Mark Hughes needs to start winning games or the Man City owners will be looking for a new manager.

The Premier League has a much more familiar look to it after this weekend’s fixtures.  Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United and Arsenal are sitting atop the Premiership once again, while Mark Hughes and Man City lie in tenth place after another poor performance and disappointing defeat.

Man City lost 2-0 away to Bolton, who in turn climb from the bottom of the table and within two points of Robinho, Joe, Elano and the other “Middle” Eastlands superstars.  Though tenth position doesn’t sound too bad for a team that, it could be said, are still needing time to gel, there is only two points between ninth place and the relegation zone.

If the Abu Dhabi owners are prepared to pay any amount to attract the biggest names in football to the sky blue of Manchester, will they give Mark Hughes a full season to ‘get it right’? It stands to reason that if they are keen to sign the best players on the biggest wages, then it won’t be long before they start looking round for the best managers, especially those who are interested in receiving an outrageous sum of money!

As we head into November I believe Mark Hughes will need to rack up some wins, and more importantly some convincing performances before the January Transfer Window opens, if he is to stay in charge at Eastlands.

And though I believe Mark Hughes is an extremely talented young manager for what he achieved with limited resources as both manager of Wales and Blackburn Rovers, I now believe he has a completely different set of problems.  In Robinho, Joe and Elano Mark Hughes has three talented Brazilians that are very temperamental, not particular team players, and when chasing a game are not going to track back in the same way as Robbie Savage did.  Hughes also faces the demoralising issue that faces some of the younger team players and other periphery players that are wondering where they will be playing their football in August.

I believe Man City need to start winning and scoring for fun in the same way as Chelsea are doing this season.  The owners have apparently issued a “wish list” for the January Transfer Window.  If Man City continue to lose points that wish list may include the likes of Guus Hoodink, Jose Mourinho, Arsene Wenger, Felipe Scolari, Fabio Capello and Sir Alex Ferguson!

In the space of 5 days the magic of Harry Redknapp has rejuvenated Tottenham Hotspurs. Spurs fans have seen signs that their shredded pride may be mended whilst the players look to have been given a new lease of life.

The early season blues for Spurs fans must surely have vanished in the space of 4 sensational minutes on Wednesday night. The result, if not the defensive performance, against Arsenal and the feel good factor caused by David Bentley’s wonder goal will make up for the drab performances under Juande who?

Victory over Bolton at the weekend was followed up with a hard fought point at the Emirates Stadium.

Whilst Harry Redknapp has always been a manager renowned for wheeling and dealing, it seems he has the ability to get the best out of Tottenham’s attacking potential. His introduction has seen Tottenham play with a freedom, spirit and ambition sorely missing under Juande Ramos.

The way Spurs pressed and harried their opponent’s ensured neutrals were treated to the rare sight of Arsene Wenger losing his temper and the more regular sight of William Gallas again showing the model professional he is by looking close to boiling point.

Harry Redknapp seems to have brought more than just confidence and team spirit with him from Fratton Park – it seems he has brought the Luka Modric who terrorised England twice last year rather than the pale imitation on show at White Hart Lane recently.

In a previous article I asked whether Tottenham were too good to be relegated. With Harry Redknapp at the helm it looks as though Tottenham will be capable of the heights Martin Jol took them to until his tenure was abruptly ended.

Whilst Harry Redknapp’s appointment might not have pleased Arsene Wenger after this performance, Scolari, Ferguson and Wenger will hope the ‘Harry Redknapp’ effect continues against Liverpool this weekend.

Premiership owners are a real mixed bag aren’t they?  Russians, Americans, Icelandic, Arab and even Englishmen!

Whilst Everton and Newcastle appear to be the clubs pushing to be next in line for a foreign takeover, their fans, I am sure, will be waiting with all the suspense of a Blind date contestant. Now, not wanting to sound like Cilla Black, what will they get; The Good, The Bad or The Ugly.

The Premiership has been transformed by foreign ownership and the amount of cash being splashed around the continent has certainly helped make Match Of The Day much more interesting.

With La Liga’s finest absconding to the Premier League, we now have the strongest and most entertaining league in Europe. Surely some of the credit goes to the ‘money men’, right? Are they really that bad?

Premier League Club Owners - The Good
Randy Lerner. The set up at Aston Villa seems to be in perfect working order. Lerner has brought in a manager with a fantastic reputation and energy and drive in abundance. Rather than marginalising Martin O’Neill and introducing a director of football, he has seemingly been given the freedom of the football club. Martin O’Neill has been given stability at boardroom level, generous funds and the freedom to do it his way. In turn, Randy Lerner has been rewarded with a young, British orientated and most importantly talented team who look certain to improve.

Steve Gibson. Gibson has invested heavily in Middlesbrough and in particular the academy and the managers he has appointed. With the days of Juninho, Emerson and Fabrizio Ravanelli behind them, Middlesbrough is reaping the rewards of a first class academy. Gareth Southgate has been afforded the funds, the time and the support needed to achieve his goals in a reasonable time limit – the trigger happy chairmen could learn a thing or two from Steve Gibson.

The set up and freedom which Gareth Southgate and Martin O’Neill are privy to is also found at the Emirates. Arsene Wenger suffers no interference, no pressure and nobody else making decision except for Wenger. The sentiment of the banner Arsenal fans hold aloft at The Emirates extends all the way to the boardroom – the message; ‘In Arsene we trust’

Last but not least is Bill Kenwright. Kenwright has accepted that for the good of Everton he has to sell the club. He seems to be genuinely trying to find the right investor for the good of the club. Kenwright has shown he has the ability and passion to run a football club correctly and has provided David Moyes the control and trust usually reserved for Alex Ferguson. The backing he has received and the trust Kenwright has shown in Moyes’ long term ambition may not have been present at other top flight clubs.

