City began pre-season with a 3-0 victory against a competitive Portland Timbers, who were given plenty of backing by an enthusiastic 5,000 sell-out crowd.

Ireland and Adebayor grabbed a goal each shortly before half-time. Both came courtesy of crosses by Adam Johnson. City changed everyone except Cunningham at half-time and managed a third courtesy of the inimatble Jo.

Few of us will have expected to see the Brazilian scoring again in City colours, but looking at the teams we put out in each half reveals the depth of talent available to Mancini.

With all our World Cup players yet to return, this is an excellent opportunity for the best of our Academy graduates.

Roberto Mancini:

“It was good for the young players to show what they could do.

“We used the defensive ones in the first half and the midfielders and strikers in the second half.”

Kieran Trippier enthused about the experience of training alongside the likes of Craig Bellamy.

Kieran Trippier:

“I’m learning the most from Craig Bellamy. He’s fast, he’s clever, he’s very experienced and there’s so much I can take from training with and against him.

“He’s always helping me, if I make a mistake he shows me what to do and he gets on my case like you might expect! But it’s all positive and you can’t help but pick things up from him.”

There’s a myth about Bellamy being a nightmare character off the pitch. The Welshman is passionate about the game and this isn’t the first time young players have talked about his willingness to help them. Adam Johnson referred to it after he joined City and Jack Collison cited Bellamy as a great help during their time at West Ham.

Mancini is known for giving young players a chance, and it will be interesting to see if any catch his eye during this tour of America. While most attention is focussed on our next big money signing, it could be one or two of our youngsters who earn a place in the first team squad for the upcoming season.

Javier Garrido, Michael Johnson and Shay Given were the players who didn’t get a run out. Johnson and Given are still getting back to full fitness, while Garrido has a torn calf muscle.

Micah Richards:

“It was good to see my good mate Joe Hart back in the squad and making one really good save.

“At least he remembered his gloves and that was more than he did for his first training session.”

Team: Hart, Trippier, Boyata, Mee, Cunningham, Ireland, Zabaleta, A Johnson, Vieira, Bellamy, Adebayor.

Second half – Taylor, Richards, Kompany, Lescott, Cunningham (Bridge), Tutte, Kay (Onuoha), Ibrahim, Helan, Guidetti (Nimely), Jo

Match reports:

• Orlando Sentinel
• Official site

Video:

• Portland Timbers site (set to appear on Sunday 18/7/2010)

Following a draining game on Wednesday night, it would make sense to rotate the squad reagardless of the fact the game is a dead rubber. For the likes of Nedum Onuoha and Micah Richards, this could be an indication of whether they figure in the manager’s future plans. If Stephen Ireland were fit, it would be great to see him get a game.

Motivation could be a concern, and those looking to secure World Cup places might be the ones with the most. Step forward Patrick Vieira, Shaun Wright-Phillips and Adam Johnson.

This is the first time Roberto Mancini’s managed a less than vital game, so it will be interesting to see what team is selected. The manager has shown himself willing to give youth a chance and there could be a run out for Boyata, Cunningham, Ibrahim and Nimely. Hopefully some of these will be on the bench at least.

It’s to be hoped we don’t take the fixture to lightly as a win would secure fifth place and give us 69 points for the season, just one off the alleged target. Psychologically this would be a boost in showing that we only need a slight improvement next season to finish in the top four.

Showing how close we are would be useful for Brian Marwood when he’s trying to secure new signings.

While speculation about Roberto Mancini’s future has been quelled by the chairman, the same cannot be said for West Ham’s Italian manager. Aside from picking up the victories required to keep them in the Premier League, Zola’s side have been in poor form lately.

If we retain the discipline that Mancini demands from his side, then a professional performance from City should be enough to secure a final victory.

Blue Days line-up: Fulop, Richards, Bridge, Onuoha, Kompany, de Jong, Vieira, Wright-Phillips, A Johnson, Tevez, Adebayor.

Prediction: 3-1 to City.

City gave it their best shot and came up short as Peter Crouch led Tottenham to a top four finish with the only goal of a competitively fought game. The result saw The Smiths “Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now” played over the PA in place of a lap of honour on the pitch. Such is City life.

