Kevin Keegan
was in charge of Newcastle in 1996, when they led the league for much of
the season before collapsing during the run-in.
LONDON: Manchester City will be without star
striker Sergio Aguero for the Premier League clash against Sunderland
with a 'stupid' injury, club manager Roberto Mancini confirmed
yesterday.
The Italian refused to say for
how long he would be without the club's top scorer, who had also missed
City's 1-1 draw at Stoke on Saturday with a foot problem.
'It is a stupid injury,' said Mancini,
without revealing what had happened to the Argentinian. 'It was not his
fault but he can't play with this injury; for one day, 10 days or two
weeks. I don't know.'
He is now considering handing Carlos Tevez his first league start for almost seven months at the Etihad Stadium.
Since the forward's infamous touchline row
with Mancini last September, Tevez has made just two substitute
appearances totalling 40 minutes.
His return against Chelsea last week, however,
was greeted by applause - a reception that moved the Argentinian
striker, revealed teammate Yaya Toure.
'It was unbelievable when Carlos came back and
the fans gave him big applause, and tried to support him when he got
the ball,' said the Ivorian.
'He knew, when he came back to the club, that
he had made a very big mistake, but now everything is over, and he is
focused on winning the Premier League.
'He wants to help the team, and the club, and
do as much as possible to say sorry to the fans. When people love you,
you want to give them something back.'
Toure is just as desperate to win the title,
after missing out on trophies in every other club competition this
season, and losing the final of the African Nations Cup with the Ivory
Coast to Zambia.
He also insisted that it is the prospect of
winning silverware that brought him - and City's other big earners - to
the Etihad Stadium.
The midfielder, who earns about €14 million
(S$23.5 million) a year, putting him among the top 10 best-paid players
in world football last year, told The Sun:
'Players like Sergio Aguero, David Silva and
Mario Balotelli have come here with me to City for one thing. Not for
money - but to win games and win trophies.'
Sunderland, however, are also keen to take out
their FA Cup frustration on City as they look to bounce back from their
sixth-round replay loss to Everton.
City have not dropped points at home for 13
months, but Mancini's men did suffer a 0-1 defeat at the Stadium of
Light in January.
'We beat them at our place and played out of
our skin, so if we can go there and be the first team to get something
off them for the first time in ages it'd be brilliant,' said Sunderland
skipper Lee Cattermole.