CLAUD OVER CITY STROLL
Fans mock blunder keeper Bravo as Pep’s men hit five
WHEN even your own fans start to mock you, then you know you’re in trouble.
Just 24 hours after Pep Guardiola declared himself “so happy” with Claudio Bravo, Manchester City’s fans delivered their own damning verdict on the blunder keeper.
Having seen their side take a 3-1 lead after conceding an early opener when the ball went through Bravo’s legs, City’s fans let the Chilean know their feelings. When Bravo managed to save a tame shot just before halftime, his effort was greeted with a chorus of ironic cheers, the derision from the home fans revealing an uncomfortable truth for Guardiola.
Bravo, who has lost his No.1 status to Willy Caballero, a keeper out of contract at the end of the season, has now conceded from nine of the last 14 shots he has faced. It was a familiar story here, City needing to overcome Bravo’s early gaffe before strolling to a comfortable win over promotion-chasing opponents more focused on Saturday’s clash with Championship leaders Newcastle.
Bravo was supposed to be an upgrade on ousted City keeper Joe Hart, but has made a mockery of Guardiola’s decision to trade England No.1 for him, with even his own fans now starting to make their boss see the folly of his thinking.
Huddersfield boss David Wagner, watching from the stands as he began a two-match touchline ban, made nine changes to his starting line-up, with Newcastle uppermost in his mind. Guardiola had no such qualms at picking a strong line-up, making only four changes from the side that staged an epic comeback in last week’s thrilling 5-3 Champions League triumph over Monaco.
Despite City’s easy win, it was the visitors who struck first, scoring with their first assault on the City goal.
Winger Joe Lolley cut inside and embarked on a surging run, feeding the ball to fellow midfielder Philip Billing. Billing flicked the ball on to Harry Bunn (left), Pablo Zabaleta missing what should have been a
straight forward interception. With fellow defender Nicolas Otamendi playing Bunn onside, the midfielder was left through on goal.
Bunn seemed to take an eternity to shoot, which made Bravo’s gaffe even more unforgivable, as the Terriers took a shock early lead.
It was a sweet moment for Bunn, who endured five loan spells at different clubs – as well as a year out through injury – before being released by City in 2014 and joining Huddersfield. City responded swiftly, Kevin De Bruyne testing Joel Coleman with a dipping free-kick, while Guardiola’s side also had two legitimate penalty appeals turned down in quick succession.
Huddersfield defender Jon Stankovic went to ground on both occasions and looked to use his right arm to stop the flight of the ball, but referee Paul Tierney was not persuaded by City’s claims.
But those denials were swiftly forgotten as Raheem Sterling bamboozled Huddersfield’s defenders with his quick feet, before squaring for Leroy Sane to steer the ball in from close-range for the equaliser. City were ahead five minutes later, earning a penalty when defender Otamendi was bundled to the ground by Stankovic, whose luck finally ran out.
Sergio Aguero coolly dispatched the spot-kick beyond Coleman, and he should have made it 3-1 two minutes later, hitting a post after finding himself through on goal.
But City’s third soon arrived Aguero squaring for Zabaleta to score. Huddersfield were in meltdown, their early fluency replaced by panic and disarray at the back.
Aguero claimed his second of the night in the 73rd minute to make it 4-1 and take his tally to 22 for the season, before sub Kelechi Iheanacho added a fifth late on.
After a shaky start, courtesy of Bravo, City secured a quarter-final at Middlesbrough a week on Saturday.
Expect Caballero between the posts for that one.