71 Arsenal - Villa(h), Wolves(a), Chelsea(h), Spurs(a), Bournemouth(h), Utd(a), Everton(h)

71 Liverpool - Palace(h), Fulham(a), Everton(a), West Ham(a), Spurs(h), Villa(a), Wolves(h)

70 City - Luton(h), Brighton(a), Forest(a), Wolves(h), Fulham(a), West Ham(h), spurs(a)

saw comments from city fans

City should have been out of the race this season with:

1.Our indifferent form.
2.treble hangover.
3.going for 4 titles.
4. Overall mental and physical exhaustion.
5. Relying on a league 2 player in haaland.
6. Still 3 trophies to win.
7. Fair share of injuries especially to key players.
8. Brutal March fixture list.
9. Losing Gundo and Mahrez.
10. Signing Philips leaving Rodri no break again.



This post has been edited by kjs86: Apr 8 2024, 05:56 PM

Premier League champions Manchester City have reportedly ‘agreed personal terms’ with West Ham and Brazil international Lucas Paqueta.

Manchester City, who have travelled over to the continent without two key names in defence in club captain Kyle Walker and left-sided option Nathan Ake.

Now, Pep Guardiola has issued a further concern for supporters to come to terms with, as the Catalan coach begins to finalise his own thoughts for a crucial clash in their Treble-hunting season.

Speaking during his pre-match press conference at the Santiago Bernabeu on Monday night, Manchester City manager confirmed that despite travelling with the squad to the Spanish capital, Josko Gvardiol remains a ‘doubt’ for the contest.

Ortega Moreno, Akanji, Stones, Dias ©, Gvardiol, Rodrigo, Kovacic, Bernardo, Foden, Grealish, Haaland.

3-2

3-3

Draw away games, win home games, that's how you do it in the Champions League

Player Ratings

Stefan Ortega – 6.5
Wasn’t at fault for any of the goals, but thought his distribution and decision making was off. Often times went long instead of attempting a slightly more difficult pass to an open teammate.

Manuel Akanji – 7
It’s an incredibly difficult task to mark Rodrygo or Vinicius, even more difficult when they’re both line-up up on your side. Kyle Walker would’ve been the preferred option but the Swiss defender held his own.

Ruben Dias – 7.5
Incredibly unlucky on the own goal, and was solid for the most part for the rest of the match.

John Stones – 8
Stones began to look like his old self at times in the second-half despite looking injured for a moment. Even came up big on the defensive end a few times as well. Just need him to stay healthy.

Josko Gvardiol – 9
Once again the Croatian is looking better and better with each performance. Gvardiol is making less and less mistakes and looks more smooth and confident on the ball. Great goal too!

Rodri – 7
Solid Rodri performance. Wasn’t world class and misplayed a few balls but far from a shocker. Still controlled the game.

Mateo Kovacic -7
He was asked to keep possession and control the game, and for the most part thats what he did. Was anonymous at times, but felt like that was the point.

Bernardo Silva – 8 (MOTM)
Forever a big match player. Was there wrong decision to swap him and Foden in the first half nevus he was clearly at his best when he was allowed to roam wide and attack. Excellent thinking for the opening goal.

Jack Grealish – 7.5
Wasn’t as effective in the second-half but was excellent in the opening 45 minutes. Helped bring any glimpse of control to the first half.

Haaland – 6
Haaland’s build up play has improved, but he needs to work on fighting off stronger centre-backs. Once again Rudiger got the best of him. It’s become a trend.

