Man City withstand late Watford onslaught
LONDON: Pep Guardiola called on Manchester City to learn from a nervy finish to a seventh straight Premier League victory as a 2-1 win at Watford moved the champions five points clear of Liverpool at the top of the table.
“We have in mind the last minutes, (in) the last minutes anything could happen,” said Guardiola. “I think we played 65-70 minutes at a top, top level. After 0-2 we lost a little bit our control. We suffered, but that is what it is. We have to learn from what happened in the last 20-25 minutes,” he added.
PEP TO WELCOME UEFA FAIR PLAY PROBE
WATFORD: Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola hopes a swift conclusion to UEFA’S investigation over alleged Financial Fair Play (FFP) irregularities committed by the Premier League champions will silence the speculation surrounding the case. Reports on Tuesday had claimed that the defending Premier League champions could even be banned from next season’s Champions League should they be found guilty. Guardiola insisted the story hasn’t been a distraction to his players.
“If UEFA found something the club will make a statement and I’d like to do that because we will know exactly and to finish with these voices,” said Guardiola.
‘MESSI’S FIFTH PLACE IN BALLON D’OR ABSURD’
MADRID: Lionel Messi’s fifth-place finish in this year’s Ballon d’or vote was absurd, Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde said of the Spanish champions’ Argentina forward. “I will not get into discussing the inconsistencies of the prize,” Valverde said.“we congratulate Modric for winning the Ballon d’or but Messi being in fifth place is absurd.”
MONACO OUT OF RELEGATION ZONE
PARIS: Radamel Falcao scored a pair of penalties as Thierry Henry’s Monaco won 2-0 at fellow strugglers Amiens to climb out of the bottom three in Ligue 1.
The Colombian had missed twice from the spot this season but calmly converted on 43 minutes at the Stade de la Licorne after Emil Krafth upended Benoit Badiashile.
REAL KASHMIR BEAT AIZAWL FC 1-0
SRINAGAR: Debutants Real Kashmir FC continued their impressive show this I-league season by registering a solitary goal victory over former champions Aizawl FC at the TRC Turf ground here on Wednesday.
Ivorian midfielder Bazie Armand struck the match-winner in the 30th minute to help the home side register their third win and jump to fourth in the league standings with 10 points from six games. Aizawl FC remain in ninth place with five points.