Manchester City fans warming to Club World Cup bid

WHO fancies Al Ain at 2am on Channel 5 then? A lot more than would have done a few weeks ago.

- By SIMON BAJKOWSKI

Club World Cup fever may not be rushing through the United States as FIFA scrambles to make it look the hottest ticket in town, but for Manchester City fans there is optimism again.

Where this tournament was seen as the continuation of a year they would rather forget and had seen enough of, suddenly it represents a new dawn for a squad that had grown tired.

Of course, some fans were going to watch whatever. It doesn’t matter what day or time or how much football they have already consumed - if City are playing, they will not be missing it.

However, there has undeniably been a surge of enthusiasm in City’s trip Stateside since the players flew out.