in fact, at times it has seemed like he’s losing the plot completely.
Last Friday, a group of Sunday newspaper journalists banned by United from attending future press conferences for daring to use some quotes from the United manager in which he had criticised Carlos Tevez.
According to Ferguson, Tevez should have been sent off for a tackle on Wes Brown in the first leg of the semi-final clash with City.
Later he told a member of his staff to instruct us not to use the quotes.
It wasn’t because he thought his words would inflame an already volatile situation but that he was worried he would be giving the Argentine striker another stick to beat him with.
The Sunday Mirror – along with four other newspapers – ran the quotes because we felt we were right to do so.
If our motive had been to land Ferguson in trouble with the FA as they attempted to take the sting out of the return tie, we would have also reported some less than complimentary remarks he made about referee Mike Dean, which we were happy to ignore when he made it clear at the time they were off the record.
Now banning orders aren’t such a rarity at Old Trafford. But five in one day is, I believe, a record.
Sky Sports News were next to get the red card on the eve of the second leg, apparently because they had the temerity to show Gary Neville giving Tevez the finger.
Maybe Sky should now ask United to send back their share of the £1.78billion they pay the Premier League – if the Glazers haven’t already spent it.
Yet perhaps the clearest indication that City are really starting to play on Ferguson’s mind was his team selection for the Carling Cup games.
Playing the kids was never going to be an option given how City have approached the competition.
They would have been hammered over two legs and would have perhaps never recovered.
But Ferguson’s desperation to have Rio Ferdinand in his team spoke volumes given that he knew the England defender had been caught bang to rights elbowing Hull’s Craig Fagan last weekend and would have a suspension extended if United launched an appeal.
The fact that he was willing to sacrifice Ferdinand for Sunday’s trip to Arsenal and three other Premier League games was the biggest complement he could have paid City.
It was the epitome of a small mentality, to be honest.
So what do we think is he starting to worry as even he has to admit next season i think City will be a team to be watch not just because i am a fan but because they are getting better as the weeks go on and with Mancini there he really has had a good start and the players seem to like him and more important the players really are playing for the club(not like a certain Brazilian)every City fan must admit Mancini was a good move and he is doing good for the club so yes Fergie should be worryed.
What the papers are printing-
The late finish on Wednesday meant that yesterday's papers mostly just had reflection on events on the night at Old Trafford. Today's a different story, with plenty of scribes having had enough time to mull things over.
Ian Herbert in the Independent acknowledges that City lost the battle, but that it would "be foolish to rule them out of the turf war", going on to reveal that Roberto Mancini earned an ovation from the squad for a rousing speech on the team bus as they prepared to leave Old Trafford.
Oliver Kay in The Times also brings in the other big story in the wake of the exit from the Carling Cup, the departure on loan of Robinho for Santos. "Day 514 of the Great Manchester City Project was one of contemplation. There was the hangover from the dramatic but ultimately deflating night before and there was also the meek departure of Robinho, the £34.2 million man whose acquisition was supposed to herald the club’s emergence as football’s new superpower. Let us call it the end of the beginning for City under the ownership of Sheikh Mansour."
There are many a column inch on the Brazilian, but with that transfer window beginning to close there's plenty of other moves to be contemplated. In the Sun Gordon Strachan is expecting Adam Johnson to stay at Middlesbrough, but they, and other papers, report that the player has asked for permission to speak to City.
A loan move for Benjani from City to west Ham is mooted once again in several places, while the name of Fernando Gago crops up more than once. The Sun says that we have been told to up our bid for the Real Madrid midfielder by £5m to £15m, while the Independent thinks we may miss out given the Spanish club's reluctance to sell.
But on a different tangent, look in the Mirror for Robbie Savage's "I was having dinner with my mate Roberto Mancini" story. A Leeds fan berated Sav for five minutes, ignoring who he was with, until the very funny (and unprintable) punchline. Needless to say our manager had the last laugh and remained as unruffled as ever.
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