Mahrez and Edozie fire City to victory over Preston in friendly
LONDON: Manchester City’s pre-season preparations got off to a positive start at the Academy Stadium as goals from Riyad Mahrez and substitute Sam Edozie secured a friendly victory over Preston North End.
With several members of the first team squad still on their summer breaks ater their Euro 2020 and Copa America duties, manager Pep Guardiola selected a starting eleven that blended youth alongside experience for the visit of the Championship side.
With Zack Steffen deployed in goal, Fernandinho, Riyad Mahrez, Ruben Dias, Nathan Ake, Joao Cancelo and Benjamin Mendy were all handed starts while youngsters Iker Pozo, Ben Knight, Morgan Rogers and Cole Palmer were afforded opportunities too.
And the crat and know-how of Mahrez was evident as the Algerian executed a brilliant curling 25th minute free-kick to open the scoring.
There was a new look City ater the break with the boss making 10 oufield changes to hand a host of other youngsters their big chance.
One of the new faces, Edozie, capped a fine night’s work with a superb close-range finish ater an inviting assist by James Mcatee to set the seal on an impressive opening outing.
The only negative on the night was a worrying injury to City substitute keeper Cieran Slicker ater an accidental clash with Preston sub Tom Bayliss which saw the youngster stretchered off ater a lengthy delay. Everyone will wish Cieran a speedy recovery.
It may have been 59 days since our last action – last May’s Champions League final loss to Chelsea – but City soon looked to slot straight back into our familiar, fluid groove.
And though four of the starting eleven – Steffen, Ake, Dias and Cancelo - had only returned to training yesterday, City’s movement and possession was soon evident.
Indeed, Mahrez had the ball in the North End 90 seconds in only for the effort to be disallowed for offside.
Preston keeper Conor Ripley had to be alert on 16 minutes to deny Ben Knight ater a slide rule pass by Iker Pozo had put the 19-year-old clear in the box, Ripley diving low to smother Knight’s goalbound shot.
However, City’s patient pressure eventually told on 25 minute thanks to a quite exquisite free-kick from Mahrez.
Ater Morgan Rogers had been upended 20-yard out, the Algerian captain stepped up and executed a superb curling free-kick into the top let corner of the net to open our account in fine fashion.
It wasn’t all one-way traffic, however. Steffen then had to be alert as he raced to superbly intercept the ball away ater Barkhuizen latched onto a long ball that had evaded the City back line.
Iker Pozo took the fight to Preston The City keeper then produced another crucial interception, diving to cut out a low cross with the unmarked Barkhuizen waiting to apply a tap-in.
A sublime City move featuring Mahrez and Mendy then saw the French full back set up Palmer from just eight yards out, but the youngster’s shot was too strong.
There may have been a completely new look to City’s oufield ten ater the break but the familiar touchstones of patient, possession-based atacking football were evident in abundance.
Edozie – one of the stars of our EDS and Under-18 title winning squads of last season was unlucky to be denied by Ripley ater ghosting past the North End backline.