Substitutes:

Julian Alvarez – N/A

Player Ratings

Ortega: It felt like he could do nothing about the first goal and very little with the second, and nothing with the third. Got his positioning spot on to keep City in it in the first half. 7

Akanji: Given a rough old time up against Rodrygo but improved as the contest went on as City dealt with the counter better. 6

Stones: Really good stepping into midfield, creating the links City needed to build. A lovely assist for Foden on the edge of the Real box. 8

Dias: A shaky start before steadying himself and making sure Ortega had protection at the back. 7

Gvardiol: What a goal! And what a time to score it! Looked to have deserted his post when Valverde whacked in the third and a few errant passes but that goal was terrific. 7

Rodri: Another poor performance, as wayward with his passing as he was at Palace. City needed more from him. 5

Kovacic: Presumably a late call to replace De Bruyne, he also struggled to give City a presence in the middle and was too easily dispossessed. 5

Foden: Last year it was De Bruyne who stepped up and this time it was Foden with a rocket. Hopefully the injury isn't serious. 8

Silva: An amazing start with the free-kick but joined Rodri in being uncharacteristically poor with the ball at his feet. 6

Grealish: Won the free-kick that City scored from and created chances when few others were. Surely played his way into the return leg. 7

Haaland: An amazing burst of pace to dispossess Vinicius but offered nothing up front as he lost too many duels against Rudiger. 5

Player Ratings

GK: Stefan Ortega - 6/10 - Could do nothing about either goal in the first half but seemed a little nervous.

RB: Manuel Akanji - 4/10 - Just couldn't keep up with Rodrygo at all. Could do nothing about his deflection but it always felt like something like that was coming.

CB: John Stones - 6/10 - Spent a lot of time in midfield and was even spotted as a shadow striker at times.

CB: Ruben Dias - 5/10 - Helpless for his own goal but, like Akanji, struggled whenever Rodrygo started coming at him.

LB: Josko Gvardiol - 8/10 - A solid defensive showing which featured an unbelievable screamer to put City ahead.

DM: Rodri - 7/10 - Overwhelmed in the first half before really stepping up after the break. Helped drag his team back into the game.

RM: Bernardo Silva - 7/10 - A moment of genius to open the scoring in a pretty impressive performance that saw Silva constantly buzz around in search of possession.

CM: Mateo Kovacic - 6/10 - Found it really tough to get into the first half but worked alongside Rodri to help turn the game on its head after the break.

CM: Phil Foden - 7/10 - Didn't get as many touches as he would have liked but made the most of his time on the ball with a sensational goal.

LM: Jack Grealish - 7/10 - Struggled in the first half but created plenty of problems in the second once City actually got going.

ST: Erling Haaland - 4/10 - Was given no room to breathe by Madrid's back line and was hardly involved as a result.

Substitutes
SUB: Julian Alvarez (87' for Foden) - N/A

Manager
Pep Guardiola - 7/10 - Got the first half all wrong but whatever he said to his players at half time should be studied. Turned things around without even making any changes.

This post has been edited by kjs86: Apr 10 2024, 05:38 AM

Player Ratings

Stefan Ortega (6/10):
Beaten by two cruel deflections and a fierce Valverde strike. Couldn't pass with his usual composure and often resorted to long boots downfield with little success.

Manuel Akanji (5/10):
Struggled to live Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo.

John Stones (6/10):
Had a couple of forays forward but when Madrid got control of the game he was forced back. Regained his confidence and composure after the break.

Ruben Dias (5/10):
Struggled to cope with Madrid's pace on the counter. Turned his back for Camavinga's shot and deflected it in.

Josko Gvardiol (8/10):
His finest performance for City and vindicated the club's decision to spend €90m (£77m/$97m) on him. Defended aggressively, moved the ball around well and scored an absolute screamer.

Rodri (5/10):
Lost the ball too often and met his match in Jude Bellingham. A rare off night for the Spaniard but still extended his incredible unbeaten record to 65 games for club and country.

Mateo Kovacic (6/10):
Stayed calm amid the chaos and did his job well.

Bernardo Silva (6/10):
Scored a devilish free-kick but gave the ball away a lot.

Phil Foden (7/10):
Showcased his enormous talent on a top-level European game after dominating the Premier League all season.

Erling Haaland (3/10):
Was made to look small against the formidable Toni Rudiger. Didn't have a single shot or create even a whiff of danger.

