3 Key Battles That Could Decide The Fate Of Liverpool’s Trip To Manchester City
Manchester City will be aiming for nothing less than three points when they take on Liverpool in a clash of the giants in the Premier League, making it a very important match from the perspective of both the teams. Both teams have won two of their last three matches and are ready to take on each other in a mega match this weekend.
While Liverpool’s confidence will be at the top of the peak, having demolished arch rivals Arsenal in their last match by 4-0, the Citizens will be cautious in their approach, having conceded goals in both their last two matches against Everton and Bournemouth. The Merseysiders, on the contrary, have also let no goals get into the back of their net with solid defensive displays in both their last two matches.
As it happens in every major clash, the upcoming match between the Reds and the Blues will not be devoid of a number of key battles involving the superstars from each team, which will determine the fate of the contest. Three such key battles are:
The Belgian winger has been looking good since the start of the season and is getting into the attacking third too often for the liking of the opposition, delivering lethal balls into the box for his teammates to score goals.
However, the player will face a tough challenge to get past the Spanish full-back Alberto Moreno, who has been utilized after a long gap by Klopp and has performed well so far contributing in keeping the opposition attackers at bay.
Fernandinho vs Jordan Henderson
Both the players are experienced enforcers and will look to make it past each other with the ball and deliver to the attacking third. While the Brazilian will be looking to prove that the Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola has not made a mistake by picking him in the first team, the English star will be looking to fulfil his duty as the captain of Liverpool, helping them to maintain the lion’s share of the possession.
Sadio Mane vs Vincent Kompany
Probably the most intriguing of all, this battle might determine the fate of the match as the in form Senegalese international Mane will go up against the captain of the Citizens and their mainstay in defence Vincent Kompany. While the forward will look to add to his tally of three goals so far, the centre back will be keeping his eyes on him, not letting him go away with the goal and the match for Liverpool.
'I didn't say no to Pep' - Mbappe turned down Man City, not the manager
The Premier League club lost out to PSG in the race to sign the young star, despite the striker being impressed by the former Barca manager
The 18-year-old met with Guardiola at a time when he was still intent on staying at Monaco and was impressed by the Spaniard's passion for the game, but he opted against joining forces with the Premier League club rather than the manager.
"When the season finished in May, my idea was to stay. There was not another possibility in my head," Mbappe told L'Equipe .
"When I met with some coaches, I told them, and they can confirm, that my priority is Monaco. And if Monaco does what I expect, I wouldn't want to leave. After that, something happened and I changed my position.
"I didn't say no to him [Guardiola] but I said no to Manchester City. When I saw him, we talked about tactics, how he could use me. That's really a coach that feels football.
"He has won everywhere and transmits a passion to you. I love coaches that just talk about football. He's like the [PSG] coach [Unai] Emery."
Asked why he changed his mind regarding staying at Stade Louis II, Mbappe added: "I wlll take my time to explain that. Everybody asks and want to know why I changed my opinion, that's logical. It's important to explain these things. I will do it soon."
The France international was expected to head to Madrid for much of the window, but plumped for Paris as he believed there would be greater opportunities for valuable minutes on the pitch.
"Here, I can continue to progress and play. What I want is to play, so you go to a club where you can do that," Mbappe said.
"It's not a question of being guaranteed to play. That's bulls***. Nobody will write in your contract that you have the assurance to play. I just feel at Paris, I will have more chances compared to Madrid.
"I'm French and I choose a French team. People must be happy to keep a French player in the league."
A Man City fan’s love letter to the one & only Pablo Zabaleta
There’s no way I can ever confirm it, but I’m going to make this bold claim anyway! I’m the only person, well not including professional footballers, to have met Lionel Messi and not taken a selfie with him. In fact, I’ve met him twice, within the space of a couple of hours and didn’t ask for a photo either time.
It was 2014 and Argentina were playing against Portugal at Old Trafford. They were staying at a hotel in the centre of Manchester where I was a member of the gym. I’d returned from a holiday in Los Angeles that morning and after sleeping all day woke up around 5pm. With my body clock all over the place I decided to head to the gym. In the 10 years, I’d been a member there I’d got used to meeting celebrities of various stature. I’ve worked out with the squads of CSKA Moscow, Roma and numerous premier league teams, Robinho, Jesus Navas, Ozzy Ardiles, Justin Bieber, Sir Ian Mckellen and David Hasslehoff. However, seeing Messi, Di Maria, Demechelis and Mascherano stood in the gym reception dressed in their Argentina training kit came as a complete surprise. I said hello to them all, shook their hands and I got on with my workout as they went to the pool.
