When Pep talked balls

IT was just under a year ago that thenChampionship side Wolves almost pulled off a Carabao Cup shock against Manchester City.

After a goalless 90 minutes, it took Claudio Bravo’s penalty saving heroics to rescue Pep Guardiola’s men.

The City boss later called the Mitre Delta football used in the EFL competitions ‘unplayable’.

His comments seem rich given they went on to win the cup with that exact make of ball.

Almost 12 months later and now competing in the same division, Wolves are a completely different animal.

Certainly they have sharper teeth and are even better equipped to deal with City’s might.

Wolves mean business.

They have brought keeper Rui Patricio in for John Ruddy.

Plus they have Jonny Castro at wing-back, Joao Moutinho alongside Ruben Neves in midfield and the surprisingly physical presence of Raul Jimenez up front. These are in addition

to last season’s successful loanees such as Willy Boly and Diego Jota being made permanent.

They will be exciting to watch and while Guardiola’s City should still have enough, do not be surprised by another draw at 9-2 and both teams scoring at 19-20.

As seen against Everton, Neves is deadly from set-pieces around the box, so at 13-2 anytime scorer and 20-1 first scorer, he is always fancied.

Monday sees an interesting encounter between Manchester United and Spurs.

Agent Mino Raiola stirred the pot with his comments about Paul Scholes but he has also heaped the pressure on his client, Paul Pogba.

People ask why Pogba gets so much focus. It is because he courts it.

So it seems a bit rich that his latest post is of of him with his finger over his lips, silencing everyone.

One way to do that, Paul, is to score the winner. He is 13-2 last scorer.

Spurs have not scored in the last four meetings at Old Trafford. United are 3-1 to win to nil.

But there are two mitigating factors here – United’s awful defending and Harry Kane breaking his August duck last weekend.

...................... 13-2