Huddersfield provide spirited test but Manchester City display strength of character, exemplified by Raheem Sterling’s relentless running, to win 2-1After Manchester City won 3-2 at West Bromwich Albion four weeks ago, the home team’s then-manager, Tony Pulis, was asked whether he thought Pep Guardiola’s fearsome side could go through the whole season unbeaten. “They’ve got to be fortunate with injuries and the bounce of the ball,” Pulis replied before adding that it would be interesting to see how City’s away form holds up as winter rolls in. “You saw what happened to Manchester United when they went to Huddersfield and it was wet and windy,” he warned. Related: Pep Guardiola says it’s important for Manchester City to suffer … and...
The midfielder’s route to the top with Huddersfield, via Manchester City’s burgeoning global empire, illustrates not just the Australian’s talent but the new nature of player recruitmentWhen Huddersfield paid a club record £8m to sign Aaron Mooy from Manchester City last summer, Town’s chairman, Dean Hoyle, hailed the deal as a “no-brainer” while acknowledging that City had been canny to sign the player a year earlier even though the Australian had never got anywhere near Pep Guardiola’s squad.Mooy’s story showcases not only his own qualities but also how recruitment is changing in English football, with City among the clubs assembling huge portfolios of players in much the same way as speculators build property empires. Related: David Wagner orchestrating a powerful...
The table doesn’t lie but teams such as Burnley and Brighton are exceeding all expectations while Swansea and Everton have disappointed badly. Here’s how the 20 sides rank based on early-season health and vigourThey say the league table never lies, and this is of course true. What they don’t tell you is that during the dog days of an international break, when nothing falls or rises and hopes and fears are put on temporary hold, the narrative becomes a bit less compelling.You get sick of looking at the same thing, in other words, although Burnley, Brighton, Watford and Huddersfield will probably never tire of waiting for winter and the real meat of the season from a position in the top...
From a bargain triumph at Brighton to a costly success at Manchester City, and from a struggling £25m Leicester striker to an unseen defender at Southampton, we assess how last summer’s transfer business looks so farPascal Gross (Ingolstadt to Brighton, £2.6m) Related: The 10 most improved players in Europe's big leagues this season Related: Transfer window 2017 – every deal in Europe's top five leagues Continue reading...
Eden Hazard may tire of being kicked, Tony Pulis is under pressure at West Brom and Pep Guardiola may seek more firepower in JanuaryEden Hazard was fouled six times at Stamford Bridge. At one point in the second half the Belgium international was fouled by not one but three opponents in the colours of Manchester United, dragged to the ground by a combination of Nemanja Matic, Eric Bailly and Phil Jones like a man being crushed by falling trees. It is a regular experience for Chelsea’s No10, who can duck in and out from season to season, but who is at least consistent in his role as a human piñata for opposition teams. Hazard is kicked constantly in the Premier...