The rest of the squad continued to come into the gym in ones and twos, some of them worked out in the gym and others went to the spa to use the sauna, steam and jacuzzi. I thanked Demechelis for his contribution to City’s title win earlier in the year; I met Messi again in the changing rooms after my work out, he was in his boxer shorts this time and he said “Que Pasa?” as I stared at his left foot still not quite believing my eyes; I told Agüero how much I love him and I sat in a sauna begging Carlos Tevez to return to City while Di Maria, Mascherano and Lamela laughed at his response. There was millions of pounds worth of footballing talent sat in the sauna that day…and me — but I didn’t ask any of them for a selfie.
However, when I saw my favourite City player walking through the gym I asked him for a photo. I had too, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity, as it may never happen again and I knew if I didn’t ask for a photo with him I would regret it for the rest of my life.
So, who was it? It wasn’t Messi, Higuain, Tevez, Aguero, Mascherano or Pastore. His name won’t be on the back of any FIFA fanboys’ Argentina shirts, however up until last season if you attended a City match you would see his name on back of thousands of shirts, you would see the banner saluting his “Corazon de leon” and heard the two songs that are dedicated to him one of which declares him as “The F*cking man!”
Yes, of all the superstars that play for Argentina I had a photo with right-back Pablo Zabaleta, something which my friends pointed out to me later. It’s simple, as much as I appreciated the opportunity to meet great players like Messi and Mascherano, I share no affinity with them, no matter how much I respect them as players.
Zabaleta though is a different kind of player, one that fans from all clubs can relate to. A player who will run through a brick wall for the shirt, the fans and his team mates. A player that genuinely hurts when he loses, feeling the same pain as the fans and a player that shares the emotions of victory with the fans unlike any other player I’ve seen play for City.
‘Cult Hero; may be the best way to describe a player like Zabaleta, but that does him a disservice. He was the first choice right back for one of the best international sides of this decade; played in both a World Cup and Copa America final (narrowly losing out on both occasions); has won every domestic honour in England, a Copa Sudamerica (with San Lorenzo), a Copa del Rey (with Espanyol) and an Olympic Gold medal with Argentina. Most players would be happy to retire after having half the career that Zabaleta has had.
City fans have a love for Zabaleta that runs very deep, perhaps deeper than for any other modern-day player and he’s now considered an honorary Mancunian. Signed the day before the Abu Dhabi takeover with very little fanfare, as a direct replacement for Vedran Corluka recently sold to Tottenham, his signing was never going to get the fans pulses racing the same way Robinho did post-takeover.
Zabaleta’s career at City started well enough if not spectacularly and although his tough tackling and commitment earned respect from supporters, on occasions it also resulted in some early disciplinary problems, his first red card came in only his fourth Premier League appearance a 3-2 home defeat to Liverpool which City had been winning.
However, as the standard of players around him improved each season so too did Zabaleta. Competing with Micah Richards, then regarded as one of the best young right backs in the country, Zabaleta knuckled down putting his body on the line for the club time and time again, getting patched up and back onto the pitch, often seen sporting a bandage or fresh stitches. This, along with his love of Status Quo endeared him to the fans and perhaps this invincibility compared to Richards, who Roberto Mancini once described as being made of glass, made him the first choice right back for Mancini and later Manuel Pellegrini. Zabaleta started the final game against QPR in the title winning season of 2011/12 and after that, when fit there was only really one choice.
But it takes a lot more than hard work in training and on the pitch to earn the sort of adoration Zabaleta has from City fans. Most supporters will cheer anyone who scores for their team regardless of past transgressions. Carlos Tevez is still regarded very highly by most City fans, including me regardless of his golfing holiday in Argentina. This is because of his commitment on the pitch and the goals he scored before and after that unauthorised absence.
