Middlesbrough 8, Man City 1

THE future of Manchester City manager Sven–Goran Eriksson is likely to become much clearer today.

City suffered an embarrassing 8–1 defeat at Middlesbrough yesterday to bring the curtain down on the Swede’s first season in English club football.

Eriksson left his post–match press conference last night admitting he expected a phone call from the club’s owner Thaksin Shinawatra – or at least one of his advisers – to update him on news about his future.

That is despite the Swede guiding the club to ninth in the Barclays Premier League – their best finish since Kevin Keegan led them to eighth in 2004–05 – and a possible place in the UEFA Cup awaiting via the Fair Play League.

“I expect to speak to people – or they speak to me – from the owners’ side but I have had no answer (about the future) yet,” Eriksson.

Asked when he expected to speak to Thaksin, Eriksson said: “Now, as soon as I have finished here I hope.”

Of the effect the speculation about his job had on the players and the performance, he added: “You can never measure that.”

Stewart Downing fired home a 16th–minute penalty after City captain Richard Dunne was harshly sent off for bringing down Tuncay Sanli and eight minutes before the break Afonso Alves slotted home the second.

After the break, it was one–way traffic but the extent of City’s capitulation would be concerning for whoever is in charge at the start of next season.

Downing smashed in a superb left–foot volley and Alves scored a second before substitute Adam Johnson netted with a deflected long–rang shot.

Fabio Rochemback curled in a 30–yard free–kick and Jeremie Aliadiere fired home with Elano getting a consolation before Alves completed his hat–trick in the final minute.

The victory was Boro’s biggest in the top flight since they put eight past Huddersfield in 1950.     

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