GUARDIOLA BACKS JESUS TO BATTLE ON WITHOUT MUM
Monday: 8pm PEP GUARDIOLA claims Gabriel Jesus must cope now his mother has returned home to Brazil.
Jesus is very close to Vera Lucia, who raised him and his three brothers on her own, and scored seven goals in his four starts for Manchester City while she was staying with him.
She has gone back to the family home in Sao Paulo and Guardiola is confident the 21-year-old Brazil striker can handle living on his own again.
“The players know they are in an incredible club who try to take care of all of us, all the people working in this organisation,” said the City boss. “If they need something we are there, we are there to help.
“But of course, we cannot substitute the mother and when the family can’t be there, it’s difficult.
“They have to handle the situation and, of course, he’s not alone, he has friends. He has an incredible relationship with the Brazilian guys, like Danilo, Fernandinho, Bernardo, many, many players here.
“It won’t be a problem for the next months.”
Guardiola added: “When we are happy in our lives, we are better in our jobs. Sometimes we will judge the players and don’t know what is happening in their private lives. It’s a big influence. We are going to try and help. In the case of Gabriel, it’s like this.”
Wolves boss Nuno Espirito Santo says Guardiola has already shown enough to be ranked alongside the greatest managers of all time.
Nuno takes his Premier League fledglings to The Etihad on Monday night for their latest progress report.
But Nuno said: “I admire him a lot. He is one of the best of all time.” DEFIANT Claude Puel has come out fighting at Leicester after branding his critics “crazy”.
The Frenchman is the bookies’ favourite for the sack in the Premier League after the Foxes’ shock FA Cup exit at League Two Newport County.
He can expect flak from unhappy supporters today at home to his old club Southampton following the embarrassing televised loss.
Puel made seven changes for the defeat despite grief for doing exactly the same for the EFL Cup quarter-final exit on penalties at home to Manchester City, who got Burton next.
It has upset fans who have seen the seventh-placed club’s only hopes of silverware going up in smoke.
But Puel, 57, in charge since October 2017, hit back yesterday about expectations at the former champions and said: “We need to give time to the truth and not believe it’s possible for all players to play all the games.
“If the objective in the Premier League is to finish 15th-16th, perhaps we can put another time 11 starting players in the Cup.
“We tried to have objectives in all competitions. For the moment, seventh is a very good position with fantastic work.
“People forget a lot of things and our possibilities. We take a lot of encouragement from developing a lot of young players.
“Other teams, like West Ham, Wolves and Everton, have spent a lot more money than us.
“One time, it was exceptional and Leicester won the title. If people think that’s normality in the Premier League, then it’s not the truth.
“There’s a difference for Leicester in the possibilities and what people are expecting.
“Seventh is not bad and if 8th is, then it’s crazy. I think it’s a shame because for the club to improve it needs stability.”
Puel says critics must take into account losing star-man Riyad Mahrez to Manchester City last summer for £60million leading to a net spend of just around £25m, plus his commendable track record of developing young talent like Ben Chilwell, Hamza Choudhury and James Maddison. Puel was dismissed from Southampton after coming eighth in his sole season in charge in 2016/2017.
The Frenchman is not the most charismatic coach in the Premier League, but added: “I know managers with a great image, but their teams are in the Championship.”