Manchester City rivals need miracle

LONDON. — Manchester City’s rivals have a very small chance of halting the English Premier League soccer leaders’ march to the title, Tottenham Hotspur playmaker Christian Eriksen has said. City’s blistering start to the season has seen them go 11 points clear of second-placed Manchester United. City are on a 16-game winning streak in the league, while Spurs are a massive 21 points behind Pep Guardiola’s side in seventh position.

LONDON. — Manchester City’s rivals have a very small chance of halting the English Premier League soccer leaders’ march to the title, Tottenham Hotspur playmaker Christian Eriksen has said.

City’s blistering start to the season has seen them go 11 points clear of second-placed Manchester United. City are on a 16-game winning streak in the league, while Spurs are a massive 21 points behind Pep Guardiola’s side in seventh position.

Eriksen (25) conceded that Tottenham’s gap with the leaders was too wide to close but urged his team mates to improve after Spurs recorded just two wins in their last seven league games.

“I think you need more than a miracle to catch City, but we are focussed on ourselves and trying to come into a better position than we are in now. Of course we need to improve a lot but City is a long way ahead,” Eriksen told Sky Sports.

“We have shown before, with the team we have and the players we have, that we should have done better, and we could have done better.

“Now we have to prepare for Burnley and they are above us, so we need to be in top form.”

Tottenham were beaten 4-1 by City last weekend and travel to sixth-placed Burnley in the league today.

Meanwhile, Manchester City goalkeeper Ederson has jokingly offered to play outfield for Pep Guardiola’s rampant side as they close in on one of European football’s most prestigious records.

The Premier League leaders host struggling Bournemouth in their final home game of 2017, seeking a 17th consecutive league victory, which would be just two short of the current best for such a streak in the five major European leagues.

Guardiola himself set that 19-game mark while in charge of Bayern Munich and, with relatively modest opposition coming up in the form of Newcastle, Crystal Palace and Watford, City appear well-positioned to set a new record.

Ederson has been one of the key additions to this season’s City team, having joined in a £35 million move from Benfica last summer, with his ability on the ball a vital component in Guardiola’s trademark passing game.

“When I started my career, I was actually a left-back and I do have some qualities playing with my feet,” said the Brazilian.

“It’s a huge responsibility to play at the back, there is no room for mistakes, so I must be constantly focused to give my best.”

“But if there was a situation where I was ever needed outfield, yeah, I’d definitely give it a go,” he added.

City are scoring so freely at the moment, but defence appears to be Guardiola’s one concern, with injury-plagued captain Vincent Kompany again a doubt for the Bournemouth visit with a muscular problem.

With John Stones still not quite ready to return from his own injury lay-off, that will probably leave Eliaquim Mangala to partner Nicolas Otamendi in the heart of the City defence.

Guardiola has hinted broadly that he will seek to sign established defensive cover in the January transfer window, with Southampton’s Virgil van Dijk, West Brom’s Jonny Evans and James Tarkowski of Burnley all being linked with City.

In the meantime, it is still unclear whether inspirational playmaker David Silva, who has been in his native Spain for a week for unspecified “personal reasons,” will return for the start of the holiday fixture list.

Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe admitted his side were left “heartbroken” by the manner of their midweek League Cup defeat to Chelsea, which denied the club their first appearance in a major semifinal.

Having equalised in the last minute of normal time, Howe’s side conceded a winning goal in added time and the manager’s task will be to lift his players after such a painful blow.

Defeat also came at the cost of injuries to Jermain Defoe and Harry Arter, with Defoe in particular expected to face a lay-off after damaging ankle ligaments following a challenge by Chelsea teenager Ethan Ampadu.

And Manchester United defender Chris Smalling is wary of the threat posed by Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy but is looking forward to the challenge of keeping the speed merchant in check today.

Vardy was a key component in Leicester’s title-winning campaign in 2015-16 and has scored seven goals in 18 league matches this season, along with a League Cup goal in the midweek defeat by Manchester City.

Smalling said United’s defenders would not be able to relax for a moment at the King Power Stadium.

“He is someone who is a bit of a nightmare for defenders because he is often ratting around and chasing with non-stop running.

“He runs in behind which, as a defender, is the hardest thing to deal with, but I will be looking forward to that battle and, hopefully, I’ll be ready to keep him quiet.”

United are looking for a third consecutive league win to keep in touch with leaders City but will face a Leicester side who have won four of their last five league games to climb to eighth.

“You know their qualities and their wingers - Demarai Gray is coming into the team and Riyad Mahrez is in form as well,” said Smalling.

“So those are the players we need to keep quiet and, when we get the ball, we need to make sure that we get at their backline.” Fixtures (all 5pm unless otherwise stated)

Today: Everton v Chelsea (2:30pm); Brighton & Hove Albion v Watford; Swansea City\ v Crystal Palace; Stoke City v West Bromwich Albion; West Ham United v Newcastle United; Manchester City v Bournemouth; Southampton v Huddersfield Town; Burnley v Tottenham Hotspur (7:30pm); Leicester City v Manchester United (9:45pm).

Tuesday: Tottenham Hotspur v Southampton (2:30pm); West Bromwich Albion v Everton; Chelsea v Brighton & Hove Albion; Bournemouth v West Ham United; Huddersfield Town v Stoke City; Watford v Leicester City; Manchester United v Burnley; Liverpool v Swansea (7:30pm.

Wednesday: Newcastle United v Manchester City

(9:45pm). Thursday: Crystal Palace v Arsenal (10pm). — Reuters.