City fail to break down the Terriers
MANCHESTER CITY just about kept face for the Premier League as they salvaged a goalless draw from a hard- fought tie against Huddersfield Town.
They may be second in the top flight, but they couldn’t find a way past the Championship high- flyers, although they will at least have another chance to keep their cup run going.
This was a new experience for Pep Guardiola as he came up against a lower league team for the first time in England.
In front of a stadium record crowd for football, City could not properly settle at any point and now Guardiola will have to gear up for another uniquely English experience with a replay on February 28.
Football these days is all about priorities. It’s a word that managers love and fans hate.
With City facing Monaco in the Champions League on Tuesday night, Guardiola opted to make eight changes to his side from the one that won at Bournemouth on Monday.
Sergio Aguero was up front but Vincent Kompany was ruled out through injury and Yaya Toure and David Silva were rested completely.
The Terriers are chasing promotion from the Championship and play fellow play- off contenders Reading on the same night City are in European action, which also prompted manager David Wagner into making seven changes.
The German’s side had won six on the bounce and are known for a highenergy style similar to Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool and it was they who started on the front foot as Rajiv Van la Parra tested Claudio Bravo early on.
The Chilean was up to the task, but not too convincingly. Yet it was still his first save of any note since January 2, having let in each of the last six efforts that had been on target against him.
At the other end, the visitors were denied twice in one attack as goalkeeper Joel Coleman saved well from Nolito and then Jesus Navas’ follow-up was blocked on the line by Jon Gorenc Stankovic.
Bravo then launched a counter attack with an excellent clearance from the
back that gave Aguero a sight of goal as Huddersfield goalkeeper Joel Coleman was caught out of position, but the Argentinian’s effort to lob him was poor.
Shortly after, Huddersfield had the ball in the net when Philip Billing slammed home from close range after a corner but it was ruled out for offside.
Huddersfield continued to threaten and Bravo was in the thick of the action again as as he denied Van la Parra.
Aguero continued to search for the opener after half-time when he created space for himself outside the box but Coleman was equal to his 20-yard effort.
With still no breakthrough, both managers made positive double substitutions in the search for a winner, although Guardiola’s pair cost a mega £92 million as he sent on Kevin De Bruyne and Leroy Sane.
The game remained tense as one goal was surely going to be enough.
City couldn’t fashion any clearcut openings as Huddersfield defended resolutely though and when Nicolas Otamendi headed wide in the dying seconds, City had to settle for another encounter.