City’s run is one of my greatest achievements
PEP Guardiola believes Manchester City’s 20-game winning run could be the greatest achievement of his career.
The Premier League leaders maintained their charge as they ground out a hard-fought 2-1 victory over West Ham at the Etihad Stadium yesterday.
Guardiola has won 29 trophies in his glittering managerial career with Barcelona, Bayern Munich and City, including back-to-back Premier League titles in 2018 and 2019, but this season’s results – amid a pandemic – could eclipse that.
City are unbeaten in 27 games and their run of 20 successive victories in all competitions is a record for an English top-flight side.
The City boss said: “It is so difficult. Twenty in this period, in this era, with this situation around the world – to be able to do 20 is maybe one of the greatest achievements we have done together in our careers.
“That doesn’t mean we will win titles but we have not had one week’s rest in three months. A game every three days, with the Covid situation, injury situations – to make this winning run shows mental strength.”
City were not at their fluid best and were made to dig deep for their latest victory by the hard-working Hammers.
Goals in each half from defenders Ruben Dias and John Stones, either side of a Michail Antonio equaliser, ultimately proved the key contributions.
Guardiola said: “We didn’t paint something nice but there are many of these games during the season.
“It was obvious to every person who saw the game it was really tough. The opposition is incredible, well composed.
“So, a big compliment to West Ham. After 26 fixtures they were in the Champions League positions. They have everything.
“It was a really tough game but that is good for us for the coming games, to realise what is going to happen.”
West Ham, who had been fourth going into the game, almost snatched a late point when Issa Diop headed wide.
Manager David Moyes hailed the performance although he was not prepared to make any promises about Champions League football, and even tried to play down rising expectations.
He said: “We came to the best team in the country, probably the best team in Europe, and we gave them a really good game. We were always in the game.
“You need to take the moments and we just didn’t take the moment at the end, but if we play like that until the end of the season, we will give ourselves a great chance of being up there.
“If we continue to improve, the players will give themselves a good chance of finishing in the top half.
“I am really disappointed we didn’t get a point, it was a terrific performance.”
DARLINGTON’S dream of a return to Wembley came to a crashing end as they became the latest FA Trophy victims of giant-killers Hornchurch.
The visitors arrived at Blackwell Meadows having already dispatched National League duo King’s Lynn Town and Maidstone United in this season’s competition – and the Quakers were added to that list by a dogged display from the Isthmian League club.
After a nervy start to the game, the side managed by former Newcastle United player Mark Stimson, burst into life and they had a more than credible shout for a penalty when Quakers defender Nicky Hunt seemed to push Liam Nash in the area.
The appeals from the men in red were vociferous – but unsuccessful as the officials remained unmoved.
The Urchins created two chances either side of the quarter-hour mark as Remi Sutton crashed a shot over the bar and Darlington debutant keeper Sol Brynn was forced into the action for the first time when saved a Nash drive low down to his left.
Alun Armstrong’s men hit back on 23 minutes as they created their first chance since a speculative shot from Erico Sousa in the opening stages as Dan Maguire sent a chip over the crossbar with visitors keeper Joe Wright in no-man’s land.
With that let-off fresh in the memory, the visitors broke and got themselves in front with 26 minutes on the clock. The impressive Remi Sutton collected a return pass in the Quakers area and delivered a pass that left Ronnie Winn with a chance that he did not waste.
Darlington reacted well to falling behind and almost restored parity just after the half-hour mark when former Newcastle United striker Adam Campbell crashed a low shot just past the near post.
The pressure continued as they looked to get back on level terms before half-time and the ever-lively Sousa brought a fine reaction save out of Wright with an acrobatic effort.
But it was a case of third-time lucky for the winger as he finally got on the scoresheet just seconds before the half-time whistle.
The clever approach play of Campbell saw the forward find some space midway in the side the visitors half and he slid a perfectly weighted pass in behind a stagnant defence.
That allowed Sousa to get a sight of goal and he kept his cool to slide a leftfoot shot across goal and inside the far post.
Just as they had in the first-half, the Quakers were on the front foot in the opening stages – but they fell behind once again on 53 minutes.
Boro loanee Brynn brought down Nash after he had beat the offside trap and received a yellow card for his indiscretion.
Sam Higgins stepped up to take the resultant penalty and fired his spotkick underneath Brynn to restore his side’s lead.
Once again, Darlington reacted well and kept their patience as they controlled possession without creating any meaningful chances. But that all changed on the hour-mark as the livewire Sousa burst back into life and forced Wright into a smart save with a shot that looked destined for the far corner of his net.
Armstrong introduced Sean Reid into the action as his side pushed their second equaliser of the game – but it was his strike partner Dan Maguire who came close to grabbing the next goal of the game with just over 15 minutes remaining. The former Blyth Spartans and York City frontman held off a challenge as he raced in on goal, but his toe-poked effort was blocked by visitors keeper Wright.
An uphill battle for the Quakers got even steeper with just over five minutes remaining when midfielder Will Hatfield was shown a second yellow card for a challenge on Brown.
Despite their numerical disadvantage, Darlington pushed forward looking to force the tie into a penalty shoot-out.
Both Reid and Maguire seemed to have sights of goal in the face of increasingly desperate defending from their visitors. But the latter was able to find a pass to Campbell just inside the area and the diminutive forward saw his goal-bound shot blocked by a combination of defenders.
Darlington will rue an underwhelming performance that signalled the end of their competitive fixtures for the campaign and all focus will now turn towards planning for next season.
DARLINGTON: Brynn, Liddle, Wheatley (Reid), Hunt (Holness), Hedley, Hatfield, Maguire, Campbell, Rivers, Storey, Sousa Subs: Saltmer, Watson, Hudson, Mcmahon, Atkinson
HORNCHURCH: Wright, Sutton, Muldoon, Hayles, Clark, Brown, Spence, Higgins (Stimson), Nash, Winn (Cooper), Ruff (Dickson) Subs: Bentley, Hassan, Cummings, Thackway