However, this is where Zabaleta and Tevez differ. While Tevez, undoubtedly a much bigger star than Zabaleta, complained about the weather in England; his family’s inability to adapt and the lack of quality restaurants in Manchester. Zabaleta kept his head down and embraced the club, the supporters and the City. When he moved to Manchester he lived in Didsbury for the first couple of years. A very nice suburb, but not quite the same as the gated mansions of Cheshire that most City and United players live in. Furthermore, while living in Didsbury, Zabaleta went to the local fish and chip shop and even to the pub on occasions to watch football and play pool. He even embraced the weather going as far to state he misses the rain when he is on holiday away from Manchester for a few days.
This helped Zabaleta to understand City as a club, what it means to the fans and how important football is in Manchester to blues and reds. By choosing to live in the city rather than in seclusion he was surrounded by Mancunians and therefore exposed to fans from both clubs and possibly unlike any other foreign player, developed a true understanding of football in Manchester, this in turn created Pablo Zabaleta the City fan.
The day I met him we sat in the Jacuzzi talking about recent matches, title wins, the (then) new training complex, his goal against QPR and even my recent holiday to LA. What still stands out to me is that while all his fellow team mates were sat in the sauna, steam room or messing around in the pool he took the time and made the effort to talk to me. He could have easily avoided me, I’m sure most players find fans tiresome and irritating although they will never admit it, but with Zabaleta it felt as if I was chatting to a fellow blue.
Two images sum up what City means to Zabaleta and what he means to City, the fans, the players and the club. One is from the Manchester Derby at the Etihad in December 2012. United lead 2-0 at half time, City fought back to make it 2-2 with Zabaleta scoring the equaliser. Then, in injury time Robin Van Persie made it 3-2 with a deflection off Samir Nasri.
Zabaleta’s passion after scoring, running back to the halfway line franticly urging the team on to get the winner was expected but his reaction immediately after Van Persie’s winner is an image we can all relate to. It summed up how the City fans in the stadium felt at that moment. He stands dejected holding onto a post; his body drained after giving every ounce of energy for the cause, the pain visible in his eyes. Yes, the other City players were clearly devastated, having lost a game they dominated in the last minute, but within Zabaleta there’s something more, something that won’t disappear after a couple of days, a real pain that drives directly into the heart of a supporter.
The other image, that perhaps solidified Zabaleta’s connection with the fans is from a 2-0 win over Roma at the Stadio Olimpico in a Champions League Group game in December 2014. Zabaleta scored the winner in the 86th minute effectively sealing victory, allowing City to progress from a difficult position before the last two matches. It’s taken the moment after he runs over to the fans and kisses the badge. The emotion is again visible in his eyes, but now it’s the delight of scoring. It captures how every fan feels when their team scores. The look in Zabaleta’s eyes tell their own story, here is a supporter scoring for the team he loves and when he kisses the badge the fans know that he genuinely means it.
Zabaleta’s last game at the Etihad was an emotional night, the romantic inside me had hoped that his legs could give us one more season, ten years at the club and a testimonial, perhaps against San Lorenzo. However, the playing style and commitment that made him a hero to the fans has taken so much out of his body and it was time for us both to say goodbye to each other.
His final match for City at the Etihad against West Bromwich Albion did feel like a testimonial at times. The West Brom players were already on the beach and almost seemed to acknowledge it was Zabaleta’s night. Fans wore bloodied bandages, banners in Spanish and English declared their love for him; grown men cried and some even begged him to stay as he came out to warm up, even though deep down we all knew it was the right time for him to go. His touch line warm ups were cheered; the reaction he received when he came on as a second half substitute was rapturous and the send-off and guard of honour that he received after the match was almost as emotional as that first Premier League title win.
On the way home from the stadium that night I felt a sadness greater than after any defeat I have witnessed and it hurts now seeing him play for West Ham. Partly because he’s our Pab Zab and it feels wrong seeing him in a West Ham shirt, but also because he is not the player he was and although West Ham fans will appreciate his 110% commitment every game the marauding runs up and down the right flank are a little slower and the sprints back to make last ditch tackles and blocks are a little more laboured.
