Manchester City steamrollered Arsenal in the second half to stay in touch with Chelsea while Arsène Wenger’s side showed a familiar Jekyll-and-Hyde personaBefore the game Pep Guardiola said: “Today we can make further progress by beating one of the best and most consistent sides in the league. Today’s match is our last here in 2016 and we want to say goodbye with a great performance. If we can do that we have moved back above one of the big rivals for the title.” After a torrid first half this was how the contest ended as City transformed from an aimless bunch to a menacing proposition that steamrollered Arsenal in the second period. Given that Guardiola’s men were watery despite defeating...
Arsenal right-back was perfect fit for City’s new manager – a young player with Barcelona DNA and an education in the Premier LeagueThe overtures started around February time, when Manchester City had announced that Pep Guardiola would become their new manager at the end of the season. Guardiola wanted a full-back with searing pace and attacking instincts, somebody to build the play out from the back, and he wanted Héctor Bellerín of Arsenal.To Guardiola, it was the perfect fit – a young player with Barcelona DNA and an education in the Premier League. These days, there is little doubt that, at only 21, the former Barcelona youth-team player is the finest right-back in England. Bellerín was named in last season’s...
History shows Guardiola needs time but he has not helped himself by buying players City do not need rather than those they do and by endless subtle changes that leave the team vulnerable before facing Arsenal“I know we are not going to win at some point … I know what’s going to happen to me when we don’t.” Manchester City were unbeaten and still freewheeling through the light traffic of early season when Pep Guardiola was asked in September about his chances of winning the quadruple. His reply was most memorable for its exasperated, commendably fluent grasp of English swearing. More significant was his realism about the traps already laid, the sense of semi-crisis, real or imagined, that has always...
The balance shifts from Arsenal to Manchester City, Chelsea could take a defining step away from the pack and Jack Wilshere’s chance to crack onGiven Chelsea’s rampaging form at the top of the table, the first Premier League meeting between Pep Guardiola and Arsène Wenger feels hugely significant, particularly for Manchester City who could find themselves 10 points off the title pace should they suffer defeat at the Etihad. A week ago Arsenal might have started this contest as favourites, but their 14-game unbeaten streak in the league came to an end in the midweek defeat at Goodison Park, while City rectified their recent slump with a confident 2-0 win over Watford. City’s performance was enhanced by Raheem Sterling’s return...
Jürgen Klopp was right to take Loris Karius out of the spotlight, Tottenham’s back three can set their full-backs free and Marcos Rojo has not learnedIn truth, Simon Mignolet did not have much to do during Liverpool’s 3-0 victory at Middlesbrough, but Loris Karius was taken out of the spotlight nevertheless. The saga involving Liverpool’s first-choice goalkeeper before the midweek fixtures overshadowed all else at the club, but Jürgen Klopp’s team responded with a convincing performance, one of their best this season. On Karius, the Liverpool manager said: “I’m not interested in public pressure, I’m interested in the boy and there’s no reason to push him through this situation.” Mignolet appears set for an extended run in the team while...