When they’re in the zone, Manchester City look absolutely superb
MANCHESTER CITY KNOCKED seven past Stoke City last weekend and the obvious counter-argument to those who were effusive in their praise for Pep Guardiola’s side was inevitably about the quality of the opposition.
So, tonight represented a big test. Facing Maurizio Sarri’s extremely talented Napoli side – the best team in Italy right now and a group of players that have been there or thereabouts for quite a few years – we’d really see how good this City outfit is.
And we certainly got our answer.
The first-half was an astonishing display of control and relentless pressure from the hosts and they could easily have led 4-0 at the break rather than by two goals.
Raheem Sterling and Gabriel Jesus, again, found the net but it was Kevin de Bruyne, again, who held the baton and conducted the orchestra with his meticulous passing and overall contribution.
He would’ve had a goal worthy of his special talents were it not for the crossbar, and how his performance deserved one.
Still, the bigger message was clear: this City team have every right to feel they’re the best team in Europe currently. Yes, they were made grind things out late on. But, their scintillating first-half performance proved to everyone that the hype is justifed.
Eoin O’Callaghan
The good and bad of Aurier on display again
There is no doubt that Serge Aurier is an immensely talented player – Tottenham would hardly have paid £23 million for his services otherwise.
However, the 24-year-old right-back also arrived at White Hart Lane in the summer window with a reputation for having a suspect temperament.
His suspension by PSG in February 2016 for an alleged homophobic remark aimed at then-coach Laurent Blance gave the impression of a troubled youngster yet to properly grow up in many ways.
While his short spell at Tottenham has thankfully not been similarly controversy-ridden as of yet, it has not been without its blips either.
He has made the first XI in just four games for Spurs since moving there last August and the results have been mixed.
His only Premier League start so far came against West Ham, and while there were some eye-catching moments of play from the young defender, all that was good about his performance was overshadowed after he picked up a needless second yellow for a reckless challenge on Andy Carroll.
Though Aurier stayed on the pitch for the full 90 minutes against Real Madrid at the Bernabeu this evening, his display was similarly inconsistent.
Particularly in the first half, he was a regular thorn in the side of the Spaniards, frequently finding space on the right wing and delivering dangerous balls into the box, one of which resulted in Raphael Varane unwittingly diverting the ball into his own net.
15 minutes later however, Aurier’s weakness was exposed. A rush of blood to the head saw him make a reckless challenge, taking down Toni Kroos and conceding the penalty that got the hosts back into the game.
In many ways, the Ivory Coast international is the perfect replacement for Kyle Walker, as his speed, power, energy and end product are at least on a par with the Englishman. Yet the suspicion remains that there is always a mistake in him, with the player prone to bad habits he needs to eradicate sooner rather than later if he is to thrive at domestic and European level in the long term.
Paul Fennessy
Maribor most definitely did not park the bus
Man United, a team who along with Man City and PSG, have comfortably been the biggest spending side in Europe in recent times, decided to shut up shop and play in a defiantly pragmatic matter against Liverpool at Anfield last weekend, earning a 0-0 draw in the process.
Consequently, if a team with the Red Devils’ riches feels the need to adopt an overtly cautious approach, you would expect Slovenian outfit Maribor, whose budget is miniscule in comparison with United, to do likewise.
Yet surprisingly, Maribor played more like Man City than United tonight, except without any of Pep Guardiola’s side’s bravura technical quality.
It was as if they had never before watched Liverpool play, as they adopted a remarkably open approach, the type which Klopp’s men have mercilessly exploited in the past against far better opposition than the Slovenians.
Countless passes were misplaced in key areas at pivotal moments, with the Reds effectively having the game won inside the opening 13 minutes. Mo Salah in particular had a productive night, claiming a brace and fully capitalising on the acres of space he was frequently afforded down the right win.
Yet even having trailed 4-0 at half-time, the hosts persisted with this high-risk approach of playing it out from the back, inviting Liverpool to press them into submission ultimately.
The Anfield outfit have lacked cutting edge at times this season and were badly in need of a morale boost ahead of Sunday’s crucial clash away to Tottenham – fortunately from their perspective, the generous home defence were obliging throughout.
