The Fiver | The first title race that nobody wants to even admit they can win | Rob S

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<div class="track"><img alt="" src="http://hits.guardian.co.uk/b/ss/guardiangu-feeds/1/H.24.1.1/25443?ns=guardian&pageName=The+Fiver+%7C+The+first+title+race+that+nobody+wants+to+even+admit+they+ca%3AArticle%3A1735079&ch=Football&c3=GU.co.uk&c4=Football%2CSport&c5=&c6=Rob+Smyth&c7=12-Apr-23&c8=1735079&c9=Article&c10=&c11=Football&c13=The+Fiver+%28series%29&c25=&c30=content&c42=Sport&h2=GU%2FSport%2FFootball%2F" width="1" height="1" /></div><p class="standfirst"><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/signup/2010/mar/30/1" title="">Click here to have the Fiver sent to your inbox every weekday at 5pm, or if your usual copy has stopped arriving</a></p><h2>AND NOW YOU'RE GONNA BELIEVE US, WE'RE NOT GONNA WIN THE LEAGUE</h2><p></p><p>In a ceaselessly indecorous career peddling quarter-truths and bald-faced nonsense, the Fiver has witnessed some despicable journalistic nadirs. The phone-hacking scandal. John Barnes being bullied mercilessly by a misanthropic autocue. Weird Uncle Fiver's write-up of his imaginary interview with Scarlett Johansson in a broken lift. But yesterday Roberto Mancini exposed something even worse, a contemporary practice that besmirches a once proud trade. Journalists are now honestly reporting what comes out of a person's mouth!</p><p></p><p>"You all wrote the title race was finished," said Mancini after Manchester City's win over Wolves. "Seven days ago, the race was finished. You wrote it." Primarily because Mancini said it, just as he did yesterday even though City came right back into the race after Manchester United's playground 4-4 draw with Everton. "Only one team can win this title," added Mancini. "It's not in our hands. Put your money on United, 100%. I don't have a message for Sir Alex [Ferguson]. If I did it would only be 'Congratulations for your season and for this title'."</p><p></p><p>Mancini will probably still be saying City can't win the league as he's lifting the trophy. His decision to play dumb and throw a blanket over the usual media guff is a smart one, although it won't stop incessant talk of minds and games ahead of the biggest Manchester derby/football match/sporting event/world event in history. The match itself should be deliciously dramatic for neutrals – even if it's a killer for the ratings of Home Cooking Made Easy with Lorraine Pascale, on BBC2 at 8.30pm next Monday – but the buildup is going to be barely sufferable for those who remember when being a football fan was primarily about watching footballers play football.</p><p></p><p>"Game on," said Ferguson. "We've given them the initiative, there is no doubt about that." In the past we've had title races that nobody wanted to win; this might be the first title race that nobody wants to even <em>admit</em> they can win. The fans of both clubs might as well start chanting, "And now you're gonna believe us/We're not gonna win the league."</p><p></p><p>City's chances of not winning the league will be increased if Yaya Toure is banned from the derby for the 21st-century footballing crime of erecting his index and middle fingers at Molineux yesterday. <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/dec/28/liverpool-luis-suarez-ban-fulham" title="">There is precedent here</a>, so unless the FA makes it up as it goes along – what, eh, David Bernwho? – he should be banned for one match so long as there is proof he was directing the aforementioned digits at Wolves fans and that his conduct was thus improper. He may just have been reminding David Platt how many tribes there were in that Frankie Goes to Hollywood song, and there are unconfirmed reports that flicking an insouciant V is a sign of affection in the Cote d'Ivoire. Whether a one-match ban would be appropriate is another matter. Back in the day, nobody minded <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F04HpRJ4q-c#t=0m55s" title="">the occasional jaunty gesture</a>. Football, like the Fiver's beloved trade journalism, ain't what it used to be.</p><p></p><h2>QUOTE OF THE DAY</h2><p></p><p>"I will take [legal] action. I was in prison for one week. At no time did I agree to stay there. It was a punishment. I felt so humiliated" – Adriano hopes to get a few extra pounds – so to speak – out of Corinthians' recent authoritarian attempts to get him to lose a few.</p><p></p><h2>FIVER LETTERS</h2><p></p><p>"Can I congratulate Liverpool on making the brave decision to rest themselves for the FA Cup final between the third and 88th minute in yesterday's match against West Brom" – Imran Shafiq.