Manchester City’s manager went through the full range of emotions on a night when reckless defending by his side and Monaco produced a thrillerIt is perhaps a measure of how uncomfortable Manchester City still are on the European stage that Pep Guardiola chose life and death imagery in his pre-match assessment. While relaxed insouciance is what the manager generally aims for, he hardly struck that tone when observing Monaco had “killers” in the box in Radamel Falcao and Valère Germain, or noting glumly that critics would “kill” his City side if they did not succeed.This is almost certainly not the can-do, positive approach City thought they would be getting when employing the former coach of Barcelona and Bayern Munich, although...
Zlatan Ibrahimovic was Manchester United’s match-winner again, Burnley were tormented by Lincoln and themselves, and Arsenal need to pitch in at SuttonZlatan Ibrahimovic was the match-winner again for Manchester United and his late goal against Blackburn Rovers was another fine and composed finish to add to his season’s collection. That made it 24 goals in all competitions and the Swede has now scored in the FA Cup, Coppa Italia, Copa del Rey and Coupe de France. For United, he has been a stellar signing and there is a reason why the prolific forward can get away with statements such as the one after his midweek hat-trick against St Etienne when he declared: “Wherever I went I won, so I am...
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...
The failings of the exiled Joe Hart’s replacements, Claudio Bravo and Willy Caballero, surely demand a rethink from Pep Guardiola for next seasonIt is probably safe to assume Pep Guardiola did not appreciate the impertinence of being asked at his latest press conference whether, six months into the season, he could understand why so many football people were questioning whether the decision to marginalise and replace Joe Hart had shown even the greatest managers can make mistakes.A similar question was asked of Sinisa Mihajlovic, the manager of Torino, earlier this season and you didn’t have to read too far between the lines to find a thinly disguised layer of scorn from the man who took Hart to Serie A. “Guardiola...
The Manchester City manager turfed Samuel Eto’o out of Barcelona because of a gut feeling and doesn’t care if those he disappoints are the biggest namesThey light up the part of Manchester City’s stadium that takes it name from the most precious goal in the club’s history. Head along Ashton New Road on any night, pass the nostalgically named Maine Road Chippy, and you can hardly miss it. Martin Tyler’s commentary is emblazoned across the walls. Sergio Agüero is twirling his shirt above his head. Drink it in, soak it up. “I swear, you will never see anything like it again.”That was the final, and 30th, goal of Agüero’s first season in Manchester and it is commemorated now in the...