Álvaro Negredo has finally broken the silence on his 14-match goal drought and has revealed the real reason behind the barren spell that has cost him his place in Manuel Pellegrini's side. In an interview with the Daily Star, the 28-year-old blamed a shoulder injury he picked up against West Ham United in January as the main reason for his slump in form.

"I settled in right from the word go although initially my time on the pitch was limited.

"But I continued to work hard and when I got the chance I started to score goals. I was able to bring something to the party in terms of my performances.

"I then picked up a shoulder injury which affected things. We were struggling up front, suffering from injuries and needed all the support we could get.

(Negredo was forced to wear a sling after acquiring a shoulder injury in the second leg of the Capital One Cup semi-final)

"I was playing games when I wasn't fully fit - but things have turned around now and I am fit again.

"I am not featuring as regularly as before, but I turned it around earlier in the season so I have got to have the same mentality to turn things around once again.

"I did that by working hard on the training field and scoring goals when I got my chance. Hopefully that's what will happen again."

The Telegraph believe that Manchester City could be forced into fielding a depleted squad in next year's Champions League which would see millions of pounds of their player investment wasted. The blues were found guilty of breaching Uefa's financial fair play rules this week, but have been offered a settlement.

(Manchester City's player recruitment could be affected by FFP sanctions according to the Telegraph)

According to Forza Italian Football, AS Roma are interested in signing Manchester City full-back Aleksandar Kolarov. The Serbian has just one year left remaining on his contract but has impressed under new manager Manuel Pellegrini this season. Kolarov is believed to be attracting interest from a number of Italian clubs and the blues will have to act quickly if they want to keep the 28-year-old.

(Aleksandar Kolarov's current deal expires in 2015)

Football Direct News have been focusing their most recent journalism on Manchester City and have linked the blues to no less than two players this morning. Athletic Bilbao's 19-year-old prodigy Aymeric Laporte and Malaga's 32-year-old stopper Willy Caballero have both been linked with Spanish giants Barcelona in recent weeks, but Football Direct News believe Manuel Pellegrini will rival any bid made by the Catalan side for the duo.

(Laporte has been tipped as La Liga's next best defender)

In Other News

In other news, Talk Sport's Adrian Durham has criticised a banner shown by Crystal Palace fans on Sunday which he believed insulted Manchester City. Writing in his column for the Daily Mail, Durham labelled the banner, which read 'You Got The Money, We Got The Soul' as 'embarrassing' and called on Palace fans to research their opponents before making such laughable gestures.

(Crystal Palace fans mock their opponents with a banner on Sunday afternoon)

"I laughed out loud at this nonsense, thought up by someone who has no idea about - and didn’t bother to research - the amount of incredible work in the community Manchester City Football Club’s owners have done, and what a fantastic facility they are creating for locals to use in and around the Etihad Stadium.

"The logic that says a club with money can’t possibly have a soul is flawed everywhere you look – are you telling me Real Madrid have no soul?

"The Man City fans who were on the away terrace at York’s Bootham Crescent ground in December 1998 and saw their team lose 2-1 probably still go to the Etihad today.

"They know about the soul of a football club. And everything is relative of course.

"So when Palace offered to shovel a shedload more money than any other club into Bosman striker Glenn Murray’s bank account to secure his services back in 2011, was that the Eagles losing their soul?

"It seems with songs and banners some fans have lost their way in the Premier League this season."

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About the author
Adam  Bailey
Freelance journalist. #MCFC reviews, previews, player ratings, news and gossip. Writer for @VAVEL. Contribute to @FourFourTweet