The evening had started brightly with Mancini electing to make only a single change to the team which beat Aston Villa. Gareth Barry returning in place of Vieira was a slight surprise, though Gareth went on to give a decent perfromance.

From the start we took the game to Spurs with de Jong the furthest man forward in our opening attack. Tevez was picking up the ball and causing genuine problems running at defenders. Barry and de Jong established an early grip of midfield and things looked promising.

Then Tottenham discovered they had an out ball. Crouch was pulling to the right of our defence and had the beating of Toure and Zabaleta in the air. In a fast paced game, Tottenham players were quick to support him and it became apparent we had a problem, but no obvious solution.

A taller right-back in Richards or Onuoha may have helped, but they may not have kept as tight a rein on Bale as Zabaleta. Lescott and Kompany would have offered greater strength at the heart of the defence but Joleon was injured.

Tottenham picked up numerous set pieces and Crouch was a constant threat. With the likes of Bale, Spurs were aided by a consistently good delivery, which contrasted with the erratic Bellamy and Johnson.

Consequently Crouch hit the post and King had a goal disallowed, while Toure had two headers from corners with which he could have done better.

The good work of de Jong and Barry was undone as Spurs simply bypassed the middle of the pitch with high balls to Crouch.  As a result City weren’t able to get forward in numbers, enabling King and Dawson to grow in confidence.

Once again Adebayor was doing most of his work on the flanks, leaving us with little to aim at in the penalty area. Neither Barry or de Jong are likely get on the end of crosses, while Tevez prefers to carry the ball into the danger area.

Johnson continued to show good touches without ever breaking through. It became the same story across the attack as the first half drew to a close. A pep talk at half-time saw us start the second period brighter, with Barry starting to get forward.

Once again it proved a false dawn as we failed to get a notable effort on target. As Barry went off injured, so Spurs again grew in confidence with Crouch once more the danger man.

Vieira was doing well enough, but as the game was getting stretched, the additional space seemed to benefit Spurs more. Johnson’s inability to last 90 minutes saw him replaced by Wright-Phillips.

What chances there were continued to be at the City end with Fulop required to demonstrate his reflexes in turning a Defoe shot round the post.

When the goal came, it was the result of Kaboul being allowed to much space on the flank. Bridge had dropped deep into the penalty area, and a ‘forwards challenge’ by Bellamy let the Tottenham player move into a dangerous position. His cross appeared to deflect slightly off Bridge, forcing a reaction stop from Fulop that only resulted in allowing Crouch to nod home.

Despite the best efforts of the crowd everyone knew it was over. Santa Cruz came on for Bellamy, who appeared to have picked up a knock. Once again Roque failed to make a difference, though the crosses which his game requires never came.

At the final whistle Spurs celebrated, while City players stood around, unsure what to do. Neither fans nor players seemed up for the customary lap of honour at the last home match. There was some mutual applause for the efforts this season, before everyone trooped off with a feeling of what might have been.

Apparently Khaldoon spoke to the players in the dressing room afterwards, and Mancini looks like being in charge next season. This campaign has seen us fall a fraction short of a top four place, so logic suggests we don’t need a major overhaul.

The likes of Torres and Mourinho will now be off limits, however players such as Jerome Boateng and Mesut Ozil would make for exciting signings with the quality required. A better balanced squad with Mancini at the helm from the start could well be enough to take us to the promised land next time round.

External reports:

• BBC
• The Guardian
• The Independent
• Manchester Evening News
• The Times
• The Telegraph

Blog reports:

• The Lonesome Death of Roy Carroll
• Manchester City Mad

Zabaleta – Nullified the attacking threat of Bale excellently, but wasn’t able to contribute enough quality in the attacking part of his game. 6

Toure – Dominated in the air by Crouch. Kolo did his best but this was a game when we needed a taller defender. Had two chances to score with headers of his own, and failed to take either. 6

Kompany – For once he wasn’t able to win the aerial battle, such was the effectiveness of Crouch. Otherwise his game was solid enough. 6

