Rob will be here from 3.30pm. In the meantime read the opinion of the Sunderland chairman, Niall Quinn, on players' wages. He reckons it is time for clubs to get a grip on the amount of money they are spending on player wages.
Quinn asks Premier League to control clubs' wage bills
Niall Quinn, the Sunderland chairman, has called for the Premier League to restrain spending on players' wages after revealing that his club made a £26m loss for the last financial year.
Quinn said all the clubs should agree before the start of every season to spend an agreed, reasonable proportion of their income on wages, and that the Premier League centrally should have the power to impose sanctions, including points deductions and even expulsion, on clubs that serially overspend.
"There should be some sort of disclosure of where your wages are at, prior to the year ahead," Quinn said. "A percentage of how much you have coming in and what you are spending on wages. At least then every club is telling the chairman of the Premier League: 'This is where we hope to be, this is our business plan,' so nobody has gone off the wall on their own.
"If it looks excessive, the Premier League chairman should have the power to say: we as a group are not happy, be careful, you are coming into a red area here. Maybe let clubs do it one year, but if you do it for the third year in the row, you are docked points and you are out of here."
Quinn also voiced support for Uefa's Financial Fair Play initiative, which will be phased in for clubs in European competition from 2012-13, requiring them to break even, not make losses, over a financial year. He argued the controls should apply to Premier League clubs.
"Wouldn't it be better if it was put in beforehand and clubs had to work to that budget," Quinn said of the break-even requirement, "rather than put in as a loss, and the owner had to put [in the money]? Do it before the case, not after you are in trouble."
Quinn's arguments have added personal force given the scale of losses Sunderland will declare when the 2008-09 accounts are published imminently. The club expects to make a similar loss, a further £26m, over the current year to 31 July 2010. Those combined losses will be principally due to spending on signings such as Darren Bent and Michael Turner, and servicing an increased wage bill of £50m.
Quinn said that the rise in spending is being bankrolled by the club's owner, the US private equity magnate Ellis Short, who is now based in London. Short, Quinn said, has invested £77m in Sunderland. It is a measure of how inflated wages have become that for so massive an outlay by Short, Sunderland currently sit 13th in the Premier League.
The club spent £64.6m on wages last year. As a proportion of the club's income this was 78%, exactly the same percentage as that in the most recently published accounts at Portsmouth, who have been declared insolvent and gone into administration.
Quinn argued that Sunderland's position is much more secure because Short has put his money in for shares in the club, not as loans, and he is prepared to continue to invest for the club to progress.
"Ellis has put a hell of a lot of money into the football club and the fans need to know he has an emotional attachment," Quinn said. "He came here in the first place I think because he could not believe that this team was never out of the bottom five [last season], had not won a trophy since 1973 and hadn't won one since before the war before that – and they were getting a bigger home crowd than Liverpool.
"Ellis would not have come here if we had 18,000 fans every week. He is here because of the potential; he wants the asset to grow and he feels in five to ten years, that asset will be worth far more. He feels it will be good value in time."
Here's your teams:
Sunderland: Gordon; Hutton, Turner, Mensah, Ferdinand;
Campbell, Richardson, Meyler, Malbranque; Jones, Bent.
Subs: Carson, Bardsley, McCartney, Zenden, Henderson, Da Silva, Kilgallon.
Man City: Given; Richards, Kompany, Lescott, Bridge;
Zabaleta, De Jong, Barry; Wright-Phillips, Tevez, Bellamy.
Subs: Taylor, Ireland, Adam Johnson, Santa Cruz, Sylvinho, Vieira,
Touré.
