CITY TOOK HONOURS IN CHELSEA DRAWOn paper, it looks a good result for Chelsea. A score draw at Manchester City - it's just what Jose Mourinho set out his stall for. But while Manuel Pellegrini lost the media battle, with his silly 'Stoke' comments and taunts over Frank Lampard, there were bigger pluses to come out of the game for City. Eliaquim Mangala was a colossus on debut. Vincent Kompany had Diego Costa in his pocket. And being a man down, the show of character to find the equaliser will lift everyone inside the City locker room. Amongst the diatribe, one interesting admission from Pellegrini was that he planned to count on Lampard "for the season". With Chelsea and City sure to go neck-and- neck for the entire campaign, you wonder if Lampard will have to delay his move to New York City FC until June, rather than January.

LvG PAID FOR PLAYING FAVOURITESDid Louis van Gaal pay for playing favourites at Leicester City? The one change the Manchester United manager made on Sunday was to drop Juan Mata, outstanding in victory over QPR, to give Radamel Falcao his first start alongside Robin van Persie - with Wayne Rooney dropping into a deeper role. On form, it should've been Van Persie to make way. Yes, the Dutchman opened the scoring, but it was a gamble - that backfired - playing three strikers away from home and pulling Mata out of midfield. The treatment of Mata makes no sense. Popular in the dressing room and on the terraces, if United are serious about finding new leaders for the LvG era, Mata is the perfect candidate. But all signs point to the Dutchman flogging Mata in January. A decision the former Chelsea man doesn't deserve.

GOOD FOR HARRY SPEAKING OUT AGAINST FFPNice to see the FFP penny drop at QPR. Harry Redknapp spoke out against Financial Fair Play last week, stating the bleedin' obvious that there's no chance of clubs the size of QPR competing with the likes of Manchester United under FFP laws. Redknapp was speaking in the week that Jean-Louis Dupont, of the Bosman fame, was formalising a new case against UEFA over FFP. Dupont has the backing of the Manchester City Supporters Club, but it's really the fans of clubs like Aston Villa, Newcastle United and Tottenham who should be rallying behind the Belgian. There's little chance of these clubs attracting a new Sheikh Mansour or Roman Abramovich while the bureaucrats of UEFA hold the game to such anti-competitive laws. It has nothing to do with financial management and everything to do with keeping the status quo.

ROJO WINNING HIS BATTLE AGAINST SHAWAmid all the chaos at Old Trafford, spare a thought for Luke Shaw. Marcos Rojo produced an impressive performance on his Manchester United debut in victory over QPR. But he's no centre-half - particularly for the demands of the Premier League. Though he struggled at Leicester City, he looks a natural United fullback, solid defensively and excellent going forward. Rojo wants to be Louis van Gaal's first-choice - and with no European football, nor the League Cup, Shaw could struggle to find a way into the starting XI. He's been amongst the substitutes for the past two games, but given Rojo's performance, the £27 million teen is starting from a long way back. Those sausage rolls, Luke, they'll always come back to haunt you...

WHY WOULD BRUCE SWAP HULL FOR NEWCASTLE?Steve Bruce quitting Hull City for the chaos at the Toon? It would be madness. Sure, the pull is there for the Geordie. But compared to what he has at the KC, Newcastle United is a basket case. Notwithstanding the amazing support he's had in the market from the Allams and the potential of the team he's built, Bruce just has to compare the ambitions of the two owners. At Newcastle, Mike Ashley's lieutenants are on record the club has no interest in competing for Cup glory. In contrast, Allam, despite his rebranding row with fans, says his aim is to take Hull into the Champions League. Is there really a choice for Bruce to make?

ROBERTSON AS GOOD AS ANYONE IN PREMIER LEAGUEFor his role, is there a better crosser of the ball from left-back than Hull City's Andrew Robertson? He really does look something special. And to think, the Scot was playing for Queen's Park barely a year ago. Steve Bruce has pulled off a transfer coup by signing - and playing - the former Dundee United defender. Just 20, Robertson does need to add some kilos to his 5ft 10in frame. But going forward and with that wand of a left-foot, he's sure to be drawing comparisons with Everton ace Leighton Baines before the end of the season.

CARVER AND TOON ARMY MUST NOT FALL OUTIts madness if Toon fans make John Carver a scapegoat for what is happening at Newcastle United. You couldn't get anyone closer to the club. But he's had to apologise for defending his manager at Southampton last week. You hope that those fans in the firing line will see that, in the same position, any good football man would defend his manager. Carver looked in good spirits in the dugout against Hull City. If Newcastle are to survive they will need great Geordie characters like Carver. For all the criticism of Alan Pardew, one of the best decisions he made was to bring Carver back to the club following his spell in charge of Toronto FC. A split between Toon fans and Carver? It just can't be allowed to happen.