Monk gets the Chris of life from Kiwi Wood
SWANSEA: in four days – Swansea had gone out of the EFL Cup to them in midweek – was not exactly the fixture the ex-Udinese coach would have chosen. Especially as the visitors had deadly Argentine hitman Aguero back after his three-match ban. It took the South American just eight minutes to announce his return with a goal. Fernandinho’s raking 40-yard ball to Bacary Sagna sparked the attack. The City defender then fed Aguero, who with one swift turn left two defenders in his wake before firing past Lukasz Fab i - an - ski. Without awin MAN CITY: since the opening day, the hosts might have been forgiven for dropping their heads. Credit to Swansea then for doing nothing of the sort – and producing a fine equaliser five minutes later.
There did not seem any danger when Gylfi Sigurdsson found Fernando Llorente.
However, Sagna slipped, allowing the Spanish striker a clear sight of goal. He needed no other invitation, smashing his shot into the far corner.
That first goal for the former Seville ace galvanised Guidolin’s troops, who had City rattled for the next 20 minutes.
The majority of the Liberty Stadium were up in arms in the 65th minute, along with fuming Guidolin, when ref Neil Swarbrick awarded City a penalty.
But the video replays showed they could have no complaints. Dutch defender Mike van der Hoorn clearly shoved an arm in De Bruyne’s face. In fact, the ex-Ajax man was lucky not to be sent off for pushing Swarbrick while contesting the decision and his subsequent booking. Aguero’s cheeky chip from the spot finally put City back in the driving seat – before England winger Raheem Sterling’s breakaway 75th-minute solo effort sealed the result. Swans boss Guidolin, whose side are one point above the drop zone, denied he is worried about his job. He said: “I don’t know what the owner and chairman are thinking but it’s not vital. Our performance was perfect – the same level as City, who are the best team in the league.” CHRIS WOOD netted his seventh of the season as Leeds continued their recent revival under Garry Monk.
The former Ipswich loanee, having already crashed a fierce shot against a post, headed home the winner in the 35th minute.
Wood has proved an influential figure in Leeds’ progress under Monk, scoring in all four of their consecutive wins following a challenging start to life in the Elland Road hot seat for the ex-Swansea boss.
As for Ipswich, they failed to find the net for the second successive match and had Bartosz Bialkowski, who made fine second-half saves from Wood and Kalvin Phillips, to thank for keeping them in the contest until the very end.
Leeds boss Monk said: “I have a plan that I work to and everyone is clear with that, they understand exactly where they need to get.
“We are not there yet, there is a lot more work to do. But if we can keep growing in confidence they are going to get stronger and be very competitive. That is the important bit for me. We are getting there.”
Leeds deservedly took the lead 10 minutes before half-time through Wood, the in-form striker heading Charlie Taylor’s dinked cross into the bottom corner following smart build-up play involving Stuart Dallas down the left.
And Monk said: “At this moment in time, Chris epitomises what the team are doing, taking that step forward and trying to put our best football on the pitch.”
The New Zealand international looked a man in form and he had two more efforts before half-time, volleying over on the turn and firing into a wall of Ipswich players in the box.
Frustrated Ipswich boss Mick McCarthy said: “I thought Chris Wood was outstanding, the focal point and the big difference in the team. When they hit it up there they stuck up there and he ran in the channels.
“He showed why he had good money spent on him and why he’s a good player. Leeds have a very good player. He played well.”