City’s early double seals points but
Having cut through the Italian league leaders with a fantasy-football first-half Manchester City were almost lacerated themselves. After the awe there was the shock. Pep Guardiola had named Napoli as one of the best three sides in Europe, and he took that a stage further afterwards by hailing them as one of the best teams he has faced as player or coach.
The way in which the City manager celebrated his side’s two goals, and the agitation he showed towards the fourth official, his fellow Spaniard Teodoro Sobrino, as the five minutes of added time dragged showed the danger Napoli posed.
In the end there was relief at the Etihad, where inside 15 minutes it had seemed City were set for another romp, a Champions League statement of intent to follow those in the Premier League. Perhaps City would thump Napoli, pushing aside a free-scoring team who had won all eight of their Serie A league games so far this season but who are now up against it to progress in Group F.
They will meet again in Naples in two weeks time and with the raw atmosphere inside the Stadio San Paolo it is set to be another sensational fixture even if City know that with three wins from three ties they are in control and should go through to the last 16.
Napoli scored one penalty but missed another and the imperious John Stones also blocked a goalbound shot, with goalkeeper Ederson beaten, while City will point to a host of opportunities in a thrilling, high-quality tie. They scored through Raheem Sterling, his eighth goal of a restorative season, and Gabriel Jesus and struck the crossbar through Kevin De Bruyne.
Compliments had been showered by both coaches beforehand with the Italians suspecting Guardiola’s praise was an attempt to “distract” or ambush them – and that ambush was quickly sprung out on the pitch as City broke through.
It was a goal that involved six players and again showed just how gloriously incisive they can be. Fernandinho switched play from deep right to wide left to pick out Leroy Sane, who quickly found Silva. He hit the byline and fired the ball back across the penalty area, where a smart dummy by Jesus allowed it to run to Kyle Walker, whose shot was blocked. The rebound fell to Sterling and he confidently side-footed, with a deflection, past goalkeeper Pepe Reina.
It was soon two. Fernandinho again instigated an attack, ferrying the ball to Sterling, whose cross towards Jesus was cut out by Raul Albiol but only to De Bruyne. Inevitably De Bruyne arced a pass of perfection, just enough ahead of Albiol to send the defender scrabbling forlornly to his knees, and in front of Jesus for the striker to tap into the goal. Assist number 39 of his City career for De Bruyne.
This was devastating stuff. And there was more. De Bruyne’s firsttime shot from the edge of the ‘D’ beat Reina but cannoned off the underside of the crossbar. Then Jesus spun inside the area, and shot low. Reina blocked but the ball squirmed past him and almost half of it went over the line before Kalidou Koulibaly cleared.
It is impossible to dominate Napoli for 90 minutes, Guardiola said, and so Sarri’s side continued to press, playing their quick passes and, under pressure. Walker panicked as he attempted to clear a