Referee: Chris Foy (Merseyside)
Pre-amble: I didn't realise that Sunderland had such an appalling home record against Manchester City – they've lost at the Stadium of Light the last four times City have visited. Even in 2002 when the teams looked well matched, Marc-Vivian Foe (RIP), Sun Jihai and Shaun Goater were the scorers in a 3-0 victory. Don Hutchison was the last matchwinning goalscorer for Sunderland back in 2000. But Sunderland's 4-0 thrashing of Bolton in midweek does give them hope today of ending that woeful run but a central midfield pairing of David Meyler and Kieran Richardson, never mind Anton Ferdinand at left-back, looks a bit experimental to say the least. City's attacking trident – Shaun Wright-Phillips, Carlos Tevez and Craig Bellamy – have, individually, looked mouthwatering at times over the past few weeks and City will need them to be firing if they are going to lead an assualt on Spurs' fourth-place pretensions. This is exactly the type of game that the anti-fun police would persuade me to wait until MOTD2 to see if I were at home so I'm grateful for the rare opportunity of what sounds like an intriguing match. My colleage Barney Ronay has been telling me that Jamie Redknapp has been excelling himself during the Man Utd-Fulham match, refining his punditry to a series of odd sound effects such as "Bang," "Boof" and "Waaaaaaaaaaayne". I'll let you know how he's getting on.
Shaun Wright-Phillips: I've only just noticed that SWP adorns this page and we ask how much he's worth this week. I watched the Sunday Supplement last week and the Sun's Rob Beasley, who had interviewed him and said he retained affection for him because "he's a good old Chelsea boy", revealed something along the lines that he was only asking for about £10,000 a week extra and nothing like the reported £170,000 a week Emmanuel Adebayor is on. Ashley Cole territory here, I think, and he's got two years left.
Independent financial advice: Here's Ian Copestake: "As you mention Quinn's financial advice, I found it very funny that RBS are now advising the Yank owners at Liverpool to cut their credit. Not sure which phrase is better, the stable, horse, door one or the kettle, pot, black." You forgot the glass house one, Ian.
Music update: The teams run out to U2's Elevation. I don't approve. When did they start doing that?
1 min: Three pre-kick off mentions for Roberto Mancini's scarf. It's just a scarf. What are we supposed to read into it? Sod all. A slight populist gesture. He's also got a hankie in his top pocket, shall we deconstruct that too? Shay Given's getting a mild bit of stick for his Newcastle past and there's laughter when he slightly shanks his firs kick.
3 min: And Craig Bellamy's getting the bird, too. Stted Malbranque's been wandering across midfield as both sides start with some confidence builfing short passes and gentle probing.
4 min: City waste a throw-in deep in the Sunderland half and Kenwyne Jones bursts forward on a 60-yard run before bouncing off De Jong and getting a weak shot in but straight at Given.
5 min: Poor kick from Gordon on an admittedly bobbly pitch. "SWP's value problem is due entirely to an English prejudice against
tiny players," posits Ian Copestake. "Pacheco at Liverpool will also have to grow a pair of inches before he is considered strong enough for the oh so tough
English game."
7 min: Meyler's done OK so far and Campbell, on the right, has just had a crushing challenge with Wayne Bridge and won the free kick. Seconds later Tevez goes flying and wins a free kick but Mensah hardly touched him. Very congested across the middle so far - the dodgy kicking of both keepers being the biggest thing of the game so far.
9 min: GOAL! Sunderland 1-0 Man City (Jones) Sorry for the delay - slight problems technically this end. A punishingly powerful header from the leaping Jones after excellent work on the left from, I think Malbranque. I was too busy contemplating smashing the keyboard to see for sure.
12 min Still pretty scrappy. Andy Gray makes the point that Sunderland have shown their vigilance for the first 10 minutes but must continue now for the next 80. But City haven't even started yet. Bellamy offside from a neat through pass from Tevez
14 min De Jong plays a one-two with Tevez and Bellamy looks frustrated that the Dutchman didn't pass to him. Micah Richards storms into the box and goes flying, asks the question, and gets told to do one by Chris Foy. No penalty, Kieran Richardson barely touched him.
16 min Neat play from City, one-touch passes from Wright-Phillips to Zabaleta and in to Tevez who turns Mensah and shoots tamely at Gordon.