</p><p></p><p>"Nice to see Aston Villa keeper Shay Given stepping up to the plate, as you would expect from senior players in a struggling team, to point out that many of our players are inexperienced (newsflash) and that we should sign some better ones. Just the thing to inspire the youngsters before a relegation clash, coming&nbsp;from the keeper with over 100 international caps. While we're giving it to 'em straight, Shay, let's reflect on how good the defence was with the unflappable Brad Friedel behind them, organising them and commanding his penalty area and compare it with the shambles you have helped create" – Sam Miles.</p><p></p><p>"I'm assuming now that Charlton are champions of League One you will be giving an extensive review of their season to please James Chart (Fiver letters passim). You can't be upsetting the regulars now, can you?" – Steve Ash.</p><p></p><p>Send your letters to <a href="mailto:the.boss@guardian.co.uk" title="">the.boss@guardian.co.uk</a>. And if you've nothing better to do <a href="http://twitter.com/TheFiver" title="">you can also tweet the Fiver</a>.</p><p></p><h2>BITS AND BOBS</h2><p></p><p>Andre Marriner has been given the dubious honour of refereeing next Monday's Manchester derby.</p><p></p><p>Bayer Leverkusen defender Michal Kadlec hopes to return to action in a facemask this week despite having his nose broken by two Cologne fans outside a trendy nightspot in the city. "It is not possible that players from other clubs cannot freely move around [the city]," said Cologne chief suit Claus Horstmann.</p><p></p><p>Sheffield United have launched an internal inquiry into comments tweeted by reserve-team player Connor Brown after the jailing of team-mate Ched Evans for r@pe.</p><p></p><p>Meanwhile, the PFA has defended its inclusion of Evans in the League One team of the year, just two days after he was sentenced to five years behind bars. "It would have drawn more attention to it had we pulled him out of the team," said Bobby Barnes, the PFA's deputy chief suit.</p><p></p><p>Wrong.</p><p></p><p>Despite almost crying in a really manly way to show how much he loves relegated Wolves, caretaker manager Terry Connor says he has yet to find out whether he will have a job next season. "My own future is very much incidental compared to what happens at the football club. I've been here 13 years and every day I have tried to give my very best," wobbled his bottom lip.</p><p></p><p>Genoa, whose players lost their dignity at the hands of their own fans yesterday, have stripped manager Alberto Malesani of his last shred too by sacking him 21 days after rehiring him.</p><p></p><p>And King Kenny has responded to Liverpool's defeat to Nice Roy's West Brom by pressing play on his favourite tape recording. "The woodwork, again, wasn't our best friend. They just need a bit of luck I think. It sounds repetitive but it's not an excuse."</p><p></p><h2>STILL WANT MORE?</h2><p></p><p><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2012/apr/23/five-things-we-learned-premier-league" title="">Our writers noted five things this weekend</a>, including common sense at Villa and why Newcastle need Big Cup. Next week: we try our hand at spelling good and doing syntax.</p><p></p><p>Sid Lowe turns his eye on the big game in La Liga as Sevilla and Levante play out a thrilling 1-1 draw. <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2012/apr/23/real-madrid-barcelona-la-liga" title="">He may also say something about a potentially era-defining Clasico too</a>.</p><p></p><p>Paolo Bandini pops out of his retirement village to tell us h<a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2012/apr/23/genoa-ultras-match-suspension-serie-a" title="">ow troublemakers forced a 45-minute delay of Genoa's defeat to Siena</a>, overshadowing Juve's latest step towards the Scudetto.</p><p></p><p><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2012/apr/23/wayne-rooney-striking-duos-football-tactics" title="">And tactical maestro Michael Cox employs a bold headline-standfirst-photo-body copy formation as he tells us that striking duos still exist</a>, they're just more complex relationships than they once were.</p><p></p><h2>SIGN UP TO THE FIVER</h2><p></p><p>Want your very own copy of our free tea-timely(ish) email sent direct to your inbox? Has your regular copy stopped arriving? <a href="http:///" title="">Click here to sign up</a>.</p><p></p><h2><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGQhlbuWXwc" title="">HAPPY 30TH BIRTHDAY, ZX SPECTRUM, YOU SPAWNED THIS</a></h2><div class="author"><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/profile/robsmyth">Rob Smyth</a></div><br/><div class="terms"><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk">guardian.co.uk</a> &copy; 2012 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our <a href="http://users.guardian.co.uk/help/article/0,,933909,00.html">Terms & Conditions</a> | <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/help/feeds">More Feeds</a></div><p style="clear:both" />
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