Jack Grealish (6/10):
A typically selfless and intelligent display. Stepped it up a level in the second half and his hold-up play was crucial to City getting back in it.

Julian Alvarez (N/A):
Replaced Foden in the 85th minute.

Pep Guardiola (5/10):
Named a defensive line-up and the gameplan backfired as Madrid performed better for much of the 90 minutes. Foden and Gvardiol got him out of trouble and protected him from an inquest.

Player Ratings

Stefan Ortega - 6
Nothing the German could do about any of the goals. Decent with his feet in possibly dangerous areas.

Manuel Akanji - 6
Did well to initially hold Rodrygo up for the Brazilian’s but an argument he should have hung back in the build-up.

John Stones – 8
The one who really wanted to progress the ball. Such a clever ball for Phil Foden’s equaliser. Oozed class.

Ruben Dias – 5.5
An unsteady display. Never seemed completely sure of himself and it might’ve transmitted to others.

Josko Gvardiol – 7
A stunning goal to smash in City’s third, although may think he could’ve done more to thwart Valverde.

Rodri - 5
City’s back four needed far more protection than Rodri offered. Sloppy on the ball before the break too.

Bernardo Silva – 7
Genuis early free-kick. Attempted to slow the game down off the right but caught on it a few times.

Mateo Kovacic – 5
First thought was always backwards. Didn’t seem to sit in for Rodri intelligently enough either.

Phil Foden - 7
Very quiet in a central role all night – until he smashed in the equaliser, underlining his importance.

Jack Grealish - 7
Superb run to win the Silva free kick. Wasn’t utilised enough to isolate Carvajal. Looked lively.

Erling Haaland - 6
More involvement when the referee accidentally struck him on the nose at half-time than during the entire first half. Did improve significantly after the break.

This post has been edited by kjs86: Apr 10 2024, 05:45 AM

Ederson, Lewis, Akanji, Dias, Gvardiol, Kovacic, Nunes, De Bruyne ©, Alvarez, Doku, Haaland.

Player Ratings

Ederson – 7
For most of the match it was one of the least involved performances of the season. Made an excellent kick-save late, wasn’t at fault for the goal.

Rico Lewis – 8
Felt like he was the metronome for the right side of the pitch. Rarely put a foot wrong all match, like always. The epitome of control.

Ruben Dias – 8
Excellent in the buildup, had the most touched by a wide margin and spent more time at the edge of the box then anywhere else on the pitch.

Manuel Akanji – 7.5
Wasn’t as involved in the buildup, but still solid nonetheless.

Josko Gvardiol – 8.5
Continues to look the part. Yet another brilliant goal too.

Matheus Nunes – 6
Never looks great against low blocks, wasn’t terrible but the touch to give upon the goal was really sloppy. He will be better.

Mateo Kovacic -8.5
Everything you could have wanted in a Rodri replacement performance, even down to the goal.

Julian Alvarez – 8
Was a little quiet at times, but was good in possession and the ball to Kovacic was great.

Kevin De Bruyne 9.5 (MOTM)
Some poor finishing will render this performance as forgotten, but De Bruyne was absolutely excellent .

Jeremy Doku – 9
Continues to look better and better after each performance. Finally gets some space on the counter and scores a lovely goal.

Erling Haaland – 7
Glad he got his goal, but the finishing needs to be fixed. ASAP.

Substitutes:

Oscar Bobb – 7

Sergio Gomez – 6

Player Ratings

Ederson: Had nothing to worry about at the back and made a couple of trademark passes to De Bruyne along the floor. 7

Lewis: Another useful performance at right-back stepping up the pitch, showing that he can be used in more games in the run-in. 7

Akanji: Solid as you would expect from one of City's best players this season, barely breaking sweat while keeping the backline in control. 7

Dias: Confident enough to adventure forward and try his luck at goal a few times as City dominated, with no worries at the back. 7

Gvardiol: Mostly very good both defensively and supporting the attack with another goal, but did get caught out by Onyedinma in the second half. 8