In nine years, he gave everything to City and in turn captured the heart of all City fans. Personally “Heart of a lion” (it sounds better in Spanish) will never sum up another City player to me. There may be future players who play with commitment the fans love and put their body on the line for the club, but I don’t think there will be another overseas player who will embrace City the same way as Zabaleta. It is fitting then that after his last game at the Etihad he was presented with a season ticket for life which he will no doubt use once he finally retires. It’s probably in the corporate section, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see him stood in the South Stand with the rest of us cheering the team on.
“and when we win the league, we’ll sing (t)his song again!”
Neil is a Manchester City season ticket holder and has been obsessed with South American football since watching the Primera division with his dad on Screen Sport in the early days of Sky as a kid.
Having visited all the top grounds in Europe Neil made his first pilgrimage to South America last year – Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay taking in five games across the three countries and leaving him a hunger to return. Keen to move out at some stage, Neil looks set to be setting up home in Madrid for now and while he isn’t on Twitter at the moment, feel free to leave a comment with your feedback or favourite Zabaleta memories.
WAG OF THE DAY - pt1
Pep Guardiola's two most important signings according to Man City legend
Manchester City have made five signings this summer and a club legend has his say on the most important.
Manchester City legend Paul Dickov has given his verdict on Pep Guardiola's new summer signings.
The City boss brought in five new players this summer but Dickov thinks Kyle Walker and Benjamin Mendy's arrivals have made the biggest difference.
Mendy has only played one game after coming back from injury but both he and Walker have impressed in the opening games of the season.
Speaking to betsafe.com Dickov said: “Pep will enjoy the new pressure. Last season he didn’t bring in as many players as he would have wanted. He didn’t see it as his team and they have 11 players in the squad that were only 31.
"There is no way you can win the league with 11 players over 31. A lot of young players have been bought in, and the two biggest signings are the two full-backs.
"The way Pep wanted to play Walker and Mendy, going forward as wing-backs and even as full-backs they will be City’s best attacking players.
City are back in action this weekend after the international break and will be hoping to beat a Liverpool side who are also in good form
Dickov has been impressed with what he has seen of City so far this season, adding: “I thought they were brilliant against Everton. Talking about the strength in-depth, Pep changed his team at half-time and you’ve got to give him credit.
"He went a-lot more attacking, got the equaliser and unlucky not to get the three points.”
Gabriel Jesus backed to become one of the world's best after confident start to life at Manchester City
The Brazilian international is widely tipped to be one of the game's next great strikers
Jesus made an explosive start to his Manchester City career last January, before injury sabotaged his debut campaign in the Premier League
But the 20-year-old has the world at his feet this season, according to compatriot and former Barcelona and Chelsea defender Belletti
“We have the World Cup and after that maybe it is possible he can become one of the best in the world,” said B
“Definitely in the next year.
“It [Jesus’s start at City] was a good surprise for me, because when you arrive in the middle of the season there is a lot of pressure and expectation and he’s young. But his personality and his confidence was amazing.
“It’s all about confidence. The confidence you need in Brazil is not the same confidence in England.
“You need to arrive, to feel comfortable to be able to play your football
“So when he arrived here, from the first minutes he took the ball he showed confidence and that’s very important.
“It’s about adaptation. It’s not the same football. Maybe more physical. It’s faster.
“You must not bring Brazil with you. You need to think as an English player, but always with confidence to play your football.”
The Brazilian scored his first of the season at Bournemouth (Image: Rex/Shutter
Comparisons have been made to the Brazil legend (Image: AFP/Getty) A World Cup without Ronaldo, Messi or Bale? Stars in danger of missing out on a plane ticket to Russia
Jesus has been compared to former Brazil star Ronaldo because of his attacking quality, but Belletti said the City forward was unique in terms of his talent and style.
“I don’t know [who to compare him to],” said Belletti, who won the Premier League and two FA Cups in a three-year spell at Chelsea.
