Top of table teams under pressure
Norwich’s shock victory and injuries challenge Manchester United’s Pep Guardiola and Liverpool’s unbeaten run could be under threat after the Reds failed to spark in Champions League midweek defeat.
Norwich City and a couple of injuries have suddenly plunged the all-conquering Manchester City into crisis and exposed a vulnerability that opponents will be looking to exploit over the next weeks.
The win for the newly promoted Norwich at Carrow Road last Saturday was most unexpected. Not only did it put the proverbial cat among the pigeons - or canaries in this case - but ensured massive dividends for brave punters.
Saturday’s Soccer 13 payout was a staggering R4.5-million, largely because of the upset score.
The result was a first defeat for Pep Guardiola’s team since Tottenham beat them 1-0 in London in the Champions League in April.
It has since been confirmed that Aymeric Laporte and John Stones both face time on the sidelines, leaving Nicolas Otamendi as City’s only recognised centre back. And he didn’t exactly shine at Norwich last weekend.
Now the pressure is on Guardiola to show what his tactical genius can do to plug the holes.
Manchester City host Watford tomorrow in a league fixture that ordinarily would be regarded as routine.
Watford are struggling at the foot of the table and have already made a managerial change as a result. It is not only South Africa where managements are triggerhappy.
But suddenly it is not looking as foregone a conclusion as ordinarily would be the case and Watford’s new manager Quique Sanchez Flores must believe he has a chance to make an immediate impact in only his second game back in charge since replacing Javi Garcia.
Despite the setback, Man City are second in the Premier League standings with 10 points from five games, five behind leaders Liverpool, whose 100 percent record will come under severe threat at Stamford Bridge against Chelsea on Sunday in a meeting of two teams who both lost in the Champions League on Tuesday.
Liverpool were without spark in doing down to Napoli and Chelsea naive as they lost at home to Valencia.
But it is likely the experience of Jurgen Klopp and his players will get the better of a Chelsea team, who are battling to find their feet under new manager Frank Lampard
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