Premier League Club Owners - The Bad
Man United supporters have been treated to the delight that is the Glazers since their unpopular takeover in May 2005.  Not happy with just saddling the club with debt, they then introduced the automatic cup scheme whilst concurrently sending ticket prices sky high.

Over the last 18 months Liverpool has seemingly been a club intent on civil war. The accusations being made and received by Tom Hicks, George Gillett, Rafael Benitez, Rick Parry and Liverpool fans has left the traditionally well respected and well run club splashed across the back pages of the tabloids. Meetings with Jurgen Klinsmann and apparent friction surrounding the Gareth Barry transfer, not to mention delays to the new stadium have left Liverpool fans cursing their American owners.

All the cash pumped into making Chelsea the well oiled football machine it is today hasn’t come without controversy. Jose Mourinho, Chelsea’s most successful manager of all time was peculiarly replaced with European football’s comparison to Frank Spencer – Avram Grant. The signing of Andrei Shevchenko also doesn’t bode particularly well for the future. Whilst the good times are in full flow then Chelsea fans will embrace their Russian dictator, however, if Roman Abramovich was to take a shine to another player like Shevchenko, will Luis Felipe Scolari accept it and will the Chelsea fans be as embracing then?

But is the problem of interfering chairman simply down to foreign ownership?  Not if Newcastle and Mike Ashley have anything to do with it.

Newcastle United is the ultimate crisis club. With Dennis Wise lurking around the club and signing some of La Liga’s worst players, Mike Ashley disappearing to Africa to try and sell the club; and the fans singing ‘sack the board’ as often as they celebrate a win.

Premier League Club Owners - The Ugly
With the way Daniel Levy (with help from Damien Comolli) has set about selling top class players year on year makes him an excellent candidate. If not him, then my shout goes for Mike Ashley – an explanation really isn’t necessary.

The summer month’s at Old Trafford centred primarily around one man, his ambition and his very public flirting with Spanish giants Real Madrid. Obviously, anybody with any interest at all in football will know that Cristiano Ronaldo spent the summer trying desperately to fulfil his dream move and become the latest Galactico to take centre stage at ‘Circus Bernabeu’.

When news broke that Ronaldo would be staying no doubt many Man Utd fans were delighted that their genius number 7 would be staying for at least another year. His contribution of 42 goals last year enabled Manchester United to dominate in England and Europe and brought Alex Ferguson the second European Cup he so desperately craved. Now though, despite Ronaldo staying, it seems Manchester United are ready to move on with or without their star man, as, in the last few weeks it has become a case of Cristiano who?

Alex Ferguson’s summer promise to play Wayne Rooney down the middle more often this season was seen in most quarters to be a to reward for the player after his selfless exertions over the last two seasons. The decision to play Rooney up front has seen Ronaldo sent back to the wing with his tail between his legs with Rooney no longer doing the Portuguese’s leg work.

With hindsight, the ‘promise’ made to Wayne Rooney seems less of a gesture to the player and more a long term plan to cope without Ronaldo. Had Ronaldo left last summer Manchester United would have been losing their 42 goal talisman and only player who genuinely struck fear into European opponents. When Man Utd, as I am sure they will, lose Ronaldo to Madrid next summer it is likely he will not be leaving as the talisman, top scorer or only player teams worry about.

The reason for this? Alex Ferguson and Manchester United fans have Wayne Rooney. This is not, however, the Rooney of seasons gone by.

Playing Rooney up front and allowing him to play a little more selfishly has enabled him to flourish as the raw, instinctive goal scorer not seen since his days at Everton. The flashes of genius that lit up his brief first team Everton career have been increasingly infrequent for United of late.

Last night though, Rooney, as he has done consistently in the last month ran his opponents ragged. Celtic were ‘treated’ to the flair, vision and confidence of a resurgent Wayne Rooney.

Fabio Capello and Sir Alex Ferguson have allowed Wayne Rooney to play by instinct alone and last night’s performance against Celtic was exceptional. Rooney seemed to play with a responsibility and a freedom at the same time. He seems to have been given a responsibility to be the catalyst for Man Utd’s attacking ambitions and he demanded the ball all over the pitch.

Concurrently, the freedom which he is afforded has come as a result of playing as the furthest man forward and having the confidence of his manager to act as the focus for United’s fluid movement. There is a faith in Rooney as a striker. No longer is he there to hassle and chase defenders, he is now given the freedom to find space, dictate proceedings and set United into a rhythm which he controls.

So, as the season progresses expect to see Wayne Rooney relish his new found position. Not the position as striker, but his position as United’s new playmaker, goal scorer and Old Trafford’s new hero. Four years after signing at Manchester United, it seems Wayne Rooney has finally arrived.

David Beckham will make a return to real competitive football when he joins AC Milan on loan during the MLS close season. The American league finishes this weekend and the England midfielder will team up with AC Milan on loan “for a few months.”

LA Galaxy had previously said that they would not allow Beckham to be loaned out, but now seem to have accepted the inevitable. The MLS team will require Beckham to play in some pre arranged exhibition games in December in Australia and New Zealand.

Otherwise the player is eligible to play for Milan in both Serie A and in the UEFA cup competition. Beckham is keen to figure in England manager Fabio Capello’s World Cup qualifying games and the move to Milan will no doubt help the player increase his fitness levels as well as play football at a competitive level.

Beckham will join other world favourites, Kaka, Ronaldinho and Pato at the Italian club.