Bridge – Up against Lennon, this was a battle of two players returning from injury, and neither was able to get on top. Was stood in no man’s land for the cross which led to the goal. 6

De Jong – Put in a tremendous effort, never allowing Modric or Huddlestone to show their skills. A terrific display of clean tackling, and even got forward a few times early on. 8

Barry – Justified his recall with some good spells and was enjoying the best of them when injured. 6

Johnson – Always willing to try a trick and take the game to the opposition. Rarely conceded possession even if the final ball wasn’t always devastating. 7

Bellamy – Worked tirelessly without ever breaking through. Craig was at fault for the goal, though may have been affected by injury and went off immediately after. 6

Tevez – An excellent start, taking the game to the opposition which, sadly, wasn’t to last. No shortage of endeavour mind. 7

Adebayor – Further evidence that, against the bigger central defenders, Adebayor is no target man. Needed to show more intelligence against a well organised back line, and be in place to attack crosses. 5

Subs:

Vieira – Came on and carried on from where he left off at the weekend. Unfortunately the game was getting stretched and Spurs had more energy. 6

Wright-Phillips – Used his pace to threaten down the flanks. 6

Santa Cruz – Once again failed to have any impact. 4

Man of the match: Nigel de Jong.

With the popularity of Harry Redknapp amongst the nations media and Spurs only needing a point, many pundits are tipping the Londoners to get a result. Praise for our victory over Villa seemed lukewarm in comparison to that afforded to Spurs for their 1-0 win over Bolton.

Am I the only one who is happy to see Spurs installed as favourites? Many in the media seem to overlook the qualities Roberto Mancini has brought to City. This could be the moment he shows his ability to get a result to a wider audience.

Tottenham’s attack is much vaunted, and is dangerous, but our defensive discipline shouldn’t be underestimated. An improvement by Bridge may be required, but that isn’t beyond the realms of possibility.

Fulop should hopefully have more confidence, and if Vieira has recovered suficiently from his excellent performance on Sunday to do it all over again, then we should field a strong side.

Gareth Barry may be fit, but it would be a surprise to see any changes to the team which beat Villa. Having Barry on the bench would be a useful option. Likewise Wright-Phillips, Richards and Onuoha may all have a part to play. Santa Cruz has done little to suggest he is capable of winning a match but, who knows, a cameo appearance here could finally justify his transfer.

Roberto Mancini:

“Spurs are a strong team, like Aston Villa, but our approach has to be that we are positive when the game starts.

“It does not matter so much if we play well or play badly, but we must win.”

For Spurs, Gomes and King may both play, though whether they’re fully fit is another matter. Vedran Corluka is out so Kaboul is likely to deputise out of position at right-back. This suggests an opportunity for Bellamy, but Kaboul has been in good form and our Welshman will need to be at his best.

The other Welsh wide player on show has been receiving rave reviews, yet Zabaleta could be the man to stop Bale in his tracks. The bigger concern is Bridge’s defensive qualities. Many expect him to struggle against Lennon, though it’s worth noting that Bentley started on Saturday. Lennon only came on as a substitute and may not yet be back to his best form.

Another factor is home advantage, and for the fixture to be a night match is even better. There’s no doubt the players were lifted by the crowd when we beat United in the first leg of the Carling Cup semi-final, and this promises to be an even bigger occasion.

Scoring first will be vital, and it would be nice to think we’d go on and put the game beyond Spurs. This is unlikely under Mancini, who sees the priority as protecting a lead rather than extending it. Hardly good for the nerves of those raised on open English football, but with the right balance of counter-attacking it does work as we saw against Villa and in the second half against Chelsea.

Nigel de Jong:

“We have a lot of experience in our squad, people who have played for club and country in high pressure situations. We are ready for the challenge.”

Many say that failure to finish in the top four would diminish Mancini’s chances of being manager next season. Not necessarily. In terms of results and trophies, Mourinho remains the outstanding manager around, and it’s hard to see him coming to City if we’re not in the Champions League.

No other candidate offers any greater guarantee of success than Mancini, particularly bearing in mind the upheaval of another managerial changeover. The board seem to realise this and Mancini, to his credit, looks quite relaxed about the situation.

