Guardiola upbeat as Man City wins
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MARSEILLE: Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola is confident his team will find the consistency it needs after its 30 victory at Olympique de Marseille in the Champions League yesterday.
City took control of group C with six points from two games, leading Porto and Olympiakos by three points, while the French club is bottom of the table after two defeats.
Guardiola’s side has made a slugglish start in the Premier League, sitting in 13th place with eight points from five games, five behind leader Everton which has played one more match.
‘‘We have to accept the criticism,’’ Guardiola said.
‘‘We play every three days. When you win it’s good but if you don’t people want to destroy everything. But it’s about the chairman and everyone else understanding,’’ he said.
‘‘Part of the criticism was right, but you’ve got to accept it. It’s part of our job.
‘‘It’s about where we’ve come from in the last month, with lack of preparation, injuries and Covid19 but the Champions League is in a good place now.
‘‘I’m sure we’re going to find that consistency.’’
While Marseille proved to be an easy target yesterday, City was lively throughout and made its domination count. It defended well when the host briefly threatened after the break.
‘‘We played really well. We didn’t concede much and we were in control, patient and aggressive without the ball.
‘‘I’m so satisfied with the performance and result. It’s always difficult to win away,’’ Guardiola, who hinted City liked playing against teams fielding a fiveman defence, said.
‘‘We can play on both sides, we tried to play high and wide to stretch the pitch.
‘‘Raheem Sterling was exceptional, Phil [Foden] as well,’’ he said.
‘‘We didn’t expect them to play five at the back until we saw the team.
‘‘Porto was the same. As much as we play against five at the back we started to take the control and rhythm.
‘‘We were so stable defensively. I’m so satisfied with the way we played.’’
Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp suffered another injury blow with Brazilian Fabinho joining Virgil van Dijk on the sidelines after picking up a hamstring injury in yesterday’s Champions League win over Midtjylland.
Midfielder Fabinho has been filling in for Van Dijk in the centre of defence since the Dutchman suffered a serious knee injury in the Merseyside derby against Everton.
‘‘It’s exactly the last thing we needed,’’ Klopp said after Fabinho limped off in the firsthalf of the 20 win.
‘‘I know he felt a hamstring, and that’s not good. He said he could have played on but no sprints, which doesn’t help.
‘‘We will see. We will know more after a scan but clearly it isn’t good,’’ he added.
With centre back Joel Matip also ruled out with injury, Klopp brought on teenager
Rhys Williams to partner Joe Gomez at the back.
‘‘Rhys Williams, he’s only 19 years old and I think he’s played more Champions League games than Premier League games — that’s rare.
‘‘We’re doing really well but it’s a shock for a team because now we have to sort that injury,’’ Klopp added.
He accepted that the Premier League champions were in a difficult period.
‘‘It was a tough night. It’s a bit like in a marriage, there are good and bad times. It’s not a bad time but it’s a tricky time.
One hundred percent we have to stick together and fight harder and that’s what the boys did tonight,’’ he said.
The injury is likely to rule Fabinho out of Brazil’s November World Cup qualifiers against Venezuela and Uruguay.
Other results. —
Group A: Lokomotiv Moscow 1, Bayern Munich 2; Atletico Madrid 3, FC Red Bull Salzburg 2.
Group B: Shakhtar Donetsk 0, Inter Milan 0; Borussia Monchengladbach 2, Real Madrid 2.
Group C: FC Porto 2, Olympiakos 0; Group D: Atalanta 2, Ajax 2. — Reuters