A look back at last night |
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'Alves makes Hughes pay penalty for positive approach'
Middlesbrough 2 Manchester City 0
The previous time Manchester City left Teesside it was in May after losing 8-1 in what turned out to be Sven Goran Eriksson's last match in charge. Last night represented a marginal improvement therefore but it was another defeat and Mark Hughes is struggling to impose his will on a City side that has won one of its last five in the league.
Hughes's intent was to attack a Middlesbrough team that had lost 5-0 here to Chelsea 11 days earlier but while the personnel and the 4-3-3 formation were adventurous, City did not impress as a coherent unit. Robinho had his moments, as did Stephen Ireland and Shaun Wright-Phillips, but on those occasions when City bypassed a disciplined Middlesbrough back four, Ross Turnbull was more resolute in goal than at other times this season.
Boro were tentative initially – they had not won here since August – but gradually Gary O'Neil began to influence midfield and a fortunate penalty award in the 53rd minute set Boro on their way.
When David Wheater and City's back-pedalling teenage striker Daniel Sturridge became entangled fractionally outside the City area, Wheater fell forward and referee Lee Mason's view was that Sturridge both fouled Wheater and that the contact was inside the area. Afonso Alves stepped up and converted the penalty.
"It was a tight call," said Middlesbrough manager Gareth Southgate, "but it looks like David had one foot in the box. You get your reward for being positive."
Hughes thought otherwise. "The lad [Wheater] is not in complete control and it's a coming together of legs more than anything," Hughes said. "The linesman didn't flag but then the referee's performance tonight was average, if that."
Southgate felt particular pleasure in the "patience" of Boro's play. The home crowd can get on Boro quickly but Southgate said: "It was important that we played in a controlled manner. We had an emotional buffeting in the last game here."
Southgate also dismissed a touchline spat with Wright-Phillips, during which the winger appeared to gesture with two fingers at the Boro manager. "I've seen him in the tunnel, he wasn't very happy with what I said," Southgate said.
"We were both in the wrong but it's finished now." Hughes said he saw nothing.
City had had the better of a first half of meagre entertainment but after Alves's penalty, the promise of Ireland and Wright-Phillips withered and though Turnbull made smart saves from Wright-Phillips and Vincent Kompany in the second half, the visitors were disjointed in many aspects of their play.
Boro, meanwhile, were stable rather than effervescent. Tuncay Sanli was a willing target and O'Neil was a bundle of midfield energy.
Deep into four minutes of injury-time, with City pressed forward, Tuncay and O'Neil broke away and after the Turk had squandered his chance in front of Joe Hart, O'Neil made no mistake with the rebound. With that Middlesbrough moved to ninth place, one below City.
Goal: Alves pen (53) 1-0, O'Neil (90) 2-0.
Middlesbrough (4-4-2) Turnbull; Wheater, Riggott, Pogatetz, Taylor; Aliadière, Digard (Arca, 75), O'Neil, Downing (A Johnson, 83); Tuncay, Alves. Substitutes not used: Jones (gk), Emnes, J Johnson, Grounds, Walker.
Manchester City (4-3-3) Hart; Onuoha, Ben Haim, Dunne, Richards; Ireland, Kompany, Elano (Fernandes, 67); Wright-Phillips, Sturridge (Evans, 77), Robinho. Substitutes not used: Schmeichel (gk), Garrido, Berti, Hamann, Jo.
Referee: L Mason (Lancashire).
Booked: Middlesbrough O'Neil; Manchester City Kompany, Ireland, Robinho.
Man of the match: Turnbull.
Attendance: 25,731.
The Sun add...
SHAUN WRIGHT-PHILLIPS faces an FA probe after giving Gareth Southgate a two-fingered salute.
Manchester City winger SWP reacted angrily last night when the Boro boss accused him of going down too easily under a challenge.
Southgate was incensed at the player’s reaction and had to be restrained by the fourth official as tempers flared.
The incident erupted moments after Afonso Alves had put Middlesbrough ahead with a controversial 53rd-minute penalty.
Soho Square chiefs will now be asking questions but Southgate said: “I didn’t think he was fouled and he didn’t like the way I spoke to him.
“We were both in the wrong. I saw him in the tunnel and that is the end of it.”
City chief Mark Hughes insisted he did not see the England star flick the Vs as he was still spitting blood at ref Lee Mason.
Sparky said: “I was too busy shouting at the ref. If Shaun did do something I will speak to him.”
The flashpoint overshadowed a decent win for Boro, who responded from a dismal first-half showing by producing a display full of power and courage after the break.
This was a big result for Southgate but Hughes is quickly realising money cannot buy you luck. Or points. Or goals.
City may be the richest club in the land and have billions in the bank, but that means zilch when dodgy refereeing decisions go against you.
Dodgy at the back and lacking ideas up-front, Sparky has plenty to think about.
It was left to Samba star Alves to upstage Brazilian buddy Robinho, scoring from the spot when Daniel Sturridge was adjudged to have fouled David Wheater.
It looked marginal and TV replays suggested the challenge was outside the box.
This was a night when £32.5million man Robinho went missing.
And City’s misery was compounded at the death when Gary O’Neil lashed home from close range after his cross for Tuncay rebounded into his path.
Hughes has every right to feel pretty cheesed off this morning with ref Mason.
He said: “There was a tangling of legs but it didn’t even look like contact was made in the box. I didn’t bother speaking to the ref after the game. He made some baffling decisions.
“He clearly had some doubt about the penalty but still gave it. He was average, if that.”
Southgate knew his luck was in and his crazed celebration at the end said it all.
He said: “City have international-class players but keeper Ross Turnbull was outstanding. It was a big performance.
“It looks like David Wheater has a foot in the box but you get rewards for being positive.
“The crowd get frustrated sometimes. Hopefully, they can see how positive we are being and get behind us on Saturday against West Ham.”
STAR MAN: Tuncay (Boro)
Middlesbrough: Turnbull 6, Wheater 7, Riggott 7, Pogatetz 6, Taylor 6, Aliadiere 6, O’Neil 6, Digard 7 (Arca 6), Downing 6 (Adam Johnson 6), Tuncay 8, Alves 7. Subs Not Used: Jones, Emnes, John Johnson, Grounds, Walker. Booked: O’Neil.
Man City: Hart 6, Ben-Haim 6, Richards 6, Dunne 5, Onuoha 6, Kompany 6, Wright-Phillips 6, Ireland 6, Elano 5 (Fernandes 6), Robinho 6, Sturridge 5 (Evans 6). Subs Not Used: Schmeichel, Jo, Garrido, Hamann, Berti. Booked: Kompany, Ireland, Robinho.
Finally, the same paper tells us...
'O'Neill in scrap for kid Kyle'
MARTIN O’NEILL is ready to battle with Mark Hughes for Sheffield United’s £5million-rated whizkid Kyle Naughton.
Aston Villa boss O’Neill is planning a swoop for the Sheffield-born right-back in January.
The Irishman has had rave reports on Naughton, 19, since he broke into the Blades side earlier this season.
And O’Neill, who wants to snap-up England’s top young talent, ran a personal check in Saturday’s 1-0 win over Preston at Bramall Lane.
Naughton has made only 11 appearances but is already regarded as one of the hottest young properties outside the Premier League.
He is being tipped for a glittering future after graduating from the Blades’ Academy and Manchester City boss Hughes has had him watched repeatedly since his full debut just two months ago.
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