BOGEY-TEAM ARSENAL
Guardiola on guard as history favours Gunners
LONDON LONDON: Raheem Sterling said he did not consider joining Arsenal for a single minute in the summer, when Manchester City were asked to include the England starlet in part-exchange for Alexis Sanchez.
Yet it may be on his and Sanchez’s mind today when one walks out in the blue of City and the other the red of Arsenal.
Surrounded by excellence at the Etihad, Sterling has been one of Pep Guardiola’s standout stars. After averaging a goal or assist every 241 minutes in 2015-16, then 194 in 2016-17, it is now 56.
Sterling has crashed the Premier League strikers’ party this season. He has scored seven has said he sees no possibility of his side emulating the achievement of Arsenal’s ‘The Invincibles’ of 2003-04, by going through an entire Premier League season unbeaten.
“Apart from the defeat at Watford, Arsenal have won a lot of games,” said Guardiola. “It’s complicated for us. We hope we can recover well after the travel and the game in Naples. It’s so tough when you have the Champions League to consider.
“Arsenal played without their real squad on Thursday (Europa League group game against Red Star Belgrade), so they have effectively rested for one week. We will lack energy, so our fans will be important.”
City have scored 35 goals and times — as many as Sergio Aguero and Romelu Lukaku and only one fewer than Harry Kane.
City’s wide man, though, can boast a better minutes-per-goal average than all three of those deadly marksmen.
Now in his sixth full season in the Premier League, it is easy to forget Sterling is still just 22.
City have not lived to regret missing out on Sanchez, who has scored a single league goal this season for Arsenal.
On what happened in the summer, Guardiola said: “When we started to speak with Arsenal in the last days, they wanted to make a swap with Raz.
“They talked to me and I said, ‘No chance. Zero chance. Not one conceded just six in their 10 league games so far, winning at Chelsea and thrashing Liverpool 5-0 in the process, leaving many rival managers wondering how they might be stopped.
Also among the goalscorers in midweek was Sergio Aguero, who finally became the club’s all-time record scorer with his 178th for City. The Argentina international, who had looked apprehensive as he got close to the record, should now enjoy the opportunity to relax in front of goal a little more.
Arsene Wenger has been encouraged by Arsenal side’s recent run of form that had seen them recover to win their previous three games before Thursday’s scoreless Europa League draw. per cent chance we will swap Raz because I trust a lot in him’.
“He is 22 years old, an English player, and there is a lot of room to improve. The only deal we would do was cash.”
Sterling has shown his importance this season, from his equaliser against Everton and 97th minute winner at Bournemouth in August to goals against West Bromwich Albion and Napoli this week.
In all competitions, his shot conversation rate has risen from 11.76 per cent last season to 25.64 this. With him on one wing and 21year-old Leroy Sane on the other, City are flying.
Sterling’s goals have directly contributed to them picking up five points this season. His decisive
The visit to the Etihad Stadium, however, presents an altogether more demanding test and the Gunners manager knows his side must improve their awful record at the homes of the Premier League’s leading teams if they are to be considered title contenders.
The north London club last won at one of the established top six when they beat City in January 2015 and since then they have picked up just six points from a possible 42 in 14 away trips.
“We will try to play our game. We will not hide,” said Wenger.
“When we go there, we want to defend well — but as well, you cannot go there and be focused on only defending.
“We want as well to play, have the ball and create dangerous situations. The best way to defend sometimes is to attack. strike in last week’s 3-2 win over West Brom were his latest two, turning a draw into a win.
At the Hawthorns, Sterling was brought off the bench in the 61st minute, and he scored in the 64th. It all but killed off the Baggies. Job done.
Without those five points, City would be level with Manchester United in the Premier League.
Indeed Sterling, who signed from Liverpool in 2015, is having a title-winning influence in a side full of quality.
He is comfortably on course for his best season yet, though this is where Guardiola’s man-management can come in handy.
Against Arsenal, it will be a chance for him to show how far he has come. Daily Mail
“If you want to play football, when you walk out on the pitch you have to accept the gamble and the risk. It is part of the game.
“After, you have to rate the risk. Is it a bigger risk only to defend than to attack if a team is very strong to attack? Maybe it is a bigger risk only to defend.” Agencies