UEFA CUP:Aalborg BK (0) v Manchester City (2) - MARK HUGHES did not raise his voice, roll his eyes or wave his arms but, even so, Manchester City's manager yesterday made it plain he is growing angry with those who delight in predicting his dismissal.
Standing calmly in a corner of an executive lounge at Manchester airport before City flew to northern Denmark for tonight’s tie against Aalborg, Hughes, whose side nurse a 2-0 first-leg lead, admitted he is unhappy at constantly being tipped for the sack. “I am getting a bit fed up of it all,” he conceded, softly spoken as ever. “There’s a great deal of negativity, but maybe that makes it an easier story.”
In reality, the message emerging from inside Eastlands is the Welshman will still be in situ next season and Hughes did not sound remotely insecure. Indeed, considering City are the sole English Uefa Cup survivors and harbour realistic hopes of finishing seventh in the Premier League, the constant speculation about their manager’s position seem faintly absurd. “It might be some people want me to fail. If we lose, it’s always we should do better because we’re the richest club in the world. We’re an easy target. What continues to undermine us, of course, is our away form,” said Hughes.
Such fragility outside Eastlands has detracted from sporadically captivating City displays, but one of Hughes’s enduring problems is that the Brazilian Robinho continues to perform so badly on his travels. The feeling is City’s owners will back their manager above an under-achieving €34 million superstar who may well be offloaded this summer.
“Two-nil is a little bit of a dangerous lead,” cautioned Hughes. “But I’m sure we’ll get scoring opportunities because Aalborg will have to attack us, which isn’t their natural game. What we have to avoid is conceding an early goal.”
City striker Craig Bellamy will not feature and Vincent Kompany (toe) will be given a late fitness test while Robinho (ankle) has been passed fit. Nigel de Jong is not registered.
AALBORG(probable, 4-4-2): Zaka; Bogelund, Beauchamp, Jakobsen, Kristensen; Caca, Augustinussen, Johnasson, Due; Shelton, Curth.
Manchester City(probable, 4-2-3-1): Given; Richards, Onuoha, Dunne, Bridge; Zabaletta, Ireland; Wright-Phillips, Elano, Robinho; Caceido.
Guardian Service
