Petrov: Hughes was 'not fair' with me

Manchester City winger Martin Petrov has launched a thinly-veiled attack on former boss Mark Hughes.

Petrov netted for the fourth time this season as he sent City on their way towards a 2-0 win over Stoke at Eastlands. But it was the Bulgarian's first in two months and must hope it does not follow a similar pattern to the rest. On two of the other occasions he has scored this term, he has immediately been dropped.

"I am just a football player. I cannot do anything apart from work hard on the pitch. I just hope after scoring this time I don't go to the bench because that is what seems to have happened every other time this season," he said.

The 31-year-old decided to keep the full extent of his true feelings to himself out of respect to new manager Roberto Mancini. But, given what he was prepared to reveal, it is fair to assume Petrov does not rate Hughes all that highly.

"Now is not the time to talk about my situation," added Petrov.

"But too many things have happened to me over the last six months and come the time, at some point in the future, I will tell you 100%.

"It would not be good for the new manager if I did it now. But what the old one did with me was not fair."