Pep Guardiola – CaughtOffside

Chelsea face uphill battle to land world-class 20-year-old with four other Premier League clubs circling

Jason Pettigrove — Tue, 31 Oct 2023 08:01:42 +0000

Once the January transfer window comes around, there’s bound to be movement from the blue half of west London as Chelsea attack the market once more.

It’s become something of a theme of Todd Boehly’s ownership that he needs to flex when the game’s best talent becomes available.

Though he certainly can’t be accused of not backing his managers in the transfer market, there’s a cogent argument as to whether the club’s current transfer policy is the best way of doing business.

In any event the wheels already appear to be being set in motion for one player that’s yet to be put on the market by his current club.

That’s because Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz is clearly one of the top young talents in European football, and any team would benefit by having him in their side.

TeamTalk note that Chelsea are showing the most interest in him, but he’s also being monitored by Man City, Arsenal, Tottenham and Newcastle.

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Bayern Munich and Barcelona are also mentioned as possible destinations for the 20-year-old.

Despite his relatively young age, Wirtz has played for the German national team on 12 occasions (per TeamTalk) and very obviously has the brightest of futures in the game.

It remains to be seen whether Leverkusen can hang onto him, with perhaps the future of coach, Xabi Alonso, tied into Wirtz’s.

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Exclusive: “City are on another level” – Fabrizio Romano not surprised by Man United’s Derby defeat

Mark Brus — Mon, 30 Oct 2023 10:07:00 +0000

Manchester City are on another level right now, according to Fabrizio Romano as he responded to the Manchester Derby in his exclusive column for the Daily Briefing.

City won 3-0 away to Man Utd yesterday in what was an almost embarrassingly comfortable result for Pep Guardiola’s treble winners, with Erling Haaland scoring twice and Phil Foden adding a third at Old Trafford.

United just weren’t in this game at any point, and Romano admits it’s partly because City are on another level to almost everyone right now.

Guardiola’s men are capable of dominating even the very best teams in Europe, such as Real Madrid in last season’s Champions League semi-final, and it’s also fair to say that United are a long way off Europe’s elite these days anyway.

Pep Guardiola celebrates victory in the Manchester Derby

Still, Romano preferred to focus on the positives of City’s display, with the club well ahead of where United are right now in terms of how they’re structured at basically every level.

Exclusive: Fabrizio Romano names “the most important thing” that has to change after Man Utd defeat to City

Mark Brus — Mon, 30 Oct 2023 09:08:00 +0000

Fabrizio Romano has responded to the Manchester Derby defeat with his analysis on what needs to change for Manchester United and struggling manager Erik ten Hag.

Writing exclusively for the Daily Briefing, Romano explained that he feels Man Utd need to resolve the ownership issues behind the scenes, and stressed that he still feels Ten Hag needs more time at Old Trafford.

The Dutch tactician will be in the spotlight after a poor start to the season, with results and performances looking a long way from what fans will have been expecting, even if many will have been under no illusion that this was always going to be a long-term project that would require time and patience.

There are legitimate concerns about how Ten Hag has the Red Devils playing, though, but Romano insists there’s no change at the club right now in terms of the security of the manager’s position.

Erling Haaland scored twice as Man City beat Man Utd 3-0 at Old Trafford

Manchester United vs Manchester City team news

Connor Holden — Fri, 27 Oct 2023 21:45:00 +0000

Manchester United (8th in the Premier League) take on Manchester City (2nd in the Premier League) on Sunday, 29th of October, at Old Trafford, at 15:30 PM (BST).

The last time these sides faced, Manchester City beat Manchester United 2-1 at Wembley in the FA Cup Final. Goals from Ilkay Gundogan (X2) for City, and a goal from Bruno Fernandes for United.

Manchester United won their previous Premier League game, beating Sheffield United 2-1 at Bramall Lane. Goals from Scott McTominay and Diogo Dalot for Manchester United, and a goal from Oli McBurnie for Sheffield.

Manchester City also won their last Premier League fixture, beating Brighton 2-1 at the Etihad. Goals from Julian Alvarez and Erling Haaland for City, and a goal from Ansu Fati for Brighton.

How to watch Manchester United vs Manchester City

Date: Sunday, October 29th, 2023
Kickoff: 15:30 PM (BST)
TV Network: Sky Sports
Venue: Old Trafford

Team News:

Manchester United will remain without Lisandro Martinez, Tyrell Malacia, Luke Shaw and Amad Diallo through injury, whilst there will be late fitness tests for Casemiro and Aaron Wan-Bissaka to determine their availability ahead of Sunday.

Manchester City will remain without long term absentee Kevin de Bruyne through injury, as well as Manuel Akanji who is unavailable due to suspension after picking up two yellow cards and therefore a sending off against Brighton.

Predicted XI:

Manchester United: Onana, Dalot, Maguire, Varane, Reguilon, McTominay, Casemiro, Fernandes, Rashford, Antony, Hojlund.

Manchester City: Ederson, Gvardiol, Dias, Stones, Walker, Rodri, Silva, Foden, Alvarez, Doku, Haaland.

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Pep Guardiola condemns ‘vile’ chants from banned Manchester City fans

Sean Walker — Fri, 27 Oct 2023 17:31:07 +0000

Pep Guardiola has spoken out against the Manchester City fans who the club banned after ‘vile’ chants about Sir Bobby Charlton.

The Manchester United legend sadly passed away on Saturday at the age of 86 with the majority of the footballing world paying tribute to him.

Unfortunately, footage emerged of ‘two minor’ Manchester City fans chanting about Charlton’s death on social media.

The club have now taken action against the two and banned them from attending any games.

In honour of the England legend, a minute’s applause will take place prior to kick-off in the Manchester derby on Sunday.

Speaking ahead of the game, Guardiola condemned the chants.

“They don’t represent us – Mike Summerbee going to Old Trafford to sign the [condolences] book on behalf of us is what represents us,” said Guardiola,” he said via the BBC.

“Alcohol makes bad things in people.

“[We have] huge respect for Man United – we prove it losing and winning – and especially for Sir Bobby,”

Currently sitting in 8th place, Manchester United needs to beat the treble winners to stay in touching distance with the top four.

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Exclusive: Stan Collymore on the complete meltdown at Man City if Everton are charged

Jason Pettigrove — Fri, 27 Oct 2023 12:15:32 +0000

The news that Everton could be docked 12 points by the Premier League for one instance of financial irregularity could have massive consequences for Man City according to Stan Collymore.

The pundit, who is never short of a strong opinion or two, even suggested the the club will go into complete meltdown at the thought of being bounced to the bottom of the English league football pyramid.

‘The Premier League are quite prevalent at briefing journalists and if they’re throwing a 12 point deduction at Everton, which is a significant sanction against one club, for the 114/115 charges that are facing Man City, they’re effectively saying ‘we’re ready, our lawyers are across all of this now, and as an organisation we will not accept it,” Collymore wrote in his exclusive CaughtOffside column.

‘Manchester City’s lawyers have tried to kick things into the long grass for quite a number of years now and these aren’t fresh charges. The Premier League are almost prepping the footballing public as to the severity.’

It’s certainly a strange situation when Man City’s historic and significant charges are still not dealt with but Everton, with just a single charge levied against them, appear to be getting hauled before the authorities in double-quick time.

‘Most people would look at Everton and say they feel a little bit for them. They’ve had a shaky time and they’ve never offended anybody, and they come from a great footballing city,’ Collymore continued.

‘If the Premier League can go straight away bang 12 points that might relegate them for the first time in I think 70 years, they would have no qualms whatsoever in throwing the book at Man City.

‘Even if just a quarter of those charges were proven, there is a situation where Manchester City will not only be bounced out of the Premier League, but thrown towards the bottom of the pyramid.’

Given the immense financial backing that Man City’s owners have, it’s a given that they will be able to call upon the services of the best legal teams in the world.

If the Premier League are going to press ahead as Collymore believes, then having taken their time before making their move is likely to serve the EPL better than if it had already gone all guns blazing to try and ensure City were punished.

‘The stakes are so great now it could mean an absolute meltdown for Man City, to the kind of proportions that Rangers suffered in Scotland when they fell foul of paying players via elaborate schemes,’ Collymore added.

‘The Premier League only have the remit to be able to kick them out of the Premier League of course, but the Football Association and the Football League won’t want them in the top divisions of their competition either. City will go to the very bottom of the pile.’

There’s still no timescale on whether any charges will ultimately be brought, and whether the proposed sanctions will be authorised and actioned.

Until there is complete clarity, both Everton and Man City are likely to be waiting on tenterhooks.

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Man City bracing themselves as Saudi’s set to approach superstar

Jason Pettigrove — Fri, 27 Oct 2023 06:40:10 +0000

Despite the many billions it’s believed that their owners have, even Man City are susceptible to approaches from the Saudi Pro League it seems.

The current treble winners have already seen Riyad Mahrez move from the Premier League to the Emirates, and with the avenues of communication therefore already open, Football Insider are reporting a tentative approach for another City ace.

The outlet suggest that talisman, Kevin De Bruyne is next on their radar, and with the Belgian out of contract in 2025, it’s a potential switch which could interest the club, if not yet the player.

Given that De Bruyne will be 33 by the start of the 2024/25 season, and that he could potentially improve on his £400,000 per week salary (Capology) at that stage of his career, it means that a move simply can’t be dismissed out of hand.

At the very least there might be the expectation that the player’s representatives will hear out any proposal, and in so doing that could then give De Bruyne a decision to make.

There’s no suggestion at this stage that City are preparing to offer him an extension either which appears to be a prudent decision given the player’s recent injury worries.

It would certainly be another feather in the cap of the Pro League if they’re able to tempt De Bruyne, and time will tell if he’s willing to make what might be expected to be the last big move of his career.

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“I don’t judge him” – Guardiola makes huge Haaland claim after Champions League brace

Darren Looney — Thu, 26 Oct 2023 15:22:01 +0000

Erling Haaland fired Man City to a 3-1 win over Young Boys on Wednesday night as the Norway international scored his first goals in the Champions League this season.

The striker scored the winner from the penalty spot before hitting a beauty to seal the three points for City after Meschack Elia had cancelled out Manuel Akanji’s opener with a superb strike.

This followed Haaland’s winner against Brighton at the weekend as the 23-year-old looks to be getting back to his best after a slow start to the season by his standards.

There is a lot of expectation on the Man City star following the campaign he put together last season where he broke the Premier League record for most goals in a single season and finished with 52 goals in all competions.

Strikers are judged at the end of the season by how many goals they score but that is not the case with Pep Guardiola.

Haaland vs Young Boys

Man City boss Pep Guardiola doesn’t judge Haaland by his goals

Following the match in Switzerland, Man City boss Pep Guardiola claimed there is no pressure on Haaland to score goals as that is not what he judges him on.

The Spaniard said via the Daily Mail: “There is the impression after last season that he has to score seven goals every single game. That is impossible.

“But he is scoring a lot of goals and if people want him to fail because he doesn’t score 50 goals it doesn’t matter. He is always there.

“The second goal was really good and he had other chances. The important thing is to create them.

“Maybe in the right moment of the season he will be there, better than now, but he has already scored a lot of goals and we are really pleased.

“I’ve told him many times I don’t judge him for scoring goals, although I know he wants to score goals. He has the desire to improve and I don’t have doubts about that.”

The post “I don’t judge him” – Guardiola makes huge Haaland claim after Champions League brace appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Gary Neville makes incredibly bold Premier League title prediction that’ll upset Man City fans

Jason Pettigrove — Thu, 26 Oct 2023 12:43:57 +0000

Gary Neville has long been an outspoken voice about all things football and politics, and his latest gambit may well annoy Man City supporters.

The former Man United right-back, to his credit, has never held back on his condemnation of the way his former club is run, so anyone suggesting that Neville has an agenda against their cross-city rivals is barking up the wrong tree.

Given his allegiance, and that he has never held back in his compliments on the way in which City have been run and how their team under Pep Guardiola has redefined the way we think about football, he should be lauded for his honesty.

Though he’s an acquired taste for some, Neville’s voice is still one that gets heard above all the other ‘noise.’ Not frightened of voicing an opinion and being able to back it up, when he speaks people listen.

Arsenal https://t.co/u7B1AEpMac

— Gary Neville (@GNev2) October 26, 2023

During a Q&A on X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday, he posted some quick fire answers to questions from some of his followers.

User @MarkyDub asked him who will win the (Premier) league, and his response was a bold one.

His one word ‘Arsenal’ answer didn’t have any other context attached, but he clearly believes that the north Londoners can go one better than they did last year when City overhauled them in the final weeks of the campaign.

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Man City and Liverpool keeping tabs on 21-year-old who is set to leave Chelsea

Jason Pettigrove — Thu, 26 Oct 2023 07:50:52 +0000

As has been the case over the past few transfer windows, Chelsea can be expected to be one of the busier clubs for incomings and outgoings.

For whatever reason, Todd Boehly seems keen for the Blues to keep shuffling their pack, and one of the next players to leave Stamford Bridge is expected to be 21-year-old prospect, Ian Maatsen.

According to TeamTalk, the west Londoners are looking to change things around in the left-back position, and with the Dutchman seemingly not being able to make any headway in the first-team under Mauricio Pochettino, he will be moved on.

Both Liverpool and Man City are credited with an interest in the player but whether that would be enough to see them make a bid isn’t clear at this point.

From the Reds perspective, much will depend on the recovery of Andrew Robertson, who has been a mainstay on the left side of the Liverpool defence for years now.

Maatsen is clear that he won’t return to Burnley where he spent some time on loan, given their current troubles towards the foot of the Premier League.

Clearly he needs to be playing regularly, however, and whomever happens to be the successful bidder can surely point to value for money given how many years he might be expected to play at the top level, given his age and injuries permitting.

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