Mark Hughes could be missing £100m worth of strikers for Manchester derby• Adebayor likely to be suspended after Arsenal game
• Robinho and Roque Santa Cruz injured; Tevez battling to be fit
Emmanuel Adebayor's probable suspension could hardly come at a worse time for Manchester City, with Mark Hughes facing the prospect of going into Sunday's derby against Manchester United with Craig Bellamy his only available striker. Hughes could be without £100m worth of strikers, although the City manager expressed hopes last night that Carlos Tevez, all but ruled out last week, may yet be able to face his old club.
Tevez was described by Hughes as "desperate" not to miss the match and, specifically, the chance to demonstrate to Sir Alex Ferguson that he should have been given more time on the pitch when he was playing in red rather than blue. The Argentinian's departure from Old Trafford was so acrimonious Hughes believes Tevez will be just as determined to ram home his point as Adebayor was against Arsenal in Saturday's 4-2 win. "We just hope, fingers crossed, that he has the opportunity to do the same," Hughes said.
Otherwise, Hughes will have drastically limited options going into one of the more eagerly awaited Manchester derbies of recent years. Robinho will be out for up to a month because of a stress fracture to his ankle, a knee problem means Roque Santa Cruz has not played this season, Benjani Mwaruwari is also out and Hughes sold or loaned five other strikers in the summer.
Tevez returned from international duty with Argentina last week with a knee injury and is undergoing intensive treatment to see if he can take over from Adebayor if, as seems virtually certain, the Togo international striker is suspended for three matches for the incident in Saturday's game that left Robin van Persie with a gashed face and complaining of a "mindless and malicious" stamp.
"I don't have many options in terms of firepower so it is a bit of a concern," Hughes said. "The only ones we had fit for the Arsenal game were Adebayor and Bellamy but we're trying to get Tevez back now and we all know how desperate he is to play. The Argentinian medical guys were saying he would need two to three weeks but we'd like to think, and hope, that it could be less than that."
Failing that, Hughes will have little choice but to move Craig Bellamy into a more central position, the Wales international having recently been deployed in a left-sided attacking role. Hughes thought Bellamy was "outstanding" against Arsenal and, referring to the player's pace, added that "in a counter-attacking sense he is one of the best out there". Nonetheless, the manager is aware of the potential pitfalls of having four of his five front players unavailable.
The FA will announce the first part of its disciplinary measures against Adebayor tomorrow, a violent conduct charge that would entail a three-match suspension, with the possibility of more to come depending on how seriously the governing body regard his provocative goal celebration.
As well as the first Manchester derby of the season, the former Arsenal player will miss City's Carling Cup tie against Fulham and a league match against West Ham United, but it is Sunday's visit to Old Trafford in which his absence is most likely to affect a side that has won every match so far this season. The £25m summer signing has scored in all of City's first four Premier League games and has been described by his manager as having the qualities to be recognised as "the best in the world".
Hughes's problems also include Stephen Ireland, the club's player of the year, being withdrawn against Arsenal with an ankle injury, although the midfielder has said that he expects to be fit.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2009/sep/14/mark-hughes-emmanuel-adebayor1I sorry, but I had to start this thread early, I actually want Tevez to play. I want Man.United to take this team off their high horse and I want Tevez to be involved when that happen. I liked him when he was with us, but he turned out to be a sissy man who have a Turbanca for Man.U
