Wait for it, Bruce..
PAGES 60 & 61 BRIAN READE, PAGE 57
MANCHESTER CITY: LIVERPOOL: REFEREE: HEAD2HEAD:
ODDS: zMANCHESTER CITY have won just one of their last 11 meetings with Liverpool in all competitions (D3 L7), although that was a 5-0 thrashing at the Etihad in the Premier League last season. zLIVERPOOL zMANCHESTER CITY boss Pep Guardiola has lost more matches against Liverpool’s Jurgen Klopp (seven) than he has against anyone else in his managerial career, although only two of those defeats have come in home games (P6 W2 D2 L2). zFebruary zLiverpool have won only five of their last 17 matches in all competitions in January (D5 L7), with zMANCHESTER zAt the end of the year, Liverpool topped the Premier League table by seven points – no team has ever failed to win the English top-flight title with such a lead going into the new year. zSERGIO zMO SALAH (left) has been directly involved in five goals in his last four games against Manchester City in all competitions (three goals and two assists). zWITH GARY ROWETT faces the sack at Stoke City, with David Moyes and Sam Allardyce in the running to succeed him.
The Coates family, who own the club, are losing patience after spending almost £30million in the summer on the likes of Tom Ince, James McClean and Sam Clucas.
Rowett was hired in May to lead City straight back to the Premier League, but they are 14th in the Championship, eight points outside the play-off places.
A dismal Christmas saw them lose to Birmingham and Bristol City and draw with struggling Bolton. STEVE BRUCE admits he is “delighted” to be back in management at Sheffield Wednesday – but faces a month-long wait before he can be in the dugout.
Bruce was named as the Owls’ new gaffer last night after thrashing out contract formalities and discussing January transfer targets.
But the former Aston Villa boss, 58, can’t begin his new job until February 1 because he has a string of personal commitments that need sorting out.
A source close to Bruce revealed: ”He’s absolutely delighted to get the opportunity and cannot wait to get started.”