Kids will lead record chase for champions
PHIL FODEN and Brahim Diaz will be given plenty of gametime as Manchester City bid to finish their spectacular season in record-breaking style.
Foden, England’s Under-17 World Cup hero last summer, and Spain Under-21 star Diaz have each made three substitute appearances in the league this season – needing two more to qualify for a medal.
Their only starts in domestic football came in the Carabao Cup quarter-final at Leicester in December, although Foden started two Champions League games – the deadrubber group game at Shakhtar Donetsk and the last-16 second leg against Basle when City were 4-0 up.
But Pep Guardiola is looking to increase their experience in the five remaining Premier League games because the plan is for the pair to play a far bigger role next season.
Benjamin Mendy, who made only four starts before suffering a cruciate ligament injury in September, is also expected to figure. Claudio Bravo has made only one substitute appearance in the league so could feature in some of the remaining games to bring him up to five appearances and earn him a medal.
But it doesn’t mean City will ease their foot off the pedal. They are intent on smashing as many records as possible.
They need nine points to beat Chelsea’s record of 95 set in 2004-05. And if they win all five games they will become the first team in the Premier League era to reach a century of points.
Three wins will see them beat Chelsea’s record of 30 victories set last season, and they need 11 more goals to beat another record held by Chelsea, the 103 goals scored under Carlo Ancelotti in 2009-10.
And to top it off they can take a record away from neighbours Manchester United, who currently have the distinction of the biggest winning margin. United finished 18 points ahead of their nearest rivals in the 1999-2000 season – City are currently 16 points ahead of second-placed United.