Manchester City fans root for Eriksson

BEIJING, May 6 -- It's been a familiar scene at Anfield throughout this turbulent season, but for once, Sunday's mission wasn't to save Rafa Benitez. Instead, it was the visiting Manchester City fans that were trying to save manager Sven-Goran Eriksson.

City chairman Thaksin Shinawatra is not expected to have any qualms of getting rid of Eriksson after Sunday's 0-1 loss at Liverpool.

Eriksson bowed dutifully in acknowledgment of the chants by fans, who are desperate to cling on to their most successful manager in recent years.

"Hey Thaksin," the visitors chimed. "Leave our Sven alone."

"I'd rather say goodbye to the Thai," one banner read in a stadium that has become accustomed to anti-American placards as Liverpool's owners have continued to generate anger throughout their feud.

"The support was fantastic," he said. "It made me stand up from the bench a lot, but I can do that no problem. Thank you, they've been fantastic all season and today again - incredible. Especially, you see all this support and we haven't won anything, it's fantastic. It's nice to see they believe the club has a future, that we are on the right way."

Eriksson said he hasn't spoken to Thaksin since last Sunday.

"I've not been told anything regarding the situation but at my age I don't need to be told what to do," he said. "I have my own conclusions and ideas. It's not good to talk before the season is finished ... but in one more week - a week is rather quick."

A win next week at Middlesbrough would give City its highest Premier League points tally. The team is in ninth place, two points behind Portsmouth.

Eriksson talked his players out of boycotting an end-of-season tour to Thaksin's homeland.

"I suppose we will all go to Thailand, it's a tour and a program and I don't think that's been changed," he said. "So a combination of playing football and holiday isn't bad. The weather is better than here."

(Source: Shanghai Daily/Agencies)