18 min Scrappy stuff, in truth. As so many first halves are this season. Hutton cuts in on his left and puts in a curling cross that Jones just fails to get his head on.
20 min Jones attempts to lob Given from the halfway line instead of holding the ball up and trying to play in Bent. Poor thinking. The ball eventually falls to Malbranque from Given's clearance but he blasts it straight at Kompany. Corner. Wasted.
22 min: City are all over the place – the forwards over elaborating, the midfield mishitting passes and the defenders on the back foot. Sunderland are starting to force it now.
23 min Another good move from Sunderland – the ball is played in to Bent on the edge of the D and he turns and passes to Jones but his shot is poor. He's limping now Jones and looks to have knacked his right thigh but is hobbling along gamely.
25 min Could City's problem stem from the fact they're essentially playing three holding midfielders stationed narrowly across the field and banking on SWP and Bellamy to drop deep for possession instead of the midfield running forward with the ball.
28 min: Fraizer Campbell cuts in off the right touchline and shoots with his left but gets no curl and it goes straight out for a goal kick. "If Liverpool get fourth place will it be one of the worst fourth place Premiership teams since England got four places?" asks Aidan Gibson. I doubt you'll find anyone to argue with you.
28 min: "Isn't it hard to take SWP's wage demands seriously when it looks like he's wearing a shirt five sizes too big for him?" notes Sam Barritt accurately. "Tuck it in man you're 27 not 17." Perhaps we could ask Hadley. But then again… City win it back after Mensah fiddles about on theedge of his box, they play it back to De Jong who plays it back to tevez. He tries to play a clever pass to Bridge storming up from left-back and kicks it straight out of play. Oh dear.
31 min: "Can I be the first who is not the ubiquitous, sometimes funny, slightly delusional, serial e-mailing Evertonian Gary Naylor? And yes, Pacheco is a victim of the heightist, talentist, imaginist that is the genius Rafa." Thus writes Kevin. Naylor has forsaken me, Kevin. City have a shot at goal and mess it up as badly as they've played.
34 min City make a substitution - take Wayne Bridge off, abdominal strain, and put on Santa Cruz. Zabaleta goes to left-back and City are going to try and take this poor pitch out of the equation and whack it up to Santa Cruz. Micah Richards gets yellow-carded for a studs-up, over the ball foul on Steed Malbranque.
36 min: Andy Gray just said "Zabaleta wanst a free kick, being a foreigner." Then, gleefully: "Not in this league". Pants alive. Richardson outsprints Zabaleta and Bellamy down the right as the ball's played round the corner but he can't get there before it runs out. Sunderland need another quick. City can't be this bad second-half can they?
36 min Talk about anti-football. Campbell plays a good one-two running out after defending a corner and Malbranque deftly turns the ball into his run. If this was American football – he made 80 yards ground there to win a throw in but ultimately it's pinged back. Studs up tackle from SWP earns him a yellow card.
39 min "During the preamble to this super Sunday Mega Match Titan Clash, Sky man asked Steve Bruce if the plan now 'was to reach 40 points as soon as possible?'. How did Mr Bruce avoid the temptation of fixing him with a steely glare and responding; 'Actually, no. The plan is to wear clown shoes, juggle snakes, build a den and race chipmunks along the half way line'." If that was the Shreevester I'm not surprised at the question. Darren Bent gets himselff into a schoolboyish pickle by trying to work a better position for a shot on the right side of the City box and dribbles inside and air-kicks the ball as it's nicked off his foot.
44 min Again, apologies for the delay. Houston, we have a problem but we're getting there. It's been all Sunderland, even Anton Ferdinand pushing up and joining the attacks. Adam Johnson's warming up and City surely have to tear up the blueprint at half-time because they have been terrible.
