MANCHESTER/ LