The manager known for his ruthlessness and finishing first is too reliant on Zlatan Ibrahimovic and the result is a regular failure to beat supposedly inferior teamsJosé Mourinho used to be defined by an extraordinary home record. In one respect, he still is. The difference is that it is now a subject of regret and recrimination. Related: Manchester United’s top-four push stalls in chaotic draw with Bournemouth Continue reading...
They may have come to see Gabriel Jesus but after the Brazilian’s injury it was the 21-year-old German who looked the part in the win against BournemouthThe throng of autograph hunters outside Dean Court on Monday night had a new primary target, a currently priceless signature: Manchester City’s Gabriel Jesus. One City supporter held aloft a sign simply reading the words “Jesus, new Pele”. Not far behind him, though, when City got off the team coach, 20 minutes later than planned, was Leroy Sané, part of the coveted City front three that has left Pep Guardiola searching for more English adjectives.Jesus left the field through injury after 14 minutes and then it was time for Sané to dovetail alongside Sergio...
Bournemouth sit six points above the relegation zone as they face Manchester City, but their manager believes he has the experience to weather the stormIt is at times such as these when Eddie Howe benefits from a sense of perspective. Bournemouth, ninth at the turn of the year, suddenly hover precariously above a six-club free-for-all at the foot of the Premier League, their confidence on the wane after a solitary win in eight games, defensive options decimated, and Gabriel Jesus, Leroy Sané and, if necessary, Sergio Agüero to be unleashed upon them at the Vitality Stadium on Monday. If that were not bad enough, Manchester City have scored 13 times in these sides’ three meetings in the top flight.As scenarios...
Jesus is finally available for Manchester City, Klopp faces a choice between Origi and Sturridge and Costa may have to bide time for return to Chelsea starting XIAs Manchester United prepare to visit the Britannia Stadium, examining Stoke City’s record against the league’s best sides this season offers an indication of where Mark Hughes and José Mourinho should both be looking for improvement. Stoke’s record against the elite is awful: five of their six matches against the league’s top six sides have ended in heavy defeats. They have lost 3-1 at Arsenal, 4-2 at Chelsea and 4-1 at Liverpool, while they were thumped 4-1 and 4-0 at home by Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur respectively. Good enough to take the...
Manchester City resemble the girl with a curl in the middle of her forehead, N’Golo Kanté’s return to Leicester shows Wilfred Ndidi what needs to be done and David Moyes regrets catching the bullet dodged by Mark HughesThis time last year Southampton paid £4m to sign Charlie Austin from Queens Park Rangers. It was a while before he made an impact, but he certainly made an impact during the early part of this season, scoring nine goals in 19 games. But Southampton’s form has tailed off since Austin suffered a shoulder injury last month. They have lacked a cutting edge and have won only three of their past nine games in all competitions, sinking into the bottom half of the...