Players do deserve a ‘big cake’
Dogged Pep bites back
who suits us more than it was before.
“Every manager will have had a lot of players who were not suited with each other, who went away and did well afterwards.
“Maybe a lot of people are picking up on it now but I’m not really that type of person who thinks about that. It’s just the way it goes, in life, in football.”
De Bruyne’s philosophical attitude towards Mourinho and his time at Chelsea does not mask his determination to see City wrap up the title in the sweetest way, by beating United today.
The fans are desperate for it and De Bruyne thinks it will put down an important psychological A BIG NOISE: De Bruyne is now one of the league’s best marker for next season. “I don’t think United have had a bad season – they can still get to the high 80s in terms of points – but a lot of people have criticised them because they’re comparing them to us this season and that makes it more difficult for them,” he said. “I can understand the feeling of supporters. Fans will mock each other, that is the way it goes in football.
“And it would help us if we could win it against United. It’s maybe better for the future.”
If City end the day in party mode, Jose will head for the exit with his hands over his ears. comparing me to a dog is bad. It’s not good. He has to respect the dogs.
“He deserves his players to play with better guys. But he knows as well I am a top manager.”
Guardiola confirmed he is a huge admirer of Pogba but said he could not afford him.
“Pogba is an incredible player. A top, top player. But I said no. We don’t have the money enough to buy Pogba because he is so expensive.”
Guardiola admits he “has one eye” on City’s home Champions League second leg with Liverpool on Tuesday, when they will attempt to retrieve a 3-0 deficit, and is ready to gamble away the chance to win the title today by resting some of his stars.
“We’ll try to win but we’ve got six more games to do it,” he said.
Meanwhile Mourinho is determined to delay City’s title party but says he is more motivated by the incentive of closing in on the runners-up spot.
“We want to delay the champions becoming champions for as long as possible,” he said. “We will go there to compete and try to win, we don’t want to offer them the game.
“My motivation is to finish second and the way Tottenham and Liverpool are picking up points, we still need points to do it.” TODAY’S two derbies could see the betting industry attract over £15million worth of wagers.
First, Goodison Park plays host to Liverpool. Sam Allardcye’s Everton are even money to be defeated, with the win offered at 3-1 and the draw 5-2.
Then this evening, Manchester City could win the title against Manchester United and are odds-on at 10-11 to pick up the requisite three points.
I fancy City to win in style and they are 11-5 to win by two or more goals.
BY JOE CRILLY
MAURICIO POCHETTINO has warned Daniel Levy that he needs to continue to give the “big cake” to the players after it emerged the Tottenham chairman was the best-paid Premier League executive last year.
Figures released this week showed that with a back-paid pay rise and bonuses, Levy earned £6million last season – slightly more than the Spurs manager, who still has three years on his £5.5m-a-year contract.
Moreover, Levy’s status as the market leader in terms of salary is at odds with the club’s philosophy of trying to do things as a “project” without spending the sums of some of their rivals on wages.
Pochettino does not believe news of Levy’s pay will cause any problems in his dressing room but he reiterated ahead of their trip to Stoke that it is the players who must be given the really big bucks.
“We need to understand that Tottenham Hotspur is a company that provides football like an entertainment,” he said.
“For me it’s normal that people like our chairman are well paid because they are delivering a great job for this company.
“The players are not concerned about that and I’m happy with my salary – I cannot complain because no one put a gun against my head.
“My genuine feeling is he deserves it. That said, in this business the principal actors are the players. We have to push the big cake onto the players.”
Pochettino denied Toby Alderweireld’s continued absence from the team had anything to do with a reported contract issue. He said: “My decision is always about football. It is not personal and not because of a contract problem.”