FACTOR! TITLE RUN-INS
Seagulls are no match for Pep’s title chasing stars
end as they revelled in yet another march towards the title. “I think we were frightened going forward,” Foden said at full time.
The attacker believes that switching from the flanks to a midfield position has benefitted him - and City - this term.
“I have always said that I see myself centrally. This year I have moved inside and it has helped me massively. I enjoy it in the middle. It’s where I want to be.
“At the moment, I am just enjoying my football and
ON THE night Arne Slot all but confirmed he will be Liverpool’s next manager, it was hard not to feel sympathy for Roberto De Zerbi as Manchester City tore his side to shreds.
The Italian tactician opened talks with Brighton over a lucrative new contract in December but has since placed formal discussions on hold off
Position
playing with freedom.”
His relationship with Kevin De Bruyne is reaping rich dividends for Guardiola and his team right now.
Foden said: “I think when he is at it, he is the best player in the Premier League. It is nice that I am playing inside with him and hopefully we can do it more.
“We just want to win gameby-game and push for the title. We don’t get ahead of ourselves. Now the next game is coming quickly.” his own back.
But with
Slot potenAnfieldBayern tially bound and Munich, who are understood to have had discreet contact with De Zerbi, now eyeing a shock swoop for Ralf Rangnick, a summer exit from the Amex looks less likely. Chelsea or Manchester United could still have something to say about that but, for now, De Zerbi (right)has been left to bundle his
Steele 6 ................................................ Veltman ............................................. 5 Van Hecke .......................................... 6 Dunk .................................................. 6 Barco ................................................. 5 Gross ................................................. 6 Baleba ............................................... 6 Lallana ............................................... 5 Moder ................................................ 5 Joao Pedro ........................................ 6 Welbeck ............................................. 6
Offiah (Veltman 46) ........................... 6 Adingra (Lallana 46) .......................... 6 Julio (Moder 57) ................................ 6 O’Mahoney (Welbeck 76) ............... .. 6
PHIL FODEN
Ederson ............................................. 7 Walker ................................................ 7 Akanji ................................................. 7 Ake ..................................................... 7 Gvardiol ............................................. 7 Rodri .................................................. 7 Kovacic .............................................. 7 Bernado Silva .................................... 7 De Bruyne ......................................... 7 Foden ................................................. 8 Alvarez .............................................. 7
Nunes (De Bruyne 71) ........................ 6 Grealish (Foden 71) ............................ 6 Lewis (Walker 78)
Doku (Silva 78)
Gomez (Rodri 79)
LALLANA
35% POSSESSION 65% 3 SHOTS ON TARGET 6 4 OFF TARGET 8 3 CORNERS 4 5 OFFSIDE 1 10 FOULS 3 2 YELLOWS 0 0 REDS 0 REF: JARRED GILLETT
P W D L F A Pts Arsenal 34 24 5 5 82 26 77 Man City 33 23 7 3 80 32 76 Liverpool 34 22 8 4 75 34 74 Aston Villa 34 20 6 8 71 50 66 Tottenham 32 18 6 8 65 49 60 Man Utd 33 16 5 12 51 50 53 Newcastle 33 15 5 13 69 54 50 West Ham 34 13 9 12 54 63 48 Chelsea 32 13 8 11 61 57 47 Bournemouth 34 12 9 13 49 60 45 Brighton 33 11 11 11 52 54 44 Wolves 34 12 7 15 46 54 43 Fulham 34 12 6 16 50 54 42 Crystal Palace 34 10 9 15 44 56 39 Brentford 34 9 8 17 52 59 35 Everton 34 11 8 15 36 48 33 Nottm Forest 34 7 9 18 42 60 26 Luton 34 6 7 21 47 75 25 Burnley 34 5 8 21 37 69 23 Sheff Utd 34 3 7 24 33 92 16 limping Brighton side over the season’s finish line.
They have fallen to 11th, but that should not discredit the 44-year-old’s remarkable work on the South Coast since replacing Graham Potter in 2022.
Brighton’s European adventure proved to be too damaging, but there is also an argument that De Zerbi has been left desperately short in the transfer market.
That is something he wants addressing if he is to continue at Brighton, a man of his class, ambition and dedication is worthy of such assurances.
the threat of Roberto De Zerbi’s side, and starving them of possession was high on his list of priorities.
“I give a lot of credit because I know the opposition we face. Brighton have been struggling with a lot of absences this season,” said Guardiola (above).
“And even so they still play with courage and never give up, they will continue to do it.
“But it is a good result for us, really good. We scored four goals, that’s the key. We spoke as a team that if we did not have the ball we would suffer. The players, they did it very well.”
The Spaniard was delighted with the opening goal, a sublime header from Kevin De Bruyne.
“It was a great header. He’s more than welcome if he wants to try it again,” he said.
Lucky
Two-goal hero
Foden said: “There are a challenging team. They like to go man-to-man.
“I think with Kev’s first goal and a bit lucky with my first one, we grew into the game. I think we were frightened going forward.
“I have always said that I see myself centrally. This year I have moved inside and it has helped me massively.
“I enjoy it in the middle. It’s where I want to be. At the moment, I am just enjoying my football and playing with freedom.”
On playing with De Bruyne: “I think when he is at it, he is the best player in the Premier League. It is nice that I am playing inside with him and hopefully we can do it more.
“We just want to win game-by-game and push for the title. We don’t get ahead of ourselves.”