Quick, name the richest football club in the English Premiere League. If you said Manchester United, well, at least you had the right city. The city’s second biggest club is actually the wealthiest in the entire league, due to the deep pockets of its owner, Sheik Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan. In fact, the Sheik has surpassed Chelsea owner Abramovich as the richest in England.

So how has all that money helped Manchester City? Good news: there is a Manchester team at the top of the EPL table. Bad news: that would be Manchester United, the team rich with trophies. Man City are not just looking up at their bitter rivals, though. They are currently propping up the table near the bottom.

Big names players and a highly qualified manager in Mark Hughes have not been enough to lift the beleaguered club out of a shocking relegation battle.  While smaller teams and new entries into the league, Hull City and Stoke City and spent much of their debut season in the top half of the standings, Man City has suffered loss after inexplicable loss.

The January transfer window has brought in more big names, with talk of more, including Shay Given from fellow surprise relegation battlers, Newcastle United. But the end of 2008 found City with one in their last six, including a loss to lowly West Bromwich Albion. So what’s wrong?

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