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Tag: Man City

  • EPL: Man City move six points clear on Boxing Day

    EPL: Man City move six points clear on Boxing Day

    Manchester City held off an unlikely Leicester comeback to clinch a ninth successive Premier League win in thrilling style and move six points clear at the top of the table.

    It looked like the defending champions had wrapped up the points after only 25 minutes as they led a depleted Foxes side 4-0, with a penalty apiece by Riyad Mahrez and Raheem Sterling on top of strikes by Kevin de Bruyne and Ilkay Gundogan.

    Leicester had other ideas, however, with three goals in the space of 10 second-half minutes from James Maddison, Ademola Lookman and Kelechi Iheanacho giving them hope.

    A header by Aymeric Laporte restored order and gave the home side much-needed breathing space, before Sterling’s second made sure of the points late on, but what had started out as a walk in the park will be remembered as a much sterner test for the league leaders.

  • EPL: Man City thrash hapless Newcastle at St James’ Park

    EPL: Man City thrash hapless Newcastle at St James’ Park

    Reigning champions Manchester City recorded their eighth successive Premier League victory as they swept aside struggling Newcastle United at St James’ Park.

    The league leaders were gifted a fifth-minute opener as Newcastle defender Ciaran Clark failed to attack Joao Cancelo’s hooked cross and Ruben Dias had a simple task to head City ahead.

    City doubled their lead in the 27th minute when Cancelo collected the ball 35 yards out, beat two Newcastle players and fired an unstoppable strike into the top corner from outside the penalty area.

    Riyad Mahrez scored his 50th Premier League goal for the club in the 63rd minute, superbly volleying in Oleksandr Zinchenko’s cross for City’s third.

    It got even worse for the hosts as Raheem Sterling tapped in from close range four minutes from time after a fine run down the left flank from Gabriel Jesus.

    This victory ensures City will be top of the Premier League at Christmas for only the third time – and on both previous occasions in 2011-12 and 2017-18 they went on to be champions.

    Newcastle remain 19th in the table, three points behind 17th-placed Watford and with only goal difference keeping them above bottom club Norwich City.

  • Premier League leaders Man City thrash Leeds 7-0

    Premier League leaders Man City thrash Leeds 7-0

    Manchester City tore Leeds apart with an attacking masterclass to increase their lead at the top of the Premier League to four points.

    The defending champions were at their scintillating best as they racked up their biggest victory of the season and moved further clear of Liverpool and Chelsea, who both play on Thursday.

    In truth, City could have had far more than their seven goals such was their total dominance and the ease they repeatedly ripped through the visitors’ increasingly ragged defence.

    Phil Foden opened the scoring after eight minutes, following up after Rodri’s effort was saved – although Stuart Dallas should have done far better with his attempted goal-line clearance.

    Foden’s goal was City’s 500th in the Premier League in 207 games under Pep Guardiola, with the Spaniard becoming the quickest manager to reach that landmark – the previous best was Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp, who took 234 matches.

    It only took five minutes more before goal number 501 arrived, with Riyad Mahrez given time to bend in a cross from the right of the area for Jack Grealish to nod home a rare – for him – headed goal.

    City did not stop coming forward and Kevin de Bruyne joined the party just after the half-hour mark, firing home from a Rodri pass for his first goal since mid-October.

    That made sure of a seventh straight league win for Guardiola’s men but they were in the mood to dish out more punishment against a side that took four points off them last season, and beat them here with 10 men.

    The second half had barely started when Mahrez made it 4-0, with a low shot that deflected in off Junior Firpo, before De Bruyne made it five with the best goal of the night, a thunderous strike into the top corner from distance.

    John Stones made it six at the second attempt after Aymeric Laporte’s header was saved, and there was no respite for Leeds goalkeeper Illan Meslier as Nathan Ake headed home City’s seventh from a Foden corner.

  • I don’t care about Man Utd or Man City – Pedri

    I don’t care about Man Utd or Man City – Pedri

    Barcelona youngster Pedri has declared his commitment to remain with the La Liga giant.

    The midfielder said he was happy to have signed a new contract at Camp Nou despite big offers from elsewhere.

    “Interest from Manchester United, Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain? I am happy at Barça, this is my dream,” the Spain midfielder said.

    On Ansu Fati and Gavi, Pedri is convinced they will fight for the Golden Boy next year.

    “[Ansu] and Gavi will compete for the next Golden Boy together with [Jude] Bellingham, a player that I really appreciated,” he added.

    On Ansu, he continued: “I have a wonderful relationship with him, he’s had some incredibly bad luck (with injuries). But he has extraordinary mental strength.”

  • I didn’t leave Arsenal for money – Bacary Sagna

    I didn’t leave Arsenal for money – Bacary Sagna

    Former Arsenal fullback Bacary Sagna denies he left the North London club to join Manchester City for money.

    The 38-year-old swapped the Emirates for the Etihad in 2014 on a free transfer after seven years of service in North London.

    Sagna told The Sun: “It was very difficult for me, even now I’m still emotional about it. It was my last game with the club I loved.

    “The talks I had with them were not going well so I’d already made up my mind that I was leaving because I wanted to feel wanted.