His focus, and that of the team, is clearly on the game. For him and many of the recent signings, a game of this magnitude is nothing new, and that experience allied to great ability could be enough to see us through.

Blue Days line-up: Fulop, Zabaleta, Bridge, Toure, Kompany, de Jong, Vieira, A Johnson, Bellamy, Tevez, Adebayor.

Prediction: 3-1 to City.

City set up a huge game against Tottenham on Wednesday with an excellent victory over Aston Villa. It was never easy after conceding the first goal, but the team showed great character to come through with three points.

After watching the midweek European action with Inter, Barca and er Fulham, this match had City showing the qualities of all three. For forty minutes we were like Barca, dominating possession against a strong defence, without looking like making the breakthrough.

Then two quick goals had us demonstrating the Roy Hodgson view of ‘keep playing your football and the rewards will come’. The second half had us defending a lead like Mourinho’s Inter, though thankfully without all the gamesmanship and time wasting.

As expected, Gareth Barry wasn’t fit, so Adebayor came into the starting line-up as we reverted to 4-4-2. One of the main concerns was whether a midfield of Vieira and de Jong would be strong enough against Villa. Thankfully Patrick went on to have his best game for the club, particularly during the first half when he dominated the midfield. There weren’t the forward runs of old, but we were treated to physical dominance of the opposition, followed by quickly released passes to our attacking players.

Villa were penned back and relying on an excellently organised defence to keep us out. What shots we could manage were blocked in trademark fashion by Dunne and co. In contrast the goal we conceded felt incredibly soft.

Villa were allowed to take a free-kick quickly, Bridge let Downing run at him, and Toure wasn’t tight enough on Carew. Fulop’s lack of reactions reminded everyone just how good Shay Given is. Mancini turned away in disgust, and it felt like a potentially devastating blow.

At the other end Villa continued a better demonstration of the art of defending. There were a couple of penalty shouts, but nothing convincing. Tevez dropping deep ensures he is involved, as does Adebayor drifting wide. It gives opponents something to think about, but doesn’t leave us with many options in the box when a cross eventually goes over.

With frustration in the air, Johnson was released down the flank, and fortune smiled on us for the next couple of minutes. First Warnock slipped, then in trying to regain his ground stretched to tackle and only succeeded in clipping Johnson’s heel. The defender’s head in hands expression removed any doubt it was a penalty.

Next, Tevez’s penalty was poorly placed, but powerful enough to fly under Friedel. When Toure again allowed Carew to get a shot away, it flew back off the bar and we were straight down the other end scoring our second.

After being released by Vieira, Johnson showed his composure in holding the ball up, drawing the defenders, then picking out Adebayor, whose shot also went dangerously close to Friedel.

To turn the game around like this shows the quality of our attacking play when we commit people forward. Villa had looked solid but we were able to break them down. The second half became a question of whether they could do the same to us.

This is the key difference between the teams of Hughes and Mancini. Under the Italian our greater organisation at the back enables us to close games out. Nowhere better is this seen than at set pieces and despite having a nervous new goalkeeper, no corners or free-kicks caused undue problems.

Zabaleta showed greater composure and didn’t give away needless free-kicks. His was a heroic performance that sets up a fascinating contest against Gareth Bale on Wednesday night.

On the other side, Wayne Bridge was a greater concern as he repeatedly failed to get close to Ashley Young in the second half. A significant improvement will be required against David Bentley or Aaron Lennon.

When Micah Richards was waiting to come on, there was a case for him going to right-back and Zabaleta moving across to replace Bridge. Despite being on his wrong side the Argentine might make our best left-back on Wednesday.

Our defensive solidity during the second period wore Villa down, with Milner looking frustrated at the lack of openings. City were initially failing to capitalise on the break but, as time ticked by, the gaps widened, and eventually Wright-Phillips went on a dazzling run taking him away from Collins. A neatly poked pass to Bellamy gave the Welshman time to pick his spot and the game was over.

