Slick City keep heat on Klopp
MANCHESTER CITY kept the pressure on Premier League leaders Liverpool last night as they beat Wolves 3-0 to cut the gap at the top to four points. But City boss Pep Guardiola told his players to ignore Liverpool and focus on their own challenge if they want to successfully defend the title. Gabriel Jesus scored twice before Conor Coady diverted into his own net after Willy Boly had been sent off before half-time at the Etihad Stadium. Guardiola knows the champions cannot afford to drop many more points but warned his players: ‘I don’t have a magic ball to discover how many points we need. I said to them don’t look at the schedule, don’t watch the calendar for the Liverpool games, forget about it. ‘If that happens you lose your own games in my experience. Then it’s over. If Liverpool win then I will congratulate Jurgen Klopp because it will be well deserved. ‘All we can do is win our games. You saw the incredible results Wolves have had, that’s why
I’m pleased with the win. We cannot control what Liverpool do. All we can do is be there until the end.’ City have already scored 99 goals in all competitions this season and were able to leave Sergio Aguero, Kevin De Bruyne and Riyad Mahrez on the bench. Guardiola claimed his forwards did not ‘attack the box’ with enough gusto and was unimpressed by goalkeeper Ederson charging 40 yards out of his goal late in the game and exchanging passes with Fernandinho and Ilkay Gundogan. Wolves boss Nuno Espirito Santo had no complaints with Boly’s 19th-minute red card after he scythed down Bernardo Silva. Boly later apologised to Silva. ‘It was very close to me and it’s a red card — it’s clear,’ he said. ‘We are sad, disappointed but at the same time we know what happened. ‘We started well but conceded in a way we shouldn’t. Then the red card, you stay in the game, but City score and the speed they move the ball… we have to be realistic. ‘The only positive is that it was an experience for us.’