    “You really want to feel the love. I truly gave my best for the club even when I wasn’t mentally there due to personal circumstances.

    “People criticise me today saying I left for money, but I stayed at the club six years on the same contract and if you ask Arsene Wenger not even once did I ask for more money.

    “I really played with my heart so when I came back to the club and people started booing me it hurt.

    “But I guess that’s life and I still have a lot of love for the club and want them to do well.

    “Even if I were to criticise the team, it’s from a good place. When you love something, you have to be fair and honest.”

  • Sign the clown from Everton – Ederson tells Man City

    Sign the clown from Everton – Ederson tells Man City

    Manchester City goalkeeper Ederson admits he’d like management to sign Everton striker Richarlison.

    The pair often line up together for the Brazil national team, with the forward becoming a regular at international level thanks to his strong performances at Goodison Park.

    Those displays have also produced a number of rumours in past transfer windows surrounding Richarlison’s future on Merseyside, with many of Europe’s top sides linked with a potential big-money swoop.

    Ederson was asked which Brazil player he would like to see Man City make a potential move for, and the Everton forward was the one that came to mind.

    Speaking to TNT Sports, the goalkeeper replied: “I’d bring the pigeon (the nickname for the Toffees forward). For the chats.

    “He’s a goof, a clown. There are many words I can put on him.”

  • Anelka questions Messi value to PSG after City loss

    Anelka questions Messi value to PSG after City loss

    Former PSG striker Nicolas Anelka has questioned Lionel Messi’s value to the team after last night’s defeat at Manchester City.

    PSG’s hopes of qualifying from their Champions League group suffered blow with defeat at City.

    Anelka told RMC: “With Messi, PSG cannot be a counter team.

    “You cannot base the whole team on Kylian Mbappe.”

    The Frenchman also recently cast doubt over whether Messi has still got it in him to be ‘extraordinary’.

    He said: “Today we demand from Neymar, but we can do the same with Messi.

    “Since the beginning of the season it is not extraordinary either.

    “There is a player who has six Ballons d’Or and finally is not so extraordinary.”

  • Rape: Chelsea goalkeeper fumes at being identified as Benjamin Mendy

    Rape: Chelsea goalkeeper fumes at being identified as Benjamin Mendy

    Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy has criticised media outlets for mistakenly using his image in stories about Manchester City’s Benjamin Mendy.

    City and France full-back Benjamin Mendy has been charged with six counts of rape and one of sexual assault, and remains in custody.

    Photos of Edouard Mendy and his cousin, Real Madrid’s Ferland Mendy, have been used to illustrate articles.

    Edouard Mendy said their use was “highly symbolic”.

    “Sad to see that in 2021, in France as well as in England, for some, black people have neither names nor distinct faces,” the Senegal international wrote on Instagram.

    “These ‘mistakes’ of photos appear anecdotal, but actually they are quite the opposite, they are highly symbolic.

    “It’s not that complicated to differentiate two faces, especially when the football jersey is of valuable help!”

    In August, Benjamin Mendy was charged with four counts of rape and one of sexual assault.

    Those charges related to alleged attacks on three women over the age of 16 at his home between October 2020 and August 2021.

    On Wednesday, the 27-year-old appeared in court to face two further charges of rape, related to alleged attacks in Macclesfield in July and August.

    He was suspended by City after being charged by police, pending an investigation.

  • I could see myself in a Man City shirt – Jorginho

    I could see myself in a Man City shirt – Jorginho

    Chelsea midfielder Jorginho admits he’s grateful to Lazio coach Maurizio Sarri for taking him to Stamford Bridge.

    Jorginho enjoyed his time with Sarri at Napoli and has since taken his game to a new level with Chelsea.

    He told France Football: “It was fabulous at Napoli. Naples isn’t really Italy, it’s like a whole other country, you won’t find the same passion for football elsewhere. I adored that city and that team.

    “I had been ready to leave Napoli when Sarri arrived, because he brought Mirko Valdifiori in for my role, but he gave me a chance and I fit perfectly into his tactical system. The big regret is that we didn’t win the 2017-18 Scudetto.

    “It was Sarri who wanted me at Chelsea. I was in negotiations with Manchester City and could already see myself in the Citizens jersey, but the Blues were insistent and today I am very happy here.”

  • We trained for 10 minutes before Man Utd win – De Bruyne

    We trained for 10 minutes before Man Utd win – De Bruyne

    Manchester City star, Kevin De Bruyne, has claimed they trained for only 10 minutes, before they beat Manchester United 2-0 before the international break.

    The Premier League champions completely dominated their rivals despite the low scoreline at Old Trafford.

    An Eric Bailly own goal and a Bernardo Silva strike sealed all three points for Pep Guardiola’s men.

    De Bruyne has now claimed Guardiola initially had no idea how to prepare for United.

    “The day before a game we usually train tactically, based on how the opponent plays.

    “But before United, Pep said: ‘We don’t know how they are going to play. We shall see’. And we stopped training after 10 minutes or so.

    “Often Pep knows how the opponent is going to play. This time he didn’t know, so he didn’t know what to do.

    “We have done what we always do, but he didn’t know beforehand if they would play with five at the back, or with four, or with a diamond in the middle, or with three up front,” he told the MidMid podcast.