hit back as the home side took a breather from their devastating opening.[LNB] A debut league goal from John Mensah, a towering header from Andy Reid's cross and Henderson's wellcontrolled drive rocked the home side.[LNB] But the irrepressible Bellamy restored City's lead when he fired Shaun Wight Phillips' pull- back past Marton Fulop.[LNB] The introduction of Kenwyne Jones for the flagging Steed Malbranque gave Sunderland a more balanced lineup.[LNB] When Nosworthy and Henderson combined brilliantly to tee up the Trinidadian's sixth goal of the season, the game looked like it could go either way.[LNB] But City's almost limitless attacking options unlocked the Wearsiders' static defence a fourth time. Santa Cruz coolly finished Gareth Barry's pass across goal.[LNB] Any chance of yet another Sunderland revival were quashed when referee Andre Marriner showed Michael Turner a red card for using an elbow to out-muscle Barry.[LNB] Bruce intends to appeal the decision.[LNB] Both Sunderland and City are expected to be among the prime movers in next month's transfer window but Bruce warned that cash alone will not take these clubs to where they want to be.[LNB] You can spend as much money as you like but it took Chelsea a while to build. Man City have come from nowhere and it doesn't just happen in a season.[LNB] You can have as much money as you like but you've got to have time to build a team and generate spirit,[LNB] said Bruce, who made a plea for all club owners to hesitate before firing managers.[LNB] I don't know why clubs don't learn from the Manchester United mode. You'd better ask them because it just baffles me.[LNB] The successful ones, in this country anyway, are always the ones that have stability.[LNB] The investment that we've put in at Sunderland means we've got to break into that top ten, it's as simple as that.[LNB] We are just on the edge. We have had one crack at it, however...[LNB] Match facts Goals:[LNB] 1-0: Santa Cruz, (4, tapped in Bellamy's left wing centre)[LNB] 2-0: Tevez (12, fired spot kick into middle of goal after Nosworthy penalised)[LNB] 2-1: Mensah (16,headed home Reid's perfectly-judged right wing cross)[LNB] 2-2: Henderson (24,pounced on Toure's sliced clearance)[LNB] 3-2: Bellamy (35,Wright Phillips' trickery teed up the Welshman)[LNB] 3-3: Jones (62, nodded in following great work from Henderson and Nosworthy on the right)[LNB] 4-3: Santa Cruz (69,bundled in Barry's cross).[LNB] Bookings: Given (64,dissent), Zabaletta (68,foul), Nosworthy (78, foul), Cattermole (88,foul).[LNB] Sending-off: Turner (90, violent conduct).[LNB] Referee: Andre Marriner (Birmingham). Defensive mistakes cost Sunderland but the ref didn't help matters by constantly favouring the home side 3[LNB] Attendance: 44,735[LNB] Entertainment: [LNB] MANCHESTER CITY (4-4-2): Given 5; Richards 5 (Zabaletta 22, 7), Onouha 5, Toure 4, Sylvinho 5; Wright-Phillips 6 (Kompany 52, 6), Barry 6, Ireland 7, BELLAMY 9 (Petrov, 87),Tevez 8, Santa Cruz 8.[LNB] Subs (not used): Taylor, Weiss, Robinho, Adebayor.[LNB] SUNDERLAND (4-5-1):[LNB] 5 Fulop: Made a couple of great stops but rarely looked a commanding presence.[LNB] 3 Nosworthy: This was Nuggsy at his most infuriating, Bellamy tore him apart.[LNB] 4 Turner: Sent-off when making a genuine attempt for the ball but needs a regular defensive partner.[LNB] 4 Mensah: Leapt like a salmon to nod home a debut Sunderland goal but all at sea in his defensive role.[LNB] 5 McCartney: Unspectacular but the best of a shabby defensive display.[LNB] 4 Malbranque: Withdrawn before half-time after another lacklustre performance.[LNB] 5 Campbell: Flashes of promising play but struggled to offer much as a supporting striker.[LNB] 8 Henderson: The one consistently bright light throughout Sunderland's recent dismal run.[LNB] 7 Cattermole: A solid display from the stand-in skipper who'll benefit from having Cana by his side on Boxing Day.[LNB] 7 Reid: Back to something approaching his best for the first hour but faded thereafter.[LNB] 5 Bent: Has lost his way in recent weeks but at least the team showed they are not wholly reliant on his goals.[LNB] Subs:[LNB] Jones (for Malbranque, 41) Offered an attacking thrust 6 Richardson (for Campbell 60) Added fresh legs 5 Healy (for Mensah 76) (not used): Colgan (gk), Da Silva, Murphy, Bardsley[LNB] MAN OF THE MATCH[LNB] CRAIG Bellamy unplayable, why on earth did Newcastle let him go[LNB]