“Gabriel has his own quality, he’s a different kind of player. He’s very intelligent, he has a lot of personality as Ronaldo and Romario had, but I don’t see him like them. He’s different
OTHER BOLLOX
Arsenal are confident they can revive a £92m deal for Monaco and France midfielder Thomas Lemar, 21, in January. (Star)
Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho is expected to hold talks with the club in November about extending his contract. (Telegraph)
West Ham are planning a January move for Sporting Lisbon and Portugal midfielder William Carvalho, 25, despite an ongoing row over this summer's failed deal. (Sun)
Atletico Madrid president Enrique Cerezo says he is hopeful Chelsea and Spain strikerDiego Costa, 28, will return to the club in January. (Marca)
Lille turned down the chance to sign Netherlands international Vincent Janssen, 23, because coach Marcelo Bielsa had doubts about the Tottenham striker's technique. (SFR Sport, via London Evening Standard)
Valencia considered a loan move for Tottenham midfielder Moussa Sissoko, 28, during the summer but instead opted to sign 21-year-old Manchester United player Andreas Pereira. (Super Deporte, via Talkshyte)
Paris St-Germain forward Julian Draxler has told his Germany team-mates he wanted to join Barcelona in the summer. The 23-year-old was linked with Arsenal. (Mundo Deportivo, via Metro)
Napoli midfielder Marek Hamsik, 30, says the chance to move to Manchester United would prompt the toughest decision of his career. (Kicker, via Star)
Liverpool attacking midfielder Philippe Coutinho, 25, will not be given an instant recall because manager Jurgen Klopp says the Brazilian is short of fitness. (Mail)
Barcelona are interested in Marseille's French attacker Maxime Lopez, 19. (Mundo Deportivo)
WAG OF THE DAY - pt2
Hull City were close to signing Leicester City striker Ahmed Musa, 24, on loan on transfer deadline day. (Hull Daily Mail)
Bayern Munich striker Thomas Muller is a target for Juventus. The 27-year-old also interests Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea. (Tuttosport, via Talkshyte)
Telegraph football correspondent Jason Burt has told BBC Radio 5 live that striker Kylian Mbappe, who has joined Paris St-Germain from Monaco on loan with a view to a permanent £166m transfer, is the most mature 18-year-old he has ever met.
West Ham United defender James Collins taunted team-mate Andy Carroll by posting a video of him nutmegging the striker during a training drill. (Instagram)
Tottenham have offered a first look at their ambitious plans to include the world's first dividing retractable football pitch in their new stadium. (Evening Standard)
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has approved a new nickname for Ben Woodburn, and says the 17-year-old forward will play for several age groups at the club to aid his development. (Liverpool Echo)
A group of Peru fans celebrated their World Cup qualifying win over Ecuador at a funeral. (Sun)
Former West Ham United manager Sam Allardyce believes the club's former midfielder Ravel Morrison is "the biggest waste of talent" he has worked with. Morrison, 24, joined Mexican club Atlas on transfer deadline day. (Sky Sports, via Manchester Evening News)
Everton striker Oumar Niasse is back in first-team contention. The 27-year-old has played just seven times for the Toffees since joining for £13.5m in February 2016. (Liverpool Echo)
GOLDEN BOLLOX
On this day - 2011
City ready to hand Tevez a chance to impress after Aguero's long-haul duties
Carlos Tevez is in line for his first start of the Barclays Premier League season as Manchester City face Wigan at the Etihad Stadium.
Tevez - City’s captain and top scorer last season - has fallen down the pecking order at the club due to the £38m arrival of fellow Argentine Sergio Aguero in the summer and the form of Edin Dzeko.
But manager Roberto Mancini is considering shuffling his pack. Aguero has been to India and Bangladesh with Argentina over the last week while Tevez stayed in England.
City also have to consider a Champions League game at home to Napoli on Wednesday.
New signing Samir Nasri trained fully, despite a broken bone in his hand. Owen Hargreaves also joined in the session.
Mancini has a vast array of talent at his disposal and Wigan manager Roberto Martinez yesterday described City as ‘near enough unplayable’.
City have scored 12 goals in their first three Premier League games and their performances have led to Martinez insisting they have the look of champions.
‘Watching them against Spurs, Swansea and the first half against Manchester United in the Community Shield, it is clear they are a side who have the arrogance to win titles,’ he said. ‘They were a joy to watch in their last game against Spurs. They are now near enough unplayable when they go forward.’
Mancini admits Man City interest in Fiorentina winger
Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini has vowed not to give up in his efforts to sign Fiorentina midfielder Alessio Cerci after admitting he failed to land him in the summer.
Mancini has repeatedly praised the 24-year-old but has failed to spend any of his club's billions on actually bringing him to England.
