By David Hamill

 

It was looking good for Manchester City when they beat West Ham two months ago. They continued to build on their fine start to the season and appeared to relish silencing their doubters and fulfilling the promise as potential challengers to the big four.   But seven draws later and it’s a gloomy picture as City enter what could well be phase one of operation meltdown. It’s only just turned December but Mark Hughes’ position is already under threat and with expectations set ridiculously high due to the unlimited funds available every manager without a proven track record is going to be two or three games away from the prospect of losing their job.   The worrying thing is the manner of their draws. They let leads slip at home to Hull and Burnley – notoriously poor on the road – and when they got themselves into a great position to beat Liverpool at Anfield they gifted the Reds a soft equalizer within sixty seconds of taking a 2-1 lead.

When a team comes away from Merseyside disappointed they haven’t won that should usually be a sign of progress and City are still only three points off fourth spot having lost just once in the league – but sloppy draws represent a trend that will derail their season if they don’t put a stop to them.

The cracks are beginning to show, and the management has to take responsibility. The club is paying the price for his poor judgement in offloading their stalwart captain Richard Dunne for £6m and bringing in Joleon Lescott for £24m.

It makes you wonder if the manager has what it takes to move the side on to the next level with decisions like that. Lescott has been a liability while Wayne Bridge, an inflated January buy, is faring just as badly. The result is an unsettled defensive unit and even Kolo Toure is looking shaky but he hasn’t been helped by his dithering colleagues at the back.

Guus Hiddink and Jose Mourinho – the Portuguese particularly desperate for a return to the Premier League – are names that will continue to be mentioned as possible replacements for Hughes if the Welshman doesn’t turn things around - and quick.