By Jaydip Sengupta
Dubai - Former Manchester United midfielder Lee Sharpe believes Abu Dhabi-owned Manchester City are destined for glory after their defeat of the Red Devils in the FA Cup recently.
Speaking to XPRESS during his visit to Abu Dhabi in his role as guest commentator on AD Sports, Sharpe said: "Manchester City are definitely learning to live with the top teams now, and I'd expect them to make a top four Champions League spot this year.
"If you look at the talent they've got in the side, there's no reason why they won't continue to challenge the top premier league teams every season. You don't spend all the money they've spent without expecting silverware to follow.
More attacking
"I think the manager, [Roberto] Mancini needs to be a little bolder going forward into next season. As is the Italian way, he seems a little too obsessed with defence and with not losing, and not brave enough to go out and play to win games. They're a team capable of playing a better type of football.
"It wouldn't hurt to aim a bit higher either. It's been a wide open league again this year and Manchester City are more than capable of contending for the top couple of spots and not just for a Champions League place. The more they win, the more the mind-set at the club will change and they will start to believe that they can challenge for the league title."
Talking of his former club who are very much in the running for a double, Sharpe said: "I know that the guys will have been really disappointed with the result in the FA cup semi-final. It's a blow, definitely, but I think it would just have made them more determined than before to do succeed in the other cups."
Asked to comment on Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish's view that the Reds are the best club in England going by their European record, Sharpe said: "I love Kenny, he's a great guy. Liverpool are a fantastic club with a great set of supporters but the fact remains that they have been poor over the last few seasons. I think instead of looking at what you achieved 20 years ago as a club, what's more relevant is what's happened in the last few seasons. He's doing a great job at Liverpool this season though. They've turned around their season amazingly and I'd expect him to build on that for next season," he said.
Source: http://gulfnews.com
Dubai - Former Manchester United midfielder Lee Sharpe believes Abu Dhabi-owned Manchester City are destined for glory after their defeat of the Red Devils in the FA Cup recently.
Speaking to XPRESS during his visit to Abu Dhabi in his role as guest commentator on AD Sports, Sharpe said: "Manchester City are definitely learning to live with the top teams now, and I'd expect them to make a top four Champions League spot this year.
"If you look at the talent they've got in the side, there's no reason why they won't continue to challenge the top premier league teams every season. You don't spend all the money they've spent without expecting silverware to follow.
More attacking
"I think the manager, [Roberto] Mancini needs to be a little bolder going forward into next season. As is the Italian way, he seems a little too obsessed with defence and with not losing, and not brave enough to go out and play to win games. They're a team capable of playing a better type of football.
"It wouldn't hurt to aim a bit higher either. It's been a wide open league again this year and Manchester City are more than capable of contending for the top couple of spots and not just for a Champions League place. The more they win, the more the mind-set at the club will change and they will start to believe that they can challenge for the league title."
Talking of his former club who are very much in the running for a double, Sharpe said: "I know that the guys will have been really disappointed with the result in the FA cup semi-final. It's a blow, definitely, but I think it would just have made them more determined than before to do succeed in the other cups."
Asked to comment on Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish's view that the Reds are the best club in England going by their European record, Sharpe said: "I love Kenny, he's a great guy. Liverpool are a fantastic club with a great set of supporters but the fact remains that they have been poor over the last few seasons. I think instead of looking at what you achieved 20 years ago as a club, what's more relevant is what's happened in the last few seasons. He's doing a great job at Liverpool this season though. They've turned around their season amazingly and I'd expect him to build on that for next season," he said.
Source: http://gulfnews.com