The stats sum it up 70% possession, 26 shots from Liverpool, 14 of which were on target, whereas Maribor tested the goalkeeper with just two of their five attempts, all of which contributed to the biggest-ever away victory by an English side in the history of the Champions League/European Cup.
The Reds are unlikely to have an easier game this season, albeit that’s assuming Maribor belatedly wise up and decide to take a page out of Mourinho’s book for the return visit to Anfield.
Paul Fennessy
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Good point for United, move to within 37 of Liverpool
@Seàn Mc: Have to make up for the disappointment of yesterday somehow I suppose Seanie
@Seàn Mc: did u use a calculator for that remark??? Very surprised scouser lovers can use such a complicated machine. Well done to u!!!
@Thomas Rowe: we need a calculator to count the amount of VAR decisions United have got lately!
@Dave WR: and liverpool have never got a VAR decision their way…. the rules are the rules…..
@Paul O’Sullivan: course Liverpool have, but nowhere near the amount United have got…despite what people mite think!
@Thomas Rowe: Is a calculator really that complicated for you Tom? God help you
@Dave WR: it’s still the rules of the game. Yes we know VAR is flawed, but are you Liverpool fans seriously suggesting that there is some sort of conspiracy to give Man UTD VAR decisions in their favour ??
@Seàn Mc: and when Liverpool lift the title, how many will that be against Utd?
@Seàn Mc: True, and you can’t count how many EPL trophies Liverpool need to catch up to United on both hands either
@Dave WR: it’s ok if you can’t count no one will hold it against you. Maybe ask Santa for one at Christmas
@Thomas Rowe: don’t worry he’s probably from Norway
@chihuahua: Sky sports didn’t invent football!!
@chihuahua: Sky invented football in 1992…..
@Paul O’Sullivan: as if you Manc fans haven’t been banging on about that all season. Let’s just wait til the end of May and see which club has benefitted most.
@John Strahan: it doesn’t really matter who has benefited more.. its currently used in all premier league games… it is now part of the game,… people have been going on about referees for decades now we have this technology, to assist the referee, you complain….
It is not United’s fault if they benefit more than Liverpool from VAR, There is no hidden agenda.
@Paul O’Sullivan: hahaaa, when it works in your favour. LiVARpool has become VARchester United. Personally, I didn’t complain when Liverpool had a goal disallowed against Utd, home and away. It’s part of the game. It would not, in any way, change what Liverpool have achieved over the past 14 months. It’s does, however, reflect on Man Utds achievements, VAR has become like Ferguson’s watch, indicative of where the money men need Utd to be.
@John Strahan: you may slag Fergusson over his watch, but you have to admit it that he was the innovator of the exact injury time allocation with the fourth official uo to then it was up to the discretion of the referee. and you also must admit that Liverpool have benefited their share of injury time winners this season….. enjoy your success while it lasts because as you already know and fans of both clubs know you can go along time not winning the league after years of success.
But there is always 74,000 at Old Trafford you scouser will never match that innthe modern game…
@Paul O’Sullivan: a “bigger stadium” is that what it’s come to? Wow how the mighty have fallen. Fergie wouldn’t be impressed by tHt Paul
@Seàn Mc: great to see you sticking up for Everton your city rivals… On here last year criticising anybody who cheered on City. Hypocrite much? Your about to win the league don’t let your bitterness of utd spoil that.
@my name: bigger stadium for the bigger trophy cabinet .
@Paul O’Sullivan: that ain’t what you said though pauly is it. While you’re at it do a count on the auld trophy haul for both clubs
@my name: Manchester Utd have won 66 Trophys in Total Liverpool have 63, I have included the Community Shield.
@Paul O’Sullivan: as the charity shield has been shared at times on the official trophy haul count it doesn’t stand
@my name: both clubs are claiming Charity shields in their Honours list so it stands.
I’m sure if it were the other way round you would be happy to rub my nose in it…
@Paul O’Sullivan: not at all. The charity shield can go on a club’s honours list absolutely but when doing the official count, FIFA doesn’t recognize it due to it being shared over the years
@my name: get rid off all the Micky mouse cups then, andckeave it to Championships , Fa Cups , European Cups, UEAFA, and Cup winners Cups actual Tournaments Leafue and Group Competition UTD have more than Liverpool..