45 min: Looked like a very good penalty shout when Campbell is pulled down in the area by Kompany. No replay yet so I can't confirm. "How can Andy Gray being Scottish be such a convincing Little
Englander?" suggests Ian Copestake. "Did it happen during his time at Everton or is it Murdoch's benign influence?" I think he's always been like that. I remember him as Villa's assistant manager and he used to coem out with the same sort of guff. Replay shows it was Lescott v Campbell and it was a decent challenge.
Half-time: Sky'll have trouble hyping this during the break. Not that they won't have a go, of course.
Making amends: ""During the preamble to this super Sunday Mega Match Titan Clash, Sky man asked Steve Bruce if the plan now 'was to reach 40 points as soon as possible?'. How did Mr Bruce avoid the temptation of fixing him with a steely glare and responding; 'Actually, no. The plan is to wear clown shoes, juggle snakes, build a den and race chipmunks along the half way line'." That was Bill Chilton, not Ben Chilton or, indeed, the man with no name. Sorry Bill, you can come out of the cupboard now.
46 min: City should be better for changing the formation to 4-2-3-1, you'd imagine, with Tevez's foraging more devastating if he's got someone ahead of him. I know he didn't need one at Chelsea but City's midfielders are being penned back so deep that unless the ball sticks to him upfront,a nd so far it hasn't, City look toothless. Jiggle for Sunderland too - Jordan henderson on for Kenwyne Jones who's done his thigh. Campbell goes up front.
47 min: Pitch is poor, there's a raging gale and it's raining. Roght that's the excuses out of the way. City are attacking down the left with Zabaleta, Bellamy, tevez and Barry all withing 10 yards of each other and when they finally get the cross in Santa Cruz is on his own alongside three Sunderland defenders and the ball is comfortably cleared.
49 min: Strong run from Bent and he clips a measured pass to Campbell's feet but his first touch is too heavy, takes him too wide and his cross sits up nicely for Given.
50 min Santa Cruz spurns City's best chance, played in by Tevez's backheader but Santa Cruz hits it straight at Gordon. Then SWP gets free on the right-side of the box and, with his head down, goes for the narrow near-post angle and Gordon gets down to save. If he'd looked up and rolled it to tevez he would have had an open goal.
52 min: Bellamy now gets a chance to cross on the left and shoots instead with his right and Gordon pulls off another save. From the corner Kompany turns to volley and smacks his shot flush in the face of a Sunderland defender.
54 min City have ramped up the pressure admirably without looking as though they've got the guile. They're going for the battering ram approach, working poistions and shooting. Sunderland have chances aplenty to break. It's finally warming up.
56 min Barry penalised for a handball. Meyler tries to wrestle the ball off him to take the freekick quickly and Barry shoulder barges him and gets yellowcarded. Anton Hosek poses the question: "I'm following the ManCity match now online and for some reason the scorebox isn't appearing at the top of the column like usual. A glitch perhaps? The updates are coming through fine but the scores are gone." Sorry Anton. we're having a technical nightmare at the moment, perhaps caused by the scorebox and the techies have turned it off to try to resolve the issue. Hope to get it back soon.
58 min: Sunderland whip in a dangerous looking fee ikick from the left of the box which beats Given but Lescott is there to bullet head it away.
60 min: Richardson gets a hospital pass off Meyler which almost puts City clear so he cannily or cynically holds up play and concedes the free kick.
62 min De Jong does the most creative thing he's done all day with a beautiful crossfield pass to Wright-Phillips right by the right touchline but the linesman say the ball is out of play. It wasn't.
63 min Barry brings down Meyler. Patrick Vieira is coming on for Micah Richards which holds up Sunderland's free-kick much to their ire. Barry toleft-back, Zabaleta to right.
65 min: Roderick Stewart asks the very fair question: "Whilst you are ironing out the bugs in the Guardian's software, can you take a look at the algorithm that generates the "Related" list that sits next to your prose. David Beckham to Tottenham? What's that got to do with anything?" That is done at a level, Roderick, that we cannot even aspire to. Craig Bellamy is penalised when he gets clear on the left for a snide push. He looks affronted.
67 min: Michael Turner gets a good tackle in on Tevez who had picked up Santa Crus's header and waltzed forward. Then Vieira played a beautiful pass withe the outside of his right foot but Bellamy had strayed offside.
69 min: Quite bitty, this. With lots of pressing hounding each side out of possession. Bellamy goes wandering, spins down the right and clips a near-post cross to Tevez who turns the ball goalwards from two yards and Gordon saves with his feet and Vieira cannot latch on to the rebound.
71 min: De Jong slides a good five yards to nip the ball off Henderson's feet. Adam Johnson's going to come on for City. Sunderland keep giving the ball away.
72 min: Johnson on for Shaun Wright-Phillips. He's getting booed for his Boro past. Bent to Richardson and he cuts in on his left to shoot fairly centrally but De Jong gets a good block in and the ball balloons up front for City and Johnson gets a chance to cross but it sits up and he overhits it.
74 min: City corner as Johnson is bundled out of play. He takes the corner, a real old daisy cutter and it's hooked clear.
76 min: Tevez runs clear centrally as the ball goes from Vieira via Santa Cruz. He cust his foot under it and it swerves off high and to the right. Zenden on for Malbranque.
78 min: Zabaleta is putting Ferdinand under pressure with his forays and he sells him a dummy and plays it into Vieira who plays an odd lob with more upward force than to the man. City win a corner and again get no height on it whatsoever.
80 min: Gordon comes to Sunderland's rescue again as Bellamy sprints clear of Hutton who almost brings him down. he hits a left-foot shot that Gordon gets down to save. From the corner, a good one for once, the ball breaks to Lescott after Kompany's fine header and he tries to bundle it over the line but Gordon is again strong enough to foil City.
83 min: Richardson goes down with cramp and Zenden turns up his toes. Bardsley on for Fraizer Campbell. Sunderland waste a bit of time in the corner and win one. Vieira clears and then mops up when the ball pings back into City's box.
86 min: Bellamy gives away possession with a daft backheel and then is said to have brought down Henderson on the edge of the box. he recovered and actually made a good tackle. Poor delivery from Richardson and City get a free kick.
88 min: "If the score stays the same..." says Bill Chilton. "Here's your headlines: Bellamy's People Poor, Malice in Sunderland. A dour, rubbish game of football that threatened to make adverts with meerkats, fat tenors and the promise of buying any automobile more watchable than this dirge.
Manchini gunned down." And a holiday off Jamie Redknapp, Bill?
90 min: "The one-legged wooden spoon race to come fourth certainly is uninspiring. It should be a gripping race but just seems like a Fawlty
Towers type excruciating farce. Who has drawn the short straw to cover
Liverpool tomorrow?" asks Ian Copestake. Not me, Ian, thank God. Four minutes added time and Gordon saves Bellamy's deflected shot with his feet.
GOAL! Sunderland 1-1 Man City (Johnson) So I know why I've had to put up with the dross. It was worth it for Johnson's sublime curling shot from the right-side of the box that went in the top-left corner. Unstoppable.
90 min + 3: Mancini went storming down the touchline to tell his players to get the ball and go for the win. Almost hoist by his own petard there as Sunderland, from the kick off, work it down the right, cross to Bent who drifted away from Kompany but headed it wide.
90 min + 4: Tevez has a long range effort and spoons it over the bar from 30 yards. Craig Gordon gets done for timewasting when he dallies to retrieve the ball and gets booked. He's still the man of the match I would guess.
Final whistle: Here comes Elvis on the Tannoy. It was pedestrain for so long though City did improve after an abysmal first-half. Sunderland did as much as they could without Jones's power and running to upset Kompany aqnd Lescott after half-time but it became all one-way and then Johnson, with a delicate piece of skill, proved his worth. He should have started after playing pretty well against Chelsea. A point each was about fair. Thanks for your emails.