The embrace between Mancini and Kidd said it all. The tension of defending a single goal lead was released, and it was good to see Bellamy go over to Mancini after scoring. That might keep quiet stories of him being set to leave for a couple of days.

As the players took the applause at the final whistle, it was noticeable that Toure went over to congratulate Fulop. Such acts mark out Kolo as a top guy and a genuine team person.

With an entourage from Abu Dhabi watching in the stands, this was a good day for Mancini. Even if we don’t finish fourth, his chances of remaining manager were surely improved by this result.

When we played Villa away, the game was very stretched and played at full pelt in a traditional English manner. Here, once in front, we were always conscious of Villa’s strength on the break and didn’t allow ourselves to be drawn out.

The result justified Mancini’s balanced approach between attacking and defending, and even his signing of Patrick Vieira looked a good deal. The veteran Frenchman outshone current pundits favourite James Milner in the middle of the park.

Roberto Mancini on Wednesday’s game:

“We wanted a final this season and now we have a final. It is our most important game of the year and we need all our players to be strong. It will be tough but we want to win it.”

On this showing, Vieira would be selected ahead of Barry for the Tottenham match, with the main concern being his ability to perform twice in a week. If Bridge can improve on this showing in the same way that Vieira improved on his performance at Arsenal, then an unchanged side will be our best bet against Tottenham.

This felt like a fantastic victory at the end. Another on Wednesday would be even better. Many pundits are making Spurs the favourites, but that’s ok, our Serie A style manager may surprise a few people by once again setting the team up to get the result he needs.

External reports:

• BBC
• The Guardian
• The Independent
• MCFC
• The Mail
• The Telegraph
• The Times

Blog reports:

• Bitter And Blue
• The Lonesome Death of Roy Carroll
• The Theatre Of Base Comedy

Zabaleta – Superb display of defensive skills stopped the crosses on his flank. Could have been better going forward with one poor delivery in particular during the first half. 8

Bridge – Didn’t look fully fit and struggled to last 90 minutes. Needed to get tighter on Young in the second-half and we’ll need a big improvement from Wayne on Wednesday. 5

Toure – Surprisingly Kolo struggled against Carew on the ground rather than in the air. Should have been tighter for the goal and the shot which hit the bar. Thereafter, Kolo was back on form. 7

Kompany – At the heart of the rearguard action in the second half which ensured Villa went home with nothing. Dominant in the air once again. 8

De Jong – Another disciplined performance in keeping Milner out of the danger area. Still sits a little to deep when we’re protecting a lead. 7

Vieira – A revelation after the poor display against Arsenal. Bossed the midfield during the first-half, and finally found his passing game. 8

A Johnson – Ultimately made the difference in the first half when he showed a great fleetness of foot. Once again tired in the second period and needs to get hold of Ireland’s personal trainer in the Summer. 7

Bellamy – Worked tirelessly in the second-half, helping out Bridge whenever he could. Got his reward with the goal that sealed it. Nice to see him go over and celebrate with Mancini – probably just wanted to put a stop to all the press stories. 7

Tevez – A noticeably more energetic performance during the first-half. Did Mancini’s comments in the press provoke a reaction? Looked pained after scoring and it’s to be hoped Carlos is fully fit for Wednesday. 7

Adebayor – Worked hard and held the ball up well, without ever completely breaking free of Villa’s defensive shackles. Looked a little rusty at times, which was no surprise having not trained properly during the week. 7

Subs:

Wright-Phillips – Great run to set up a goal for Bellamy. And it was on his unfavoured left flank. 7

Richards – Barely able to get a touch in the time he was on the pitch.

Man of the match: Patrick Vieira.

In big games, Mancini takes a measured approach, whereas O’Neill demands a high tempo and pressing all over the pitch. If the scores are level in the final minutes, expect Villa to throw everything at us.

Fortunately we have the quality to deal with it, so long as we play to our capabilities. There could be space for our forwards and they need to exploit this. Both Chelsea and United have demonstrated how to overcome Villa recently and we need to show a similar level of performance.

At the beginning all eyes will be on Marton Fulop. The Hungarian is sure to be given a rousing welcome and has the opportunity to make himself a cult legend.