Kovacic: Tidy up and down the pitch, and a very good goal to make the game more comfortable for City in the second half. 7

Nunes: Basic errors let him down again, costing City for Barkley's goal late on and marring another performance that had some bright notes in it. 5

De Bruyne: His highlights were very good and he was the most creative player on the pitch, although the all-round performance was lacking. 7

Alvarez: Started wide on the right and struggled to make an impact on the game with poor decision-making in the final third. 6

Doku: Did well to draw the penalty for the third goal and even better to score the fourth after an afternoon that had flattered to deceive. 8

Haaland: Looked like he was trying too hard to score, but after getting lucky with the first he kept his cool for the penalty. 7

Substitutes

Gomez (for De Bruyne, 81) Eyes lit up as the ball arrived on the edge of the box but fell over. 6

Bobb (for Haaland, 81) Quickly into his rhythm on the right wing. 6

Player Ratings

GK: Ederson - 6/10 - Back in goal after missing the last few games with a thigh injury. Didn't have an awful lot to do and was well protected by his centre-backs.

RB: Rico Lewis - 6/10 - Supported the wide midfielders well and made the right passes at the right times.

CB: Ruben Dias - 7/10 - Strong and experienced. Was an aerial threat for most of the game.

CB: Manuel Akanji - 6/10 - Quiet but an integral member of City's backline. Was happy to stay back when fellow defenders Dias and Gvardiol attacked.

LB: Josko Gvardiol - 7/10 - Deservedly got on the scoresheet. A fine display, posing a significant attacking threat throughout the match.

CM: Matheus Nunes - 7/10 - Versatile. Appeared plenty of times in Luton's box and had a number of attempts at goal. Did his defensive duty very well.

CM: Mateo Kovacic - 7/10 - Reliable. Swept away the danger and kept running. Top-drawer finish to double City's lead.

RM: Julian Alvarez - 6/10 - Not the most dazzling of displays. Could have benefitted from playing in a more central role.

AM: Kevin De Bruyne - 7/10 - Sent in plenty of crosses and his intricate passing caught the Luton defence out more often than not.

LM: Jeremy Doku - 7/10 - Saw plenty of the ball and demonstrated formidable pace. Proved to be a real handful for many of Luton's players. Arguably scored the goal of the match.

ST: Erling Haaland - 7/10 - Had a say in the opening goal and sent Kaminski the wrong way from the spot. A good performance following a few below par displays.

Substitutes

SUB: Sergio Gomez (81' for De Bruyne) - N/A)

SUB: Oscar Bobb (81' for Haaland) - N/A

Manager

Pep Guardiola - 8/10 - Addressed the necessary issues following a frustrating first half. Played fearless football and got the rewards.

Player Ratings

Ederson (6/10):
No clean sheet today. After having literally nothing to do in the first half, his crossbar was rattled by Cauley Woodrow before he was beaten by a smart finish from Ross Barkley for Luton's consolation goal.

Rico Lewis (7/10):
Bright and effective in that inverted full-back position on the right. Linked up well with the likes of De Bruyne and Nunes in front of him and proved once again he's a more than capable deputy for the absent Kyle Walker.

Manuel Akanji (6/10):
Often found himself in central midfield, such was City's domination. Had hardly anything to do from a defensive point of view, with Luton so focused on keeping the hosts out.

Ruben Dias (7/10):
Like Akanji, he had the freedom to start much higher up the pitch and cruised through what was a comfortable afternoon for him. Made over 100 successful passes which was more than anyone else on the pitch, De Bruyne included.

Josko Gvardiol (7/10):
Looked to cut in from the left flank and get shots away, like he did so effectively at the Bernabeu. One slack moment saw Fred Onyedinma wrestle past him, leading to Luton smacking the crossbar, but a largely positive performance that resulted in a stoppage-time goal.

Mateo Kovacic (7/10):
Flashed a deflected shot wide midway through the second half before thumping a half-volley into the net to make it 2-0. Not a bad way to score his first Premier League goal for City.

