City vs Ajax: Match Preview

City need to 'pep' up for Mancini

By Dave Walker

Manchester City are no different from the overwhelming majority of teams in the world in that they would love to play like Barcelona and emulate the success of the Spanish giants.

Unlike most teams though, City have appointed the top executive team of Ferran Soriano and Txiki Bergiristain. The duo that, along with President Joan Laporta, led Barca to their glorious recent history.

The Catalan connection is destined to take City to the ‘next level’ in their meteoric rise under the ownership of Sheikh Mansour. The big question is whether ex-Barca boss Pep Guardiola – presently on a self imposed sabbatical in New York – is destined to join to make it a Manchester-Barcelona 1-2-3?

City vs Ajax: Match Preview

"Dambusters": City on a European mission 

By Dave Walker 

As reigning champions of England and the Netherlands, Manchester City and Ajax are waging almost carbon copy defences of their domestic crowns.

Both remain undefeated and yet both are perceived to be under-performing in their respective leagues.  Ajax have won four and drawn five of their nine games so far, whereas City have won five and drawn three of their opening eight fixtures.

Whether that is a harsh judgment - based on games in the Eredivisie and the Premier League - is debatable.  City are, on a game-by-game comparison,  six points ahead of last season’s haul of 89 - so much for perception and reality.

But the criticism carries weight in Europe,  when it comes to results – if not performances - in their Group D Champions League campaign.

News: Eriksen turns down City

Danish playmaker Christian Eriksen has turned down a move to Manchester City, according to the star’s agent.

The 19-year-old has made 14 appearences for the Denmark first team, scoring just once. He has also made 43 appearances for current Eredivisie champions Ajax, where he has scored 6 goals. The creative attacker has been linked with several clubs from Europe, but has supposedly rejected a possible move to England in order to carry on his development at Ajax.

Here is what Eriksen’s agent Martin Schoot had to say about the situation.

"It is true that we have a concrete proposal from Manchester City, about which Eriksen is proud and honoured, "We talk about the world's richest club, so that they are interested is something Christian regards as an honour.

"But Christian said a polite, 'no thanks', because he did not feel it would be the best move for his career at this time.

"It also says a little about Christian as a person. It is clear that money does not mean the most to him.”

In other transfer news, reports in Italy claim that Manchester City have had a bid accepted by Inter Milan for Manchester United target Wesley Sneijder, however both clubs have been quick to deny this.