@Paul O’Sullivan: Ok we can dispute this till the cows come home after excluding one match trophies I make 43 a piece. But Liverpool will win the League this year.which will give the edge, Unless UTD pull of an FA Cup..
@Paul O’Sullivan: so back to your original post I replied to? Bigger stadium is that all you got now hahaha
Everton absolutely robbed at the end.
Everton were robbed by that VAR decision at the end
@Dow Dubrov: Incorrect. He is offside if he is interfering with play.
It’s not up to De Gea to know if he is offside or not and by pulling his legs in at the last second he has interfered with play. He was on a hiding to nothing because if he didn’t move he would have blocked the goal but regardless he has interfered with play.
Harsh on Everton but correct.
@Mark Coote: how many times do players move out of the way of the ball and are deemed to be not interfering with play. Goal should have stood.
@Mark Coote: How was he interfering with play? De Gea had a clear line of sight to the strike. He moved to his right to try and save it before the deflection. Once it was deflected, there was no way De Gea was going to get near it. Sigurdsson’s presence had no impact on the play whatsover
@Mark Coote: not so sure. The movement from DeGea when the ball was struck would indicate that Sigurdson didn’t obstruct his line of sight, and the deflection rendered the offside void. Moving his legs didn’t interfere with play as the ball was going in.
@Mark Coote: how can he be offside when the ball through deflected off a united player?
@Karl Cranny: its offside because it is in favour of utd simple
@Karl Cranny: He is still offside when the ball is struck before the deflection.
@Mark Coote: correct
@John Strahan: evidence you are wrong is that the referee and officals using var implement the rules and deemed the player offside – doesn’t matter if you don’t like it or disagree with the rules -he was offside
As a United fan, that was the first of the recent VAR decisions that I thought was incorrect. Everton could have had a penalty for the tackle of Sigurdsson and ruling the goal out was harsh. Completely got away with that
@Mossy: he didn’t touch the ball in the end. Not offside
@Ross: think it was given because the keepers view was impeded by an offside player
@Ross: was in an offside position and adjusted his body(pulled his legs away) to directly influence the direction of the ball. Rules are rules regardless if he touched it or not. If he hadn’t moved his legs the ball would have hit him
@A Cos: de gea was getting nowhere near it.. He didn’t touch the ball. Its a goal. United get away it it
@A Cos: seriously? Not touching the ball influenced it’s direction? That’s a new one
@Ross: you don’t have to touch the ball to interfere. That rules has been there a long time. Saying that I thought it was harsh De Gea was getting nowhere near it either way
@A Cos: how can he be offside when the ball through deflected off a United player?
@Karl Cranny: he was offside when the shot was taken. Offside all day. He moved out of the way of the ball therefor he interfered with play!
@Joe: how can you interfere by not influencing anything at all? The deflection had DeGea heading the wrong way (off a United player), he was on his arse (I wonder how that happened) and didn’t even touch the ball. United fans are bending and twisting the rules in their favour yet again. No offside and no interface.
@Karl Cranny: he was “interfering” with play, in an off side position. This is not a new concept.
@James Reardon: the fact the keeper moved, correctly, in the direction the original ball was struck would suggest that his view was not impeded by the opposition player on the ground. It was a weak call. But if I was a SKY executive, concerned about whether Man Utd or Sheffield Utd, or Wolves, got into Europe, it’s the call I’d make.
@Mossy: agree with you on that, but at Old Trafford thought the Everton goal should have been disallowed for the challenge on De Gea so maybe it all balances out in the end
@Karl Cranny: utd fans bending and twisting the rules??? VAR not make the decision?
How United fans can come up with LiVARpool baffles me, more like Varchester United, that was a perfectly fine goal at the end
@Karl Cranny: and I remember Liverpool getting a perfectly good goal disallowed for a push in De Gea.
@Ciarán Ó Dubhda: …for every flip up where De Gea costs United a goal, some ref saves him from conceding another at this stage.
@Ciarán Ó Dubhda: and uniteds goal in the 1.1 at OT had a foul on origi.. Also not even looked at by var
@Patrick Fitzgerald: that goal was looked at by var ffs, the the decision was no foul given as origi dived.
Robbed at the end Everton, de gea gettin nowhere near that ball even if a Sumo wrestler was in front of him!!
