HUDDERSFIELD (AFP) - Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola was far from satisfied despite a 3-0 win away to Huddersfield Town on Sunday (Jan 20) that saw his side cut Liverpool's lead at the top of the Premier League table to four points.
Liverpool's compelling 4-3 win over Crystal Palace on Saturday heaped huge pressure back onto reigning champions City but they were rarely troubled by a Town side that look a certain bet for relegation this season.
City's first goal, a deflected strike for Danilo in the 18th minute, brought up their 100th goal of the season in all competitions before Raheem Sterling scored a diving header from Leroy Sane's cross in the 54th minute and Sane himself made it 3-0 with a calm finish just two minutes later.
For Guardiola, it should have been an afternoon of enjoyment as his side again proved their willingness to push Liverpool all the way this season.
The City manager, however, has forged a footballing reputation based on sublime performances as well as ruthless goalscoring and, on that basis, his team's showing in West Yorkshire was not a success as the visitors never really clicked into gear on a day against a Huddersfield side who had parted company with manager David Wagner on Monday.
'Improve in the future'Â
"During the season you have these kind of games," Guardiola said. "It is important to win. We have scored many goals in all competitions.
"(But) the way we played, we didn't deserve more than three goals. We will improve in the future.
"We have to demand more from ourselves in every game and do our best, but sometimes it's difficult.
"Today we are happy we have won but after immediately we have to analyse. During the season you have games when maybe you are not in the top level and it is important to win these games."
Although City's fans were happier than their manager following this result, Guardiola could at least take some heart from the fact his side again refused to blink first in the race for the title.
For the second consecutive week, City kicked off knowing Liverpool had already won their weekend fixture and that, consequently, the onus was back on his players to secure three points as well.
Once again, Guardiola's side managed to do that following up the 3-0 victory over Wolves with this showing and the City manager was more than happy to remind everybody that silverware is not handed out for another four months.
"One team has been better but we're in January and there's many more games to play," he added.
"You don't win or lose the Premier League in January. We have to focus on what we have to do. If Liverpool win, we have to win. And if Liverpool lose then we also have to win." This match was a baptism of fire for Huddersfield's caretaker boss Mark Hudson and while the Terriers showed impressive fight to inspire some hope this season, this defeat still left them 10 points adrift of safety.
If, as expected, the Borussia Dortmund Under-23 coach Jan Siewert is appointed as Wagner's permanent replacement, nobody would blame him if he spent his first day in the job preparing for a return to the second-tier Championship next season.
"It's been a long week," admitted Hudson.
Bournemouth (United Kingdom) (AFP) - Nine-man Tottenham Hotspur's bid for Champions League football was rocked on Saturday after Nathan Ake's last-gasp winner punished red cards for Son Heung-min and Juan Foyth and condemned Spurs to a 1-0 Premier League defeat at Bournemouth.
Solskjaer boosted by Mourinho's work, claims Van Gaal The 67-year-old Dutchman also suggested United played more exciting football in his time at the helm than they do now. Van Gaal's claims
Solskjaer boosted by Mourinho's work, claims Van Gaal
Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino will be the one who has the final say on whether Harry Kane will play at Burnley. The England captain is back in training following an ankle injury which has
Liverpool could match Arsenal's Invincibles by going through a Premier League season without defeat, according to Unai Emery. Jurgen Klopp's side reached the halfway stage of the campaign with a 4-0 Boxing Day defeat of Newcastle United at Anfield, a result that moved the Reds six points clear at the top of the table.
Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool can be the new 'Invincibles', says
Fifa says more than 3.5 billion people viewed some of the 2018 World Cup, with 1.12 billion watching at least one minute of France beating Croatia 4-2 in the final.. A Fifa-commissioned review of World Cup viewing says the final's television audience was 516.6 million by the traditional measure of "global average in-home audience."
Record Audience Watched 'Best World Cup Ever' in Russia, FIFA
Salah's out but Reds not giving up. who has 16 goals for the term and was ruled out earlier - represents a hammer blow to Liverpool's hopes of a second consecutive European Cup final.
Liverpool tops Tottenham to win Champions league title
SINGAPORE - New Football Association of Singapore (FAS) technical director Joseph Palatsides hopes to rouse local football from its slumber. "I see Singapore football as a sleeping giant," said
Football: New FAS technical director Joseph Palatsides aims
Shot-shy AC Milan piled pressure on head coach Gennaro Gattuso as they were held to a 0-0 draw at struggling Frosinone. The hosts entered the match with a solitary win to their name in Serie A
Lifeless AC Milan's goalscoring woes continue in Frosinone
Qatar's present 23-man Asian Cup team consists of 14 players who are 25 or under. The oldest in the Qatar squad is a 30-year-old with the rest not being more than 28. Did this article give you a clearer overview of Felix Sanchez and the Qatar national football team? If yes, we'd love to hear from you!
Qatar vs Lebanon: WC 2022 hosts confident, says Sanchez
Man City news and transfers LIVE Pep Guardiola gives injury news ahead of Crystal Palace. Pep Guardiola has provided an injury update on Manchester City duo Bernardo Silva and Aleks Zinchenko.
Silva and Zinchenko 'better' as Man City head to Crystal Palace
Rio de Janeiro (AFP) - Chelsea's Willian will replace Neymar in Brazil's Copa America squad, the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) said on Friday, after the world's most expensive player was sidelined by injury. Willian, 30, was a surprise choice as the country's media had tipped Real Madrid
Willian to replace Neymar in Brazil's Copa America squad
TURIN, Italy, (Reuters) - Cristiano Ronaldo headed a late equaliser to deny Torino their first win away to neighbours Juventus for 24 years as the two sides drew 1-1 in Serie A yesterday.
Late Ronaldo goal foils Torino | Free Malaysia Today
Liverpool squad and backroom staff celebrate in front of the Kop after winning the UEFA Champions league semi-final second leg football match against Barcelona at Anfield in Liverpool, north west
Liverpool stun Barcelona to reach Champions League final
Football: New FAS technical director Joseph Palatsides
A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on January 21, 2019, with the headline 'Mourinho rejects offers, reveals fragile ego at United'. Print Edition | Subscribe
Football: Mourinho rejects offers, reveals fragile ego at United
0 comments:
Post a Comment