Bridge may be fit to start, but will he be fully up to speed? He wasn’t against United and we’ll need someone who is against Villa. Martin O’Neill’s sides rely on creativity from the flanks, and stopping crosses will be key.

If there are doubts about Bridge, then Zabaleta would be the best choice defensively. A more natural left-back could be brought on later if we need to improve our attacking.

Villa are a physical team, dangerous from set pieces, and for that reason Onuoha would be a good choice for right-back. He offers greater physical presence than Zabaleta and marks wingers better than Richards. However Mancini will be more likely to go with Zabaleta.

Against the likes of Carew and Heskey, our best central defensive pairing would be Kompany and Lescott. Toure is much improved recently and we’ll just have to hope his lack of inches isn’t costly. If he keeps as tight on Agbonlahor as he did on Van Persie, then we should be ok.

Vieira’s better performances have come as substitute, so starting him against an energetic Villa side would be a worry if Barry is injured. Whether we have enough to take the game to Villa in central midfield is a concern.

After spending the first half last week tracking Clichy, Johnson had no energy left to attack in the second period, and his place must be vulnerable to Wright-Phillips. Bellamy scored at Villa Park earlier in the season, and whether he gets into goalscoring positions is often a guide to how well we’re playing.

Providing Adebayor is fit, we should return to a front two of the Togolese and Tevez. Without Adebayor, it’s to be hoped that Ireland is the third central midfielder, otherwise the formation risks being overly defensive.

Mancini is normally a smooth operator with the media, so it was a surprise to read his comments about Tevez. Could it be he’s trying to provoke a reaction from the Argentine after two quiet games? There will certainly be an additional focus on Carlos’ performance.

Much will be made of the return of Richard Dunne, and he’ll want to put in a performance similar to that of Kolo Toure last week. We can’t let him. If we can draw Villa out, then the big man is vulnerable when asked to cover large areas of turf. The movement and skill on the ground of both Tevez and Adebayor can exploit this.

Roberto Mancini:

“We work for this for a year – now at the end of the season we have three games. We wanted fourth position, now we have chance.”

Having the chance and taking it are two different things. To often in the recent past, City have got themselves close to achieving something, only to fail. It’s time for the players and the manager to show they’re better than “typical City”.

Blue Days line-up: Fulop, Onuoha, Toure, Kompany, Bridge (if injured, Zabaleta), de Jong, Barry (if injured, Vieira), Johnson, Bellamy, Tevez, Adebayor.

Prediction: 4-1 to City.

This contentedness poses intriguing questions. Against United, we were clearly going for the win with an attacking formation and the game became stretched in the final minutes, allowing United to deliver the killer blow. Had he wanted to, Mancini could have ordered his troops to sit tight and settle for a point.

Spurs then went on to beat Chelsea, moving into a Champions League place. To be sure of finishing fourth, we now need to win our three remaining games. Had we lost against Arsenal we would still have needed to win these games. Therefore settling for a point makes little sense on the face of it. Had we gone for the win and got it, then a draw may have been enough against Spurs.

Harry Redknapp now has the advantage of knowing a point against us could be enough (providing Spurs beat Bolton). The only advantage to City of a point against Arsenal is that if we draw against Villa and win our other two games, then we could still finish above Spurs on goal difference. However, Spurs have a home game against Bolton, and Owen Coyle’s teams haven’t distinguished themselves on the road this season. The final game for Tottenham is against Burnley, and we demonstrated in 45 minutes how goal difference could be improved at Turf Moor.

Yet a point at Arsenal is not to be dismissed, even against an injury depleted Gunners side. Our defending was superb with Toure and Kompany both excelling at centre-back. A highly motivated Robin Van Persie wasn’t given an inch.

Given his good form, Nedum Onuoha must have been desperately disappointed to find himself on the bench, and then overlooked in favour of Micah Richards when Wayne Bridge hobbled off. However both Zabaleta and Richards justified their recalls with solid displays.

Nigel de Jong was once again crucial in preventing the opposition midfield breaking through. Against the stronger teams his importance grows, and he will be vital against Villa and Spurs.

