Guardiola stoked with City’s magnificent seven
On-fire De Bruyne dictates 7-2 Stoke City thrashing Injuries, defeat leave Chelsea in dejected state Pochettino buoyed as Spurs end Wembley jinx with Bournemouth win
PEP Guardiola believes Manchester City produced the best performance of his reign in their swaggering 7-2 thrashing of Stoke City on Saturday.
Kevin de Bruyne was outstanding, producing two assists and playing a part in three more goals as City scored seven goals for the first time since Guardiola took charge in July last year.
It was the first time City had scored that many in a league match since defeating Norwich 7-0 in November 2013, with Gabriel Jesus scoring twice, and further goals from Raheem Sterling, David Silva, Fernandinho, Leroy Sane and Bernardo Silva.
Victory put City two points clear at the top of the Premier League, and left Guardiola struggling to find fault, although he was disappointed that his side conceded goals either side of half-time, with Stoke’s first from Mame Biram Diouf, and the second a ANTONIO Conte admits Chelsea are going through a “difficult moment” after the Premier League champions crashed to a shock 2-1 defeat at lowly Crystal Palace.
The loss left Conte’s side nine points adrift of leaders Manchester City and the pain was compounded by a hamstring injury to Victor Moses that will rule the wingback out of Wednesday’s Champions League meeting with Roma.
Moses joins Chelsea midfielder N’Golo Kante on the sidelines, but Blues boss Conte is hopeful striker Alvaro Morata will be fit to return after sitting out the visit to Palace with a hamstring problem.
Chelsea have lost their last two league games after the Palace setback followed a damaging defeat to Manchester City before the international break.
“I think, in this moment, for us it’s a very difficult moment,” Conte said.
“When you start a game without Morata and without Kante, it’s not simple. Above all if, during the game, another important player in your team has an injury too, like Victor Moses.
“I hope to have him back very soon because this moment is very difficult for us. To lose three or four players, it’s a big problem for us.
“But, despite this, we have to find the will to fight. We want to try and be competitive in all competitions, but it won’t be easy.”
Questions have been raised about the depth of Conte’s squad this season and the Italian added: “I think the situation is very clear and everyone can see that situation.
“I repeat: my job is to be focused on my work with my players, and to try and do our best.
“Now, I repeat, for sure it’s not an easy moment for us. But I think that, in this moment, it’s important to find Kyle Walker own goal.
“You can always do better but I cannot deny that today was the best performance since I arrived here,” he said.
“Except for two actions which we have to learn more about, we produced a really good performance from everybody.
“After the international break, it can be a bit complicated, but we did really well. So we played quick because we played simple.
“Everybody helped to give us an extra pass, and after the quality for the people in the middle, our wingers and strikers made the difference.
“I’m very pleased because we won, and especially with the way we won.”
De Bruyne’s performance was complimented by both Guardiola and Stoke manager Mark Hughes, who described the Belgium midfielder as the best player currently in the Premier League. “Kevin didn’t score today, but he is a guy who is so dynamic. He understands the game. Normally, that kind of player doesn’t do the actions to be aggressive, win the ball, and make the right pass and the right tempo,” he said.
“After that, when he has the ball in the positions close to the area, the wingers, strikers and attacking midfielders move because they know the ball is coming.
“He’s a talented player, and produced a good performance.”
Hughes was disappointed with his team’s defending, particularly in the first half, but did find time to express his admiration for De Bruyne.
“This result isn’t going to define our season. We came up against an exceptional City side and we’ve been found wanting, in terms of physicality and the ability to get close to them,” he said.
“They’ve got genuine world-class players within their ranks. Kevin de Bruyne is head and shoulders above any player in the Premier League in my view, given the level of performance and the way he can dictate and affect the game.”
Hughes defended his decision to give a debut to 18-year-old right-back Tom Edwards, who endured a torrid afternoon against Sane, although he did create Stoke’s second goal before an ankle injury forced him off.
“We didn’t have too many options,” said Hughes. “He was due to play. He’s deserved his chance.
“If he hadn’t got an injury in preseason, he would have played before now, because that’s how well he was doing.
“It’s unfortunate for him, but it’s a learning experience, not only for him, but for everybody today.” — AFP he MAURICIO Pochettino has called on his Tottenham side to kick on at Wembley after finally breaking their Premier League hoodoo at their temporary home.
Christian Eriksen’s goal shortly after half-time ensured Spurs beat Bournemouth 1-0 for their first home league win of the season at their fourth attempt.
The narrow victory keeps Pochettino’s side in third place in the table and within touching distance of the pace-setting Manchester clubs.
With White Hart Lane being redeveloped, Tottenham are playing their home matches at the English national stadium this season and that has posed difficulties after an unbeaten home record last year.
“It’s so important for us to here,” said Pochettino.
“It was also important as I can avoid the questions. We need to feel happy to win here and Wembley is our home. We were invincible last season and we need to win our home games.”
Much of the talk in the build-up to Saturday’s match had been about Pep win Guardiola’s jibe one-man team.
But, for a change, striker Harry Kane fired blanks after blowing two good chances in a rare off-day in front of goal. “It’s important. Not only Harry scores goals. It was Christian here but more importantly it’s about the collective group,” added Pochettino.
“Harry is so happy as he always wants to win and as a striker he is even more happy if he scores.
“We had good performances all over the pitch. Harry Winks, for example, has great quality with great that Spurs were a potential. The national team called him up and that has confirmed his quality. He was very good again.”
England new boy Winks now faces the ultimate test when Tottenham face holders Real Madrid in the Champions League tomorrow.
“It’s a big challenge for us, playing in a different competition against one of the best teams in the world,” added the Spurs boss.
“It’s exciting to be playing Real Madrid at the Bernabeu. It will be a tough game.”
Bournemouth have their own issues at the other end of the table, with only Crystal Palace below them. But on this evidence they have a good chance to improve on their lowly position. “In the last few games we have been playing better but we have to pick up points,” said manager Eddie Howe.
“It’s a challenge to keep working and get over the feeling of losing.We need to keep believing in ourselves. We have now played Arsenal, Manchester City and Tottenham and found them hard but we won’t play them every week.” — AFP