The winger came to Mancini's attention when he was a Roma player on loan at Pisa and has been tracking his progress ever since.
Mancini said: "I have followed him since his days at Pisa in the 2007/08 season. He was just 20 but immediately did things that were extraordinary.
"He is one of the few players who are able to win a game on their own. If I could have I would have brought him to the Premier League a year ago.
"We have tried again this summer because I thought he might make an important contribution and mix well with the players here at City.
"But we could not complete the transaction and in all honesty I must say that I understand Fiorentina."talkSHIT
Manchester City priced out of Daniele de Rossi and Fernando Gago moves
ROBERTO MANCINI has revealed he was priced out of deadline-beating moves for midfielders Daniele de Rossi and Fernando Gago.
The Manchester City boss pulled off a surprise when he landed Owen Hargreaves on a free.
Mancini admits he wanted to get the chequebook out again at the end of last month but accepted it was time to call a halt to his big spending.
Argentine ace Gago eventually moved from Real Madrid to Roma while de Rossi stayed in the Italian capital.
Mancini said: "Gago is a player who we liked a lot. In the end we couldn't spend any more money due to the financial fair play rules.
"But De Rossi is one of the best midfielders in the world. I have always thought that.
"But he is Roman and a Roma fan so I don't believe he will ever leave them." Mancini hopes Hargreaves' experience will give City a big boost.
He has been brought in to replace retired Patrick Vieira, who made only rare appearances but was a major influence in the dressing room. Mancini's No 2 David Platt said: "We needed a central midfield player but unfortunately in terms of players going out and bringing in transfer fees, a lot have gone out on loan.
"For a few weeks we have understood, from a business perspective, that after signing Samir Nasri, there wasn't going to be a big name coming in. You have to get creative. The owners and the board have been terrific in saying 'We know you need a midfield player but we have to be creative about it.'
"I think gamble is too strong a word. When you put all the things into the mix it's a calculated risk, and one we feel is well worth taking."
OTHER BOLLOX
Tottenham are set to go head-to-head with QPR to snap up former England captain David Beckham, 36, when his contract at LA Galaxy expires in November. Daily Mirror
Spurs boss Harry Redknapp wants to help Beckham achieve his dream of playing for Team GB at the 2012 Olympics by signing him in January. the Sun
Liverpool are locked in a battle with Italian side AC Milan to sign Ajax's teenage midfielder Christian Eriksen. talkSHIT
Liverpool are also reportedly keeping tabs on 18-year-old Crystal Palace striker Wilfried Zaha this season, with a view to a possible transfer next summer. footybunker.com
Arsenal look set to lose out on signing Fiorentina midfielder Riccardo Montolivo, after his agent, Giovanni Branchini, confirmed that he would like to pledge his long-term future to the Italian club.talkSHIT
Blackpool manager Ian Holloway is eyeing a swoop for QPR striker Rob Hulse when he recovers from a knee injury. Hulse has been left out of the R's 25-man Premier League squad and is believed to be open to a switch to the Championship. Daily Mirror
Barcelona officials are reportedly in Brazil to discuss a January transfer move for Santos striker Neymar. talkSHIT
Stoke defender Danny Pugh, 28, has been offered the chance to rejoin his former club Leeds on loan after being left out of City's 25-man Premier League squad. Daily Mirror
Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas claims he has called off the club's hunt for Tottenham midfielder Luka Modric. Spurs fought to keep Modric and managed to stave off Chelsea in the summer transfer window. talkSPORT
Villas-Boas has also warned striker Fernando Torres that he faces being dropped if his goal drought starts to damage Chelsea's title aspirations. Daily Mirror
Manchester United defender Jonny Evans, 23, insists he must improve quickly if he is to stand any chance of staying at Old Trafford. the Guardian
B*ll*xed Out ....
QPR defender Luke Young, 32, has claimed he quit playing for England because manager Fabio Capello treated him poorly. the Sun
Former Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has claimed he has turned down jobs all over the world as he awaits his return to football management. Daily Mirror
Former Manchester United and Aston Villa defender Paul McGrath has embarked on a pop career, releasing a music video to go with his cover version of the Byrds' track Goin' Back. Metro
WAG OF THE DAY - pt3
. I am sure ADUG will have a team there, as well as some interesting official partners!