The disappointment was in our attacking play, and not just because of the tactics. Tevez was horribly isolated during the first half, just as he had been at Chelsea, yet there wasn’t the energy we associate with him.

Craig Bellamy rarely received a decent pass as we focused to much on knocking the ball over the top for him to run on to – and getting this wrong. The same tactic failed against Gary Neville the previous week.

Adam Johnson seemed to expend all his energy in the first half tracking Clichy. By the time we started attacking, he looked shattered, and was ripe to be replaced by Wright-Phillips. Unfortunately we ran out of substitutes courtesy of Shay Given’s dislocated shoulder.

Neither Barry or Vieira provided any telling passes to the forwards, and this was a crucial failing for a side looking to play on the break. Given’s attempts to find Bellamy with quick kicks that ended up in touch were simply dispiriting.

The only plus point in our offensive game was the appearance of Adebayor. Not surprisingly he was up for it. The response to all the jeering was plenty of big smiles and hair in pigtails – surely a first for any City player.

With the arrival of the Togolese, City looked to take the game to Arsenal and were starting to make an impression when Given’s injury left us unsettled and reverting back to protecting our goal. Adebayor was doing well in pulling out to the flanks and holding the ball up, but wasn’t able to get into the opposition area and make the sweetest of headlines for himself.

Gunnar Nielsen:

“It was an unbelievable feeling afterwards, but when I did come on it was just so intense.

“But I’ve not played too many games, especially at this level.”

Despite eight minutes of injury time, Gunnar Nielsen remained untroubled and looked confident. Whether this proves to be a point gained or two points dropped, only time will tell. What it does ensure, is our destiny remains in our own hands. Win the next three games and we’re in the Champions League.

External reports:

• BBC
• The Guardian
• The Independent
• The Mail
• MCFC
• The Telegraph
• The Times

Blog reports:

• Bitter And Blue
• The Lonesome Death of Roy Carroll
• Norfstander
• The Theatre Of Base Comedy

Bridge – Looked to be suffering early on and did well to contain Walcott before limping off. 7

Zabaleta – Considering Pablo hadn’t played for several weeks, this was an excellent showing. His willingness to get tight on opponents kept out Rosicky early on. A switch to left-back saw him keep Walcott under control. 7

Toure – Clearly relished his return to the Emirates. Outstanding in keeping the dangerous Van Persie under wraps, and covered for others when required. Kolo’s improved form reached a new level. 8

Kompany – Equally solid in the heart of the defence. None of the nervousness we saw against United, and took Walcott out with one superb tackle. 8

De Jong – The passing and movement of Arsenal’s midfield is a test for any defensive midfielder, and Nigel came through with flying colours. A key player against the better teams. 8

Barry – Another steady performance without anything spectacular. Alongside Vieira and de Jong, we needed Gareth to offer some creativity. None came. 6

Vieira – Stood up to Song and Diaby in the physical battle, but the passing made one wonder if he’d forgotten which side he was on. Looked to be labouring when taken off. 5

Johnson – Appeared to use up all his energy in tracking Clichy during the first half. When we started to attack there was nothing left in Adam’s tank. Wright-Phillips would have been a useful replacement had we not ran out of subs. 6

Bellamy – Plenty of industry and commitment in helping the team. The ball over the top for Craig to run on to has been sussed by opponents and we need to find better ways of utilising his attacking skills. 7

Tevez – No support in the first half, and wasn’t able to take the game to the opposition in the way he did against Chelsea. We need Carlos back to his best for the remaining games. 6

Subs:

Richards – Considering he was just back from injury, it was a surprise to see Micah come on ahead of Nedum. Slotted in well with a disciplined performance. 7

Adebayor – His arrival signalled the start of our attacking and he performed well. Held the ball up, showed a good touch, and stayed out of trouble. Playing with a smile and pigtails(!), Emanuel looked the striker most likely to win it for us – if only the others could have mustered some service. 7

Nielsen – A most unexpected debut. Looked calm and assured, particularly when flicking a cross over the bar. This could be a remarkable couple of weeks for the Faroe Islands reserve keeper. 7

Man of the match: Kolo Toure