PEP’S SHIRTY
City pass ‘toughest test’ to extend run
GABRIEL JESUS has hardly been a knockout since he took to wearing a gum shield – but he landed the killer punch for Manchester City here.
Pep Guardiola counted out his 12th win on the bounce all told.
And though it was hardly an exhibition bout, his men still left Chris Wilder nursing another bloody nose.
Jesus’s ninth-minute winner came courtesy of Ferran Torres’s tenacity and the kind of defending that would have had the Sheffield United boss pulling his hair out all the way back across the Pennines.
It was the Brazilian’s first Premier League goal since early November, when City were struggling to get into their stride.
Now City are unbeaten in 19 games all told. Jesus was not alone in braving short sleeves as City had to tough this one out in cruel conditions to secure the 500th win of their boss’s career. Guardiola said: “It is a good number.
“When I woke up and looked out of my building and saw the freezing wind, I said it was going to be the toughest game of the season.
“Sheffield United also showed why this is the toughest league in the world.
“They are bottom of the table, but we always struggle against their physicality.
“We still played perfectly. We don’t have individuals who can win us the game by scoring two or three goals, so we have to play as a team.
“My players ran hard because they knew it would be difficult.
“We were 12th a few weeks ago. Now we are top. But there will be a time when we drop points.”
Guardiola made five changes to the team that enjoyed a romp at West Brom in midweek.
Wilder swapped four of the players that rocked the red side of Manchester 24 hours later.
The Blades boss had a gameplan to frustrate the hosts. But it was soon in shreds when Jesus scored early on.
Torres was pinned by the byline by Jayden Bogle and Ethan Ampadu, and when the Spaniard slipped to the turf it seemed City’s attack would come to nothing.
But he somehow managed to return to his feet with the ball still under his control.
And when Torres crossed for Jesus, the Brazilian had space and time to take a touch before lifting a shot past Aaron Ramsdale.
“The one disappointment I’ve got was the goal,” said Wilder (above).
“It was a poor one to give away and when you’re a goal down at City after nine minutes you have to wonder whether they are going to take you to the cleaners. There is no pat on the back when you lose any game.
“But there is a way to lose – and I thought we showed that we are ready to give it a go.
“Over the last two or three weeks we have found our identity again. And to hear a manager like Pep say we are a team that is still alive is something I agree with.”
City’s domination in terms of possession was virtually complete.
But United stayed in the contest in the hope they could play on some fraying nerves in the dying stages.
And that’s how it transpired. Ramsdale saved bravely at the feet of Jesus when he looked favourite to put the finishing touch to another Torres cross.
And a brilliant City move ended with Oleksandr Zinchenko arrowing a first-time shot from 25 yards towards the top corner only to be denied by Ramsdale.
But when Wilder sent on Billy Sharp and Oliver McBurnie to join David McGoldrick for the last 14 minutes, it did start to unnerve the home side.
And the visitors came within a whisker of snatching a point four minutes from time when Sharp chested down for John Fleck to send a fierce half-volley flashing past Ederson’s post with the City keeper beaten.
“I thought it was in,” said Wilder.
But City have conceded just two goals in 1,105 minutes of football.
It needed another wonderful Ramsdale save to deny Jesus a second goal in the final minute.
There is no pat on the back when you lose... but over the last few weeks we have found our identity again
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