In a season of great performances, that must surely rank as their best.
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It has left Manuel Pellegrini, who has a record of fielding strong teams in the FA Cup and League Cup, adamant that he has no alternative but to play a severely weakened side against Chelsea, against his wishes. If City get the first goal this game could see them use their experience to get the win, but if Leicester get the goal and the momentum, City will be sailing against the wind. “He’s just continuing the way he has done for the last two years”.
“Manchester City have the funds to be able to offer the top wages so put all of those pieces together, City are going to be some force going forward”.
Certainly, Ranieri believes Leicester’s continued heroics have their title rivals running scared, with City having no answer to the Foxes’ spirit, invention and defensive resilience, despite their line-up costing a mere £21.5million compared to City’s whopping £233.3million. They are the real deal. Historically, City have always been below United, and this gives them a psychological advantage, because they are coming from behind. Combined with a reasonable run-in, they have every chance.
Pep Guardiola’s arrival as manager this summer is likely to spark the departures of a number of players, including Yaya Toure, Samir Nasri, Martin Demichelis, Zabaleta himself and Aleksander Kolarov. The club called on the game’s power brokers to address the fixture congestion they believe is damaging English football.
All through the team there is quality, particularly with N’Golo Kante and Riyad Mahrez.
Time and again, Jamie Vardy, who’s known for his searing pace over the first 15 yards, was allowed to run off the City centre-backs who were both pressed high.
Tactically they were spot on and the distances between them were exactly right.
“Playing in every competition, every game is like a final”. We’re six points behind them now but there’s still a long way to go.
Losing in the Champions League could also be harmful to the Premier League’s UEFA co-efficient.
“It’s very easy. We have to play Champions League on Wednesday”.
Wilfried Bony will not be back in time for Saturday’s top-of-the-table clash with Leicester City and nor will Vincent Kompany, although the City skipper has returned to full training after playing just nine minutes in the last three months.
Signed from non-league Fleetwood Town for £1 million (RM6.03 million) in 2012, he is the Premier League’s top scorer with 18 goals and has become a regular member of Roy Hodgson’s England squad. However, that is the situation we find ourselves in now, despite how Manuel Pellegrini tried to play it down in his pre-match press conference. A fraction over £20m. (Jose) Mourinho, being three points from relegation, wasn’t sacked.
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The Bayern Munich boss has been a long-term target for City, but he opted for a year’s sabbatical from coaching before taking up the job in Germany, as reported by the Daily Mail.
