SOME SANE DAY!
THE early season days when Pep Guardiola and Germany team- mate Toni Kroos questioned Leroy Sane’s attitude are a distant memory.
Whatever demons were lingering after Sane’s brutal World Cup snub by international boss Joachim Low, have now been e x orcised completely.
And that was just as well for Guardiola yesterday as Sane came to Manchester City’s rescue with an electrifying second-half show to keep the champion’s juggernaut rolling ominously on.
Sane’s world was turned upside down when Low chose Julian Brandt ahead of him for his Russia-bound squad last summer.
After a quite brilliant season for his club, that was enough to mess with anyone’s head, let alone a 22-year-old playing out of his skin.
No wonder, maybe, that Sane had a little wobble, inviting tough criticism from Real Madrid star Kroos.
Guardiola joined in by dropping Sane for a game against Newcastle in September but slowly, the youngster has rebuilt his reputation. He helped dig City out of a hole at the Etihad yesterday, assisting in the first and third goals on a day when Guardiola’s men initially fell short.
Sane’s pace, direct running, judgement and decision- making persuaded Guardiola to call him “incredible” in his post-match briefing and i nsist he never doubted the youngster.
But it wasn’t all back-slaps, and Guardiola told the young German if he wants to stay in the team every week like Kevin de Bruyne he has to deliver the nine out of ten performance every week – not when he feels like it.
As well as Sane, Raheem Sterling came alive in the second half to help drive out the memory of a first half that fell away alarmingly after Bernardo Silva’s early goal.
SSane’s’ world was turned upside down when Low chose Julian Brandt ahead of him for his Russiabound squad
Excitement
Credit must go to Bournemouth for a refreshing willingness to counterattack whenever possible and they were rewarded by a well- worked equaliser from Callum Wilson.
Five City changes from the Champions League draw at Lyon had l eft t hem l ooking l ess t han fearsome.
No Sergio Aguero, no John Stones with David Silva, Kyle Walker and Fabian Delph all on the bench.
Maybe it was a subtle ploy by Guardiola to breathe some excitement into the title race and make City look human after all.
If it was, it worked a treat for 45 minutes as for once, the champions looked like mere mortals.
Post match, Guardiola gave legs to the idea there was more atmosphere i n the Christmas markets in Manchester’s squares than in the stands and blamed his stars for not giving the crowd a gee-up. But are