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City have a ball thanks to Keegan

Ken Gaunt
Thursday 07 March 2002 01:00 GMT
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Kevin Keegan has revealed the secret training routine which has inspired Manchester City to score 100 goals already this season: the coaching staff's insistence that the players always have a ball at their feet.

"The lads never run one yard without a football," Keegan said after their 2-1 win at Birmingham City on Tuesday. "If you can keep it during a game, it makes your job a lot easier. Everything we do is about possession, creativity and encouraging the players to go out there and express themselves.

"We train in a certain way and we believe in certain things. Everything we do in training is with a football. We've made a commitment to something – and that's football. We don't give the ball away too much. If we do it is because we are trying to make something happen. We don't go out to stop teams playing, we go out to cause them problems. You can't help but enjoy it when you see your team score 100 goals and we've got a nice blend at the moment."

City moved to within two points of the First Division leaders Wolves with a game in hand thanks to their victory at St Andrew's. Kevin Horlock's 68th-minute winner was also noteworthy in that it was their 100th goal of the season.

"I've not been counting them," Keegan admitted later, "the fans just tell me. It's inevitable we will create chances, that's the way we are. This is a good team."

The Maine Road side are seven points clear of West Bromwich in third place and now need to pick up 17 points from their last 10 games to make sure of automatic promotion after losing just one of their last 14 in the league. Keegan said: "Everyone is saying we are good enough for the Premiership and think we are. But we are not there yet and you always have that little doubt. I would like to win the championship with this team because I think we are the best side in this division.

"We've got a decent bench now and that's what is driving the players on. They do enjoy playing football. As long as they keep working hard and believing, we can get our rewards."

There was less encouraging news for City, though, when it was revealed that goalkeeper Nicky Weaver is facing a cartilage operation after being carried off in the first half against Birmingham. "If it is serious then I will have to go and get a keeper on loan this week," Keegan confirmed. "Nicky did it during the game when he fell over, funnily enough."

City's new £5m striker Jon Macken only made the bench at St Andrew's and has been told by Keegan he may have to wait for his chance in the side. "I am a huge fan of Jon's – I have watched him more than any other player. He had a good look at us at Birmingham. He knows he might have to wait a long time to get into the side. But he also realises he will get chances in this team."

Birmingham's defeat leaves them three points adrift of a play-off place but manager Steve Bruce believes there is no disgrace in losing to Keegan's resurgent side. "City will win the title, I've no doubts about that," he said. "I've seen them play a few times this season and they're far and away the best team in the division."

The Sheffield United winger Paul Devlin will end his loan spell at Birmingham after Saturday's game against Wolves but he is hoping for a return to St Andrew's on a more permanent basis.

Bruce has not hidden the fact he would like to keep Devlin and he is expected to contact the Blades in the near future about making the deal permanent. Devlin confirmed: "I've gone on record saying I would love to come back. But I still have two-and-a-half years left on my contract at United. There's nothing I can really do about it. It's up to the clubs to sort it out."

Meanwhile, the Brazilian striker Carlos Ferrari has been released from his 12-month loan spell with the club. Ferrari joined Birmingham last season when former manager Trevor Francis agreed to take him on loan until June but a long-term foot injury has resulted in the 23-year-old returning to his club Mirrassol.

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