Man City Archives - Sport Social

Moyes confident Antonio injury is not serious

Posted on 26th October 202026th October 2020 by Marley Anderson

Antonio was on hand to score a sensational acrobatic effort to give the Hammers the lead, but was withdrawn after 52 minutes with a knock, which Moyes is confident won’t keep him out for too long.

The 57-year-old said he is confident Antonio was just suffering from cramp, hinting that he should be available for West Ham’s next game, which is away at Premier League champions Liverpool on Sunday afternoon.

Antonio has been in excellent form since the resumption of the league last season, scoring seven goals as he almost single-handedly dragged his side clear of the relegation battle, and has added three already this season.

Moyes will be hoping his top scorer can return to full fitness in time to help the Irons continue their impressive recent form, having picked up two points from two tough-looking fixtures against Spurs and Man City, enough to leave them sitting in 12th position after six games.

Premier League: Leeds United v Manchester City

Posted on 2nd October 20202nd October 2020 by Niall McCaughan

The Whites have won two of their three games back in the top flight after a 16-year absence, beating Sheffield United and Fulham after a brave opening day defeat to defending champions Liverpool.

Leeds will be without the man who assisted their winner last week though, as Jack Harrison is ineligible to play against his parent club after extending his loan spell at Elland Road in the summer. Bielsa hinted in his press conference that Macedonian Ezgjan Alioski is likely to start in his place.

Bayern Munich midfielder Mickael Cuisance was set to sign for the Yorkshire club in the coming days, failed a medical on Thursday, which collapsed the move. However, new boy Diego Llorente could make his debut after joining from Real Sociedad a week ago.

As for Manchester City, new defender Ruben Dias could be involved after completing a €68m move from Benfica in the week, with Nathan Ake potentially shifting across to left-back. Aymeric Laporte should make his first league appearance of the season after spending 10 days in isolation after contracting coronavirus.

Guardiola must decide what to do with his lack of strikers though, with Cole Palmer leading the line against Burnley in the Carabao Cup in midweek. Both he and Liam Delap are likely to be included in the squad, although either Riyad Mahrez or Raheem Sterling could start as a false nine in what is sure to be a tactical battle between Bielsa and Guardiola.

Speaking about the Spaniard, Bielsa insisted he does not feel like a mentor to the Man City manager, and claimed that the former Barcelona boss is independent in his ideas and that his teams play like no other.

Leeds United vs Manchester City at Elland Road kicks off on Saturday, October 3rd at 5.30pm.

Manchester City keen on Brazilian youngster

Posted on 27th August 202027th August 2020 by Niall McCaughan

The 17-year-old Gremio midfielder has posted a picture of himself on Instagram signing a contract but without explanation of what agreement he is finalising.

Brazilian media reports have claimed he has signed a deal with City.

However, while there is interest, no transfer has been concluded because the player does not turn 18 until October. It would therefore be January before a deal could be completed.

Work permit issues would also make it unlikely City would be his initial destination and the player could be loaned to another club within the City Football Group.

CFG operates nine clubs worldwide, including City, New York City, Melbourne City and Girona, with Belgian club Lommel added to the portfolio earlier this year.

Zinchenko defends wife over controversial Pep Guardiola criticism

Posted on 24th August 202024th August 2020 by Niall McCaughan

Zinchenko is married to broadcaster Vlada Sedan, who suggested on her YouTube channel that Pep Guardiola was at fault for Manchester City’s Champions League exit to Lyon earlier this month.

Sedan said:

“Perhaps I have no right to say this, and perhaps Zinchenko will forbid me, but to put it mildly, in order not to swear, this is completely Guardiola’s fault.

“At such a crucial moment, using such an experimental tactic for City was a bummer. I have no right to criticise, but why play three central defenders?

“I simply have no words because […] Look at the players City have, what a bench. Literally only a few clubs in the world can boast having such players at substitutes.”

The City full back has responded to the controversial claims made by his other half on his Instagram page, with the Ukrainian saying:

“About my wife. Although she is a journalist, she is also a fan. During the season she was travelling with us for all away and home games because she is a massive City fan!

“In the video you can see her emotions straight after the game and she gave an opinion like all fans do because she wanted us to do better.

“We totally understand now that she shouldn’t post it in the social media because she is my wife but she was not trying to make a journalist’s opinion of the manager of the team, she was simply reacting to her disappointment as a fan.

Manchester City to sell Pedro Porro

Posted on 3rd August 20207th August 2020 by Niall McCaughan

The defender – who hasn’t played a single game for City’s first team – arrived at the Etihad from Spanish side Girona last summer for €12m.

After spending the 2019/20 season on loan in La Liga at Real Valladolid, it now appears that the 20-year-old could be on his way out of Manchester City permanently if Portuguese side Sporting Lisbon activate his €8.5m release clause.

According to Portuguese outlet Record, City and Sporting enjoy a healthy relationship and the two sides have reached a ‘total agreement’ for the player on a two-year loan deal with an option to buy, despite him not having played a single competitive match for Pep Guardiola’s side.

Manchester City’s £41m Nathan Ake bid accepted by Bournemouth

Posted on 30th July 202030th July 2020 by Niall McCaughan

Questions have been asked of Manchester City defensively after they failed to replace talismanic captain Vincent Kompany after his departure from the Etihad Stadium at the end of last season.

Now it looks like Pep Guardiola has moved to try and address the strength of City’s centre back ranks, especially considering his side’s struggles in the absence of the impressive Aymeric Laporte for a large chunk of the campaign.

City have identified Bournemouth’s Nathan Ake as a player who can come in to the club and add more consistency to the back line. The 25-year-old has played 117 Premier League games for the Cherries and hasn’t committed a single error leading to a goal.

However, it must be said that the Dutch international has been part of a defence which has conceded 60+ goals for the past 4 seasons, with no other Premier League club shipping more goals than Bournemouth in that time.

The Cherries were relegated on Sunday after a 5-year stint in the Premier League, and I think it’s fair to say that Dutch international Ake has earned his chance at another top flight club.

Ake is regularly selected for the Dutch national side along with Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk and Juventus’ Matthijs de Ligt, both top class talents.

Due to Ake coming through the Chelsea academy, he also qualifies as a home grown player under Premier League rules, which is a bonus for Guardiola when constructing his squad for the new season.

However, it must be noted that although Bournemouth have accepted a £41m bid from Manchester City for Ake, that doesn’t explicitly mean he is going to join the club.

Due to the fact that Chelsea sold the Dutchman to the Cherries in 2015, the Blues do have the option to make a counter offer.

It seems unlikely this will happen, though, despite suggestions that Frank Lampard is looking to freshen up his defensive options at Stamford Bridge.

If City complete the acquisition of Nathan Ake, they won’t stop there in terms of bringing in defenders – the club are still keen to sign Napoli’s Kalidou Koulibaly, a defender who they feel has experience and can hit the ground running if he comes in.

That is the intelligence from The Athletic’s Manchester City correspondent Sam Lee, who is a regular contributor to our podcast Football Social Daily, which can you listen to wherever you get your podcasts.

Manchester City’s Champions League clash with Real Madrid in doubt after Covid-19 scare

Posted on 28th July 202029th July 2020 by Niall McCaughan

City, who hold a 2-1 advantage from the first leg which was played before lockdown, are due to play the second leg of the last 16 encounter with Madrid in Portugal on August 7.

However, there are now serious concerns as to whether the game can go ahead following Real Madrid’s confirmation that their Dominican striker Mariano Diaz has contracted coronavirus.

The original date for the second leg tie was scheduled for March, but that was postponed following news that a player from Real Madrid’s Basketball team – who share the same facilities as the footballers – returned a positive test.

Spanish radio reporter Fernando Burgos, who initially broke the news, tweeted that ‘the game against Manchester City is lost [translated]’.

The news comes just a matter of days after the UK added Spain to it’s quarantine list of destinations due to a rise in coronavirus cases, with anyone landing in the UK from Spain having to self-isolate for 14 days upon their arrival.

Real Madrid insist that Mariano Diaz is in good health and displaying no physical symptoms of the virus – however, regardless of these claims UEFA have a decision to make as to whether the game with Manchester City will go ahead as planned.