Manchester City striker Nicolas Anelka has become the latest Manchester City player to criticise the club’s manager Kevin Keegan.
The former French international believes he is not developing as a striker under Keegan although he deoos not go as far as former team-mate Eyal Berkovich who recommended at the weekend that Keegan be sacked.
Anelka has reportedly told a French newspaper that he is frustrated by the way Manchester City play.
“With Keegan, we get on well. That is all. But I’ve not made progress,” said the former Arsenal and Liverpool forward.
“I want the place of a real striker. At City, I am more of a midfielder.”
“I feel better than I was at Arsenal. But I was already like that when I arrived at City.
“I have no reason to envy the so-called best strikers in England. I am simply not in a team that allows me to shine.
“I want to be at a great club, to turn out with great players in England or elsewhere.”
The comments come in the wake of Eyal Berkovich’s astonishing verbal attack on Keegan.
‘I don’t see any reason why Kevin didn’t play me because I was the best player in training for six months and everyone knew that,” said Berkovic, after his new club Portsmouth beat City 4-2 at the weekend.
“Kevin was behaving like a big baby. I think he deserves the sack,” the Israeli international added.
Anelka claimed that Berkovic was wrong to launch an attack on Keegan.
“I don’t know why Eyal says this,” said Anelka after a 4-2 loss at Fratton Park on Saturday.
“It is not true to say that we are not behind the manager. We are all working hard to try and win for the club.”
“It is just that this is a very difficult time for us all. When you do not win for 14 matches it is a hard situation to get out of.
“But we all play for the manager and we all try to keep our spirit strong.
“That is all we can do. I just try and score as often as possible so that I can do my part.”