RUNSTOPABBLE
Napoli the latest victims as City make it 10 wins out of 10
THE best Italy has to offer became the latest to fall.
Pep Guardiola’s side look unstoppable in Europe as well as in the Premier League. That is 10 wins in a row for City, goals from Raheem Sterling and Gabriel Jesus claiming a significant victory.
They destroyed the Serie A leaders inside 15 devastating minutes.
Can City keep up the intensity of their current run when the games keep coming? Time will tell and a late wobble exposed fragility at the back.
But there are few doubters around the Eithad on and off the pitch, given their ability to turn on devastating attacking play at will.
Click a switch and the front five are swarming and creating havoc. The test was a formidable one. Opponents who top Serie A, winning their first eight games and scoring 26 goals.
It was the leaders of the Premier League against Italy’s front runners, who are on a run, including last season, of 13 consecutive domestic wins. But within nine minutes City were one up through Sterling.
An opening that comprised ferocious pressing and frequent pinching of possession, paid off with a swift break down the left.
David Silva got to the byline and cut back for Kyle Walker to poke a shot in. The flat-footed clearance from Kalidou Koulibaly fell to Sterling, who smashed home.
That is eight goals this season for the England winger as he takes his career to a new level. City’s own record stood up well to Napoli’s 10 wins in all competitions, one draw and no defeats, 37 goals and five conceded.
It was theoretically the best meeting the best with Guardiola (left) rating the visitors in the top three in Europe.
However, by 14 minutes Napoli were reeling and two down. Kevin De
Bruyne, the architect of so much of the recent brilliance, broke down the right edge of the box.
His cross eluded Koulibaly and slithered across the six-yard box for Gabriel Jesus to finish. The Brazilian now has five goals in his last three games for club and country.
The pre-match prophecy of Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis, who claimed it was “almost impossible” to win this game, was self-fulfilling.
He advised that players should be rested for their league game against Inter Milan at the weekend. Hardly motivational, but the simple fact was City were immense.
The visitors, a team largely assembled by Rafa Benitez and costing £75million, did not look in City’s league in the first half hour. Then again, not many teams do.
De Bruyne came close to a spectacular third goal, curling from distance on to the bar after Leroy Sane teed him up.
Another close shave saw the ball hacked off the line from Jesus.
But there was a warning for City, when Napoli had a good spell before half-time and they needed a penalty save from Ederson.
Walker hugged Raul Albiol to the ground and Dries Mertens took the spot-kick. The Belgium striker fired too close to the City keeper, who saved with his legs. Fabian Delph hacked the loose ball clear.
Such was the search for perfection, the first half ended in an argument between De Bruyne and Silva as they headed down the tunnel. De Bruyne has just been booked and was trying to confront the fourth official.
Marek Hamsik came closest to reviving Napoli but for a block by John Stones. Eventually Napoli got one back making for a tense last 20 minutes. Faouzi Ghoulam was tripped by Fernandinho and Amadou Diawara converted.
Guardiola demanded more intensity and his side secured the game.