@Dougal67: what are you on about????
@devils avacado: I’ll type slowly for yeh dev, he wasn’t gettin to the ball anyway!!!
@Dougal67: They actually have it for blocking the view of the keeper on the shot. Replays clearly show DeGea had a perfect view. Poor decision
Varchester united… Thats the fourth time in the last few games that they’ve been bailed out by var, three times against chelsea and now against everton
@Eoin Murphy: and every time VAR was correct
@Sean Dalton: except for the Maguire red card, the 1st Chelsea goal and now the Everton goal!
@Sean Dalton: how so? It wasn’t offside as the Ball deflected through off a United player, that also eliminates the interference call. Varchester United strikes again.
@Karl Cranny: go away and learn the rules of football. Comeback when you understand the offside rule!
@Dave WR: jaysus if all you can do is be miserable and obsess about a 5th place man united when your team is winning the league by so much maybe its time you should find some other sport or hobby ffs
Varchester United again… If it was the other way around, goal
If it was offside them should it not have been brought back for a penalty. Sigurdsson got taken out of it when shooting. And it was a shocking offside decision. De gea was never getting and how could he have his view blocked
Utd are miles better with Bruno in the team, the whole team actually looks like they have a game plan now,, all the players are much more comfortable on the ball and the team look capable and of scoring goals. The difference a real world class player can make to the team,, Everton a little unlucky at the end, Carlo has them playing much better since he arrived, another team that has a good attacking threat. IMO.
@devils avacado: well said.
@devils avacado: they are playing Everton. Don’t get too carried away
I’m sure that would have been ruled out if it was a United winner at OT in the 92nd min……
@Dave WR: Similarly, Keane and Souness would have been singing a very different tune in the studio at the end.
Bruno best player on the pitch but credit to de gea and Pickford after the mistakes with World class saves.utd got out of jail.. Thank you var
De Gea is already beaten by the deflection and is going the wrong way. Sigurdsson does not effect his decision to go right in an attempt to save the ball.
Ill take that result all day. Bruno looked good again. Matic also had a good game.
@Brian Dunne: Matic good player but can’t run like he used to.
@Martin McKenna: matic never had pace hence why he was always a holding midfielder, never box to box has been bang in form last few months. Very underrated.
Can’t wait to hear the United mangers post game interview : Ole Gonna Sulk Sher
How easy a chance does igahlo need to score..
@Sean Murphy: he hit the target to be fair. Great save
Nothing to do with var,no var they would have disallowed it anyway,if it was for united they would have let it stand
@Thomas Ryan: it was giving before VAR were you watching the match or off at a gaa game?????
Mancs are now +8 with Var decisions this season more than anyone else, for comparison Liverpool and City are both +1, from ESPN.com.
Also have the most penalties awarded for (10) and only one against.
For the majority of the season so far, Manc fans have been consistently commenting about officiating decisions favouring Liverpool but as can be seen clearly from the numbers,they have benefitted the Mancs most who are still 37 points adrift.
@Peter Dunne: you do know it’s banter Peter? None of us play for either team… Congrats on been 37 points ahead of utd. I’m sure jurgan klopp has really appreciated your contribution this season.
@Peter Dunne: Refs have handed united many a league over the years, its obvious the FA is bent…..just thank god they are not up the top of the league because all of the above could be the difference between winning and losing a title, 10 penos and countless dodgy var calls going their way…..its not an accident.
@Peter Hughes: rather than come on here with this info maybe you should put a report together about corruption in English football? Go to the English police with this report. No room for corruption in sport of any kind. Particularly the var calls, your info could revolutionise the game in England possibly the world. I for one back you.
@Peter Hughes: tin foil hat stuff lads.
Football is obviously very emotive and especially when scoring, or conceding goals, but I wonder will it ever happen that players won’t be in such a rush to complain and berate the referee in the immediate aftermath, given that every goal now, is checked by VAR, and the ref, like everyone else, is just an interested onlooker at that point!
@Joe L: see the United players over to shout at the referee after goal was given, just like the game at Anfield. Some things never change
Everton, like many of the bottom half sides, are the Stoke of the premier league. Get stuck in and are constantly looking for a set piece to try and capitalise on. Not easy on the eye but effective all the same.