North End boss Neil ‘knows City’s weakness’
FODEN CHANCE
THE absence of Phil Foden on Saturday caused some concern, especially as the 19-year-old was not even in the matchday squad.
He did not fly to Ukraine last week, with Guardiola citing a stomach bug and the fact he was again not involved at the weekend caused a few eyebrows to be raised.
He has been under the weather for a while, but will get his chance to show he can boss a game at first team level. FERNANDINHO warned he has yet to be seriously tested as a centreback after beginning his new role with two clean sheets.
The City star was told last season - before the Blues’ plans to sign Harry Maguire went awry - that he would possibly be playing in defence.
The fact the club were about to sign Rodri meant that his chances as a defensive midfielder would be squeezed.
And with Aymeric Laporte and PRESTON North End manager Alex Neil has claimed he knows City’s weakness and his side are aiming to exploit it during the upcoming Carabao Cup clash.
The Blues are the current holders of the trophy, defeating Chelsea at Wembley earlier this year, and travel to Deepdale in great form after a sensational 8-0 win against Watford. John Stones now both injured, he was the first man to whom Pep Guardiola turned in order to fill the gap.
A comfortable 3-0 win at Shakhtar Donetsk was followed by the 8-0 blitz of Watford, and City’s defensive issues were quickly forgotten - but not by Fernandinho, who said he is still getting used to his new role and pointed out that there will be sterner tests ahead.
“I’m still in an adaptation process,” he said. “It’s something new for me, although I have known since the end of last season that
The hosts have also started the season well, a win against Birmingham at the weekend saw them climb to third in the Championship table.
Neil admitted it will be a mammoth task to defeat City and progress to the next round, but claimed that he knew their weakness.
“Man City and Liverpool are so far ahead of the rest,” he said.
“If you play any of the others it’d be more of a level playing field. playing as a centre-back was a possibility.
“I’ve started training it from the beginning of this season so it’s still new, but I’m trying to learn from that experience.
“The way we play makes it a bit easier because we keep the ball with us most minutes. Against Shakhtar, they barely attacked behind our four-man defensive line and kept the ball mostly around the halfway line.
“But when an opponent attacks more through crosses or behind-the-line runs let’s see how I’m going to perform.
“I’m here to help so that’s fine.
“As for the future, we will see what happens. It’s better to think about now.”
Fernandinho brought all his experience to bear against Watford, with a couple of beautifully-timed tackles and some precise distribution, and he knows that his old head is a real City’s Fernandinho
“Every team has a weakness. We know what theirs is, it’s whether we can get into a position to exploit it.
“It’s so hard to get into a position to do that.
“Man City’s stats are frightening, their average passing stat before they score a goal is 27 passes and the second highest is 13 passes.
“It’s going to be a mammoth task for us but we’ll give it our best shot.”
Preston midfielder Ben Pearson asset for the Blues. He added: “Sometimes experience can help, even if you don’t play - talking to the players, helping to fix some things. This is the best way to be in the team, helping wherever you can.”
Saturday also brought the return of Benjamin Mendy to the starting line-up, and he was impressive in the first half before being subbed in a pre-planned move.
He showed how he gives the Blues a different option down that flank, giving them pace, power and accurate crossing, in contrast to the more measured approach of Aleks Zinchenko. “That was his first start after a long period and he felt it a little bit,” said Fernandinho. “It was a bit hot in the first half, but he is going to get back to it as soon as possible, so he will get back to his level.
“I’m glad to have him back, we hope he can improve more and work hard, get back to his best.” believes his side may have the psychological advantage and confirmed City’s massive win at the weekend has no bearing on this fixture.
Pearson said: “Psychologically when a big team comes to a smaller team it can favour the smaller. I don’t look too much into their win at the weekend.
“Anything can happen, it’s 11v11 and we have to execute our game plan perfectly.”