TROLLING STONES IS OFF HIS CLOUD
Pope rocks City but the last laugh goes to John
Port Vale’s Tom Pope backed up his boast to score against John Stones but couldn’t prevent holders Manchester City easing to victory.
Veteran Vale striker Pope claimed in a mocking tweet last summer that he would score 40 a season if he played against City defender Stones every week.
He came good as he cancelled out an Oleksandr Zinchenko opener at the Etihad Stadium but the League Two minnows were ultimately outclassed as Sergio Aguero, Taylor Harwood-Bellis and Phil Foden netted for the Premier League champions.
Stones thought he had even levelled up his personal battle with Pope by grabbing City’s third but it was eventual ly awarded to Harwood-Bellis.
Brass-necked troll Pope tried to swap shirts at the end with City’s stars and said: “I managed to get Zinchenko’s – the rest of them pied me off.
“Scoring was good for about five minutes until they got the second.”
This was Stones’ first game back after a month out with a hamstring injury and all eyes were on him and Pope, who created an early chance for Scott Burgess only for the shot to be deflected wide. That minor scare over, City took the lead after 20 minutes, although Zinchenko’s long-ranger took a big deflection.
Vale nabbed a shock 35th-minute equaliser when Partick old boy David Amoo broke clear down.
Amoo picked out Pope with a precise cross and the 34-year-old stole ahead of Harwood-Bellis to plant a firm header past Claudio Bravo. Inevitably observers had to check Stones’ positioning but the England star was not at fault.
City responded in clinical fashion and Foden’s volleyed cross was turned in by Aguero.
The third goal came just before the hour when Stones’ shot from five yards went in off HarwoodBellis. Foden added a fourth in the 76th minute.