Liverpool decided against teenage Sergio Aguero because the Argentine was out of the club’s price-range, former boss Rafa Benitez told his press-conference before Newcastle’s game with Manchester City tonight.
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And the fixture captured the attention from all parts of the world for right and wrong reasons.
Kolarov whipped in an excellent set-piece from the left, and the offside Aguero got across the front post to nod beyond Darlow to make it 11 goals in nine Premier League appearances against the Magpies.
Cresswell scored a superb strike which nearly gave his team the three points against Leicester. The full-back’s forward runs were a mark of the game and he is an improving player for West Ham.
Aguero’s goal made him the second fastest player to reach 100 goals in the Premier League, behind Shearer, and City’s failure to build on that had plenty to do with the resoluteness of Newcastle.
Nonetheless, Newcastle recovered from the setback and Vurnon Anita equalised on the half hour with a low curling effort.
Pellegrini said he hoped to have Gael Clichy, Bacary Sagna and Samir Nasri on contention for Saturday’s home game with Stoke City, as he needs to preserve players for the Champions League semi-final first leg tie with Real Madrid the following Tuesday. “Hopefully we have the momentum and we have to keep believing”. We need to take it step-by-step, game-by-game and work hard like the last two games, and it will come for us.
City took the lead through Sergio Aguero, who scored from an offside position.
The hosts nearly won the game when Georginio Wijnaldum was denied by Joe Hart’s late save.
City remain third, a point ahead of Arsenal and five points above Manchester United, trailing leaders Leicester City by 12 points. He collected Townsend’s pass on the left and floated a crossfield ball out towards Anita, who cushioned it into his path before cutting inside and drilling left-footed past Hart and in off the base of the far post.
On a personal note, Sterling was just happy to get some time under his belt: “Getting back on the pitch was the most important thing for me”. That’s the sort of player he is and to be a top player that’s the sort of player you have to be’.
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The Chilean also had his say on the race for Champions League qualification, with fifth-placed Manchester United able to close to within two points of City with a win over Crystal Palace on Wednesday.
