No Real favours for Pep
Vardy late show puts the brakes on Gunners
MANCHESTER CITY boss Pep Guardiola has denied claims he has influenced UEFA into allowing his side to stage their Champions League clash with Real Madrid at the Etihad.
City are confident of being given the green light to face Real at home in their last-16 second leg at the start of next month.
UEFA wanted all 12 outstanding games across the Champions League and Europa League to be played in the same countries as a ‘Final 8’ knockout tournament.
Reports in Spain claim City will get to host Zinedine Zidane’s men, after Guardiola intervened ahead of Thursday’s UEFA executive meeting.
But Guardiola, whose side are 2-1 up after the first leg at the Bernabeu, said: “I am not strong enough to have this impact. I am not president.
“They have protocols. I have never spoken with UEFA. I’ve said many
that does him a disservice as he is clearly a good coach in his right.
Nobody should underestimate how important the last four days have been for Arteta, because to win at Wolves and now to battle on against Leicester with 10 men shows quality and determination.
Arsenal keeper Emiliano Martinez had to make a terrific save from Kelechi Iheanacho after a short-corner routine between Marc Albrighton and Ayoze Perez as Leicester looked lively.
But it was Arsenal who took the lead after 22 minutes after a brilliant move.
Ceballos’ sublime pass released Saka down the right and the teenager pulled back an inch-perfect cross for Aubameyang to score from close range.
Leicester keeper Kasper Schmeichel made four excellent saves – including two absolutely brilliant stops – as Saka’s movement and vision together with Alexandre Lacazette’s work rate and non-stop pressing caused all sorts of problems.
How Schmeichel got down to stop Lacazette’s low shot on the turn is anyone’s guess. And the keeper made another terrific save from Hector Bellerin.
Leicester regrouped after half time but still needed Schmeichel to stop David
Luiz’s 20-yard free-kick, while the Foxes also went close as Iheanacho forced a terrific stop from Martinez.
Lacazette had an effort ruled out for offside before being substituted, only for his replacement to get himself sent off moments after coming on.
Referee Chris Kavanagh initially gave Nketiah a yellow, but checked with VAR, went to look at the touchline monitor himself and then changed his mind in what was ultimately the right decision.
There was more VAR controversy right at the death when Vardy’s goal got the all-clear after another long delay.
■ times that we want to play in Manchester, but we are going to accept whatever UEFA decides.
“What I want is to play against Real Madrid. This is what I want, but I didn’t make phone calls, I don’t have this power.”
The City boss is planning talks with John Stones about his future at the end of the season.
Guardiola insists he has time to prove he can be a success at the Etihad and will recall the defender to his starting line-up for tonight’s visit of Newcastle.
He said: “John didn’t have a pre-season. After a few training sessions he was injured and he didn’t train until last week.
“Eric (Garcia) and Aymeric (Laporte) did incredibly well together but against Newcastle he (Stones) is going to play.
“We want the best for him. His training and his behaviour is good but he’s there, in the transfer market, and we will speak at the end of the season.”
Newcastle boss Steve Bruce has promised his three loanees every chance to cement their futures, starting tonight.
Danny Rose has stayed on the bench for the last two games and Nabil Bentaleb has started just once since lockdown, while Valentino Lazaro hasn’t been in the starting line-up since February.
But all are likely to be involved against City.
PHIL FODEN to score first