Kevin De Bruyne (8/10):
Wrap him up in cotton wool ready for Madrid. Dominated again here, especially in the first half, creating chance after chance. Will be disappointed he didn't record a goal or assist. Eventually taken off with 10 minutes left.

Matheus Nunes (5/10):
His afternoon was tarnished somewhat by his role in Luton's goal, as a loose touch on the half turn allowed Barkley to rob him and fire past Ederson.Julian Alvarez (5/10):
Provided a threat with his wicked deliveries from corners but his end product from open play was largely disappointing. Did get the assist for Kovacic's goal but nowhere near the levels he was hitting at the start of the season.

Erling Haaland (7/10):
After forcing the first goal, somewhat fortuitously, with his defected strike going in off the face of Daiki Hashioka, it looked as though he'd drift through the game without troubling the scorers. That changed with the award of the penalty, though, with Haaland stepping up for goal number 20 of the season in the league.

Jeremy Doku (8/10):
After a largely ineffective first half, he was far more decisive in the second and his clever bit of play in the box bamboozled Onyedinma to force the penalty. Expertly slotted home City's fourth goal with a mazy run and finish before getting another assist for Gvardiol's late goal. A top afternoon's work.

Substitutes

Sergio Gomez (N/A):
Came on late in the game with City cruising.

Oscar Bobb (N/A):
Replaced Erling Haaland with only 10 minutes to go.

Manager

Pep Guardiola (8/10):
He'll be delighted with that. Managed to rest the likes of Rodri, Jack Grealish and Phil Foden ready for Madrid and still got the emphatic result that not only put City back on top but also significantly boosted their goal difference.

Player Ratings

Ederson - 6.5
Should have been charged the price for admission. All he had to do was watch. Decent distribution on one of his quietest days at work.

Josko Gvardiol - 7.5

Had an early sight of goal when he stung the palms of Kaminski and he looks in the mood going forward. Good idea, too, given Luton offered nothing for him to worry about defensively. Had to wait until stoppage time for his goal.

Ruben Dias - 7
Went down looking for a penalty but got no sympathy from referee John Brookes during a dominant first half. A great leader for this side in what is a season-defining week.

Manuel Akanji - 6.5
Dependable, as he always is. Calm and composed - but didn’t have a lot to do.

Rico Lewis - 7
Slotting in at right back, it was a good tussle between him and Tahith Chong. Got forward at every opportunity. Glides past players effortlessly and home fans love him for it.

Mateo Kovacic - 7.5
With Rodri given the day off as he watched this one from the bench, it was down to the Croatian to anchor the midfield. Served up a stunning goal on the half volley right into the top corner. A stunner.

Matheus Nunes - 6
Should have done much better when played through on goal early in the second half, only to lose his footing at the crucial moment. His loose touch at the other end allowed Barkley to score.

Jeremy Doku - 8.5
Man of the match no doubt. He’s a constant livewire with his electric pace and he never gave Fred Onyedinma a moment’s peace. Won the penalty for Haaland to score, then finished off a sublime mazy run of his own. Still had time to tee up Gvardiol in the final stages for 5-1.

Kevin De Bruyne - 8
Looked a class apart as Luton camped themselves on the edge of their own box in the early stages. Some of his through balls were sublime. Booked and was one of the first Guardiola wanted to get off and rested.

Julian Alvarez - 6
A continuing source of frustration for his decision-making in the final third. Seems like every bright moment is quickly followed up by one that leaves you scratching your head in bewilderment. Did deliver the pin-point cross for Kovacic’s goal, though.

Erling Haaland - 6.5
Should have scored moments before he leathered one into the face of Daiki Hashioka for the opening goal. Quiet game by his standards but was cool as you like from the penalty spot.

Manager: Pep Guardiola - 8

Ederson; Walker, Dias, Akanji, Gvardiol; Rodri, De Bruyne, Foden; Bernardo, Haaland, Grealish.