New-look Man City sits atop Premier League

LONDON: The much-maligned Sven-Goran Eriksson's Manchester City, bankrolled by controversial new Thai owner Thaksin Shinawatra, sits atop the Premier League three matches into the season.

A shock 1-0 home victory against champions Manchester United in Sunday's derby left perennial under-achievers City as the only team with maximum points, two ahead of Chelsea.

It is a remarkable start for a side that finished 14th last season, for former England coach Eriksson and coup-ousted ex-Thai premier Thaksin, whose City takeover has been clouded by allegations of corruption and human rights abuses.

Eriksson, heavily criticized for failing to take a talented England team past the quarterfinals in three successive major tournaments, is suddenly flavour of the month in the British media.

Having looked on his way to further opprobrium by spending around $80 million on a spate of middle-range foreign players, the Swede has managed to put out a team yet to concede a goal while arch-rivals United - who finished 47 points above City last season - have taken just two points out of nine.

Eriksson and his players, who started with a 2-0 win at West Ham United nine days ago, were thrilled by the noise of the crowd at the City of Manchester stadium in successive 1-0 home victories against promoted Derby County and United.

"The only other time I've heard it like that was against Arsenal last season, when we won 1-0, but today was extra special because it was the derby," said 19-year-old England defender Micah Richards, man of the match on Sunday.

Arsenal is City's next opponents in the league next Saturday in London.

"We struggled in the second half but defensively we were absolutely fantastic, from the goalkeeper through the backline. The two centre halves were incredible," Eriksson told the club's Web site (www.mcfc.co.uk).

"It's good for the confidence, especially of the new players. There are so many new things in the club but we can only be happy with a start like this.

"From here we have to go on and be as good as we can be."

City fans will have to hope that among those many new things, the possible extradition of Thaksin to face trial on charges of "official misconduct" in a Bangkok land deal does not reverse the effect his wealth has had on their new-look team.

Agencies

(China Daily 08/22/2007 page23)