NINE GOALS: PEP GUARDIOLA CALLS FULHAM THRILLER "GAME OF THE SEASON"
Despite conceding six goals in two games, Guardiola is happy with City's attack. However, midfielder Rodri is confirmed out for the tough Premier League clash against Sunderland.
_1764943855.webp)
City, who are second in the Premier League, were up 5-1 at Fulham on Tuesday. Still, they almost let the home team tie it up, eventually winning 5-4.
After the game, City's manager, Guardiola, called it one of the games of the season.
Before their game against Sunderland, he joked, If I was watching that game at home, I wouldn't change the channel. I bet the TV guys are happy with us. They should send Marco [Silva, Fulham's manager] and me a bottle of wine for putting on a good show. I'm serious, they must be happy.
City lost the Premier League title to Liverpool last season. So far this season, they've let in 16 league goals, which is nine more than Arsenal, who are in first place.
Guardiola knows his team needs to tighten up its defence, but pointed out that they aren't giving up a ton of easy scoring opportunities.
He said, I don't want to give up two goals against Leeds and four against Fulham—that's six goals in two games. But we're also scoring the most goals, and we need to build on that. We have to take care of these things. I think we can be better. We take chances and score goals because that's the kind of team we have. But we need to be more solid. It's up to everyone, not just the goalie or the defenders.
Guardiola thinks Sunderland, who are sixth in the league after being promoted, will be a difficult team to play.
He explained, They're in that spot for a reason. When a promoted team plays well for five games, you can say it's just momentum, and it can happen. But they've played 14 Premier League games against tough teams, and they're still getting results. They've earned it.
Guardiola also mentioned that midfielder Rodri is still recovering from a hamstring injury and won't be ready for the Sunderland game.
The City coach said, He's improving. I'm not sure when he'll be back, but he will be ready.
MANCHESTER CITY REACH FINAL STAGES FOR TROYES SENSATION MATHYS DETOURBET THIS SUMMER
Mathys Detourbet to join Man City! See how the club beat PSG to sign the Troyes winger while eyeing a Newcastle target.
Manchester City are closing in on a deal for Mathys Tel, Troyes’ highly rated young winger. Sources tell StadiumNest that talks are heading toward the finish line, and both clubs stand to benefit, especially Troyes, who want to secure promotion this season.
Back in January, we reported that City had been looking at rising talent in their network of sister clubs. Detourbet and his teammate Christ Batola, both at Troyes, caught their eye right away.
Paris Saint-Germain have shown interest in the pair too, but City Football Group are determined to keep both players within their system.
As things stand, Detourbet is set to sign for Manchester City this summer. The plan is for him to return to Troyes on loan for next season, giving him more time to play and develop.
Troyes, sitting at the top of the Ligue 2 table and aiming to get back to Ligue 1 for the first time since 2022/23, sees this arrangement as a win. Keeping Detourbet, who has four goals and seven assists from 35 matches, gives them a better shot at promotion, even as they sell him to City.
As for the second star, 16-year-old striker Batola, he’s expected to sign a new long-term deal with Troyes, which keeps him within the City Group setup for now. The city sees him as a future option; Batola has scored nine and assisted twice in just 21 appearances this season. Locking him down keeps his talent in their circle and gives them flexibility down the road.
City is moving quickly, especially with PSG sniffing around. They look set to land Detourbet and keep Batola as a prospect, showing off the strength of their global multi-club model.
Meanwhile, in terms of immediate signings, City remain focused on landing a Newcastle United player labelled as a “dream target", though they’re also exploring other options heading into the summer transfer window.
ERLING HAALAND CALM DESPITE FOUR-MATCH DROUGHT: "THERE'S NOTHING TO LOSE, NO PRESSURE"
Erling Haaland and Man City take on Arsenal at the Etihad. Get the latest team news and title race odds for tonight.
Man City sits second in the league, trailing the leaders by six points with six games left to play. Pep Guardiola’s squad, however, holds a game in hand over Arsenal.
If City manage to beat Arsenal today and then secure a win against Burnley, they could draw level on points with the North London club, maybe even surpass them depending on the goal difference.
So far, Haaland has netted 22 goals in 31 Premier League matches, but the Norwegian doesn’t see any extra pressure on City heading into this game. He’s gone without scoring in his last four outings.
“Right now, I’m quite calm,” Haaland told Sky Sports.
“It’s one game per week, which is pretty unusual for us. It hardly ever happens. Honestly, I don’t feel much nervousness because we’ve been chasing all season. There’s nothing to lose, so no real pressure.
“You’d have to ask Arsenal if they feel pressure. I can only speak for myself. I don’t feel much pressure because we’re still a fair way behind.”
Last season, Haaland had a memorable clash with Gabriel during a 2-2 draw at the Etihad. Gabriel shouted in Haaland’s face, and Haaland responded by tossing a ball at the Arsenal defender and telling their manager Arteta to “stay humble” after a heated exchange that also involved several other Gunners players, including ex-City forward Gabriel Jesus.
“It’s always a battle,” Haaland said about facing Arsenal.
“They usually have a lot of players around me, which actually works in my favour. It means something. It’s tough playing with many players crowding you, but it’s a good fight. As I said, it’s always good to test yourself against the best because that’s what you want.”
Arsenal, arriving today, has been inconsistent lately. They’ve only won once in their last five matches and narrowly scraped a 0-0 draw against Sporting Lisbon in their recent Champions League semi-final clash.
