Fulham may be no waltz for City
Oasis keeps Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola in the groove but Thursday’s League Cup tie against Fulham may not be as easy as it looks for the champs
Aradio show in Britain last week in which Pep Guardiola chose his favourite songs, explained what they meant to him and talked extensively about family and life off the field, reflected just how relaxed he is as his side Manchester City look to be getting better game after game.
They have had just two hiccups this season - held by newly-promoted Wolverhampton Wanderers after scoring eight goals in their opening two games of the season, and then inexplicably losing at home to French outfit Olympique Lyonnais in their opening Champions League group game.
For the rest it has gone swimmingly for Guardiola and his light-blue army with performances eye-wateringly near perfection - and it is expected that Thursday’s League Cup tie at home to Fulham will be no different.
Certainly, there will be long odds on the struggling Londoners against the holders. City won last year’s League Cup with a convincing 3-0 win over Arsenal in the final.
And Fulham manager Slavisa Jokanovic might not even be in the job by the time they go to Manchester after Saturday’s 3-0 loss in the league at home to Bournemouth.
His team let in five against Arsenal a fortnight ago and then four last weekend away at Cardiff. One win in 10 for Fulham in the league this season leaves the manager vulnerable and City looking absolute certainties.
But these cup ties often throw up crazy outcomes and TAB soccer fans must be aware that Guardiola will certainly refresh his line-up so soon after last night’s trip to Wembley to play against Tottenham and with Champions League commitments next week.
Fulham are not the only long shot in the fourth-round ties tonight and tomorrow. There are other games in which secondstring line-ups put out by top teams could be undone by lessfancied opponents. The League Cup has always offered a reasonable punt on underdogs.
Just in case you are interested, Guardiola’s favourite song is “Don't Look Back in Anger” by Oasis, who are long-time City fans. “Slip inside the eye of your mind, don't you know you might find a better place to play,” they sing.
“I love this song, you cannot imagine how much. It is incredible. It puts me in the best of myself when I listen,” said Guardiola.