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Eriksson heading for top half?

The arrival of Sven-Goran Eriksson at Manchester City last week may not have been everybody's cup of tea but the 9/4 about the former England boss guiding City to a top-half finish in the Premiership next season makes for large appeal. Eriksson was in bullish mood when he answered questions at his first press conference at Eastlands on Friday and, though the tabloids will relish the prospect of filling yet more column inches with the usual anti-Eriksson jingoism there is every reason to back the Swede to take City towards the safer end of the table next term. "I don't think I have a point to prove. I know what I have done in the past, in England and outside England, and you cannot take that away from me whatever you say or do." Doubtless the critics will try, but of course Eriksson does have a point. He won the UEFA Cup while at IFK Goteburg, can boast three Portuguese title wins with Benfica and claimed two Italian Cups, the Cup Winners Cup and the Italian Scudetto while at Lazio - only the second title win in their history. It's a bit better than Stuart Pearce's managerial roll of honour, isn't it? Eriksson then led England to the last eight of two World Cups and the 2004 European Championships, feats which in the cold light of day could be considered overachievements rather than failures. It shouldn't even really be questioned that a man of such obvious coaching pedigree can improve a side that finished 14th last season despite their inability to, well, finish. True, Eriksson will need to replace Joey Barton and Sylvain Distin but that should be child's play for a man boasting an international contacts network that would shame Bob Geldof and £50m burning a hole in his pocket. "You will see many new faces, that's for sure," he has assured us. Another thing we can all be sure of is Eriksson's stickability. Only after his severance package from the FA came to an end did the 59-year-old decide to return to management, and he is equally unlikely to walk out on his £2.5m salary. The only way he will jump is if Thai owner Thaksin Shinawatra pushes him, which is why Betfred price him at 10/1 to be sacked during the course of the season. Indeed, if you can be bothered to wait that long to collect he is 3-1 to see out his three-year deal. Eriksson specials: Man City top-half finish: 9-4 (William Hill, Boyles) Eriksson to last three years at Man City: 3/1 (Hills) Eriksson to last season at Man City: 4-11 (Bet365) Man City this season: 6/1 Uefa Cup place, 50/1 win Carling Cup, 66/1 win FA Cup, 66/1 finish in top four (Bet Fred); 12/1 top-six finish, 66/1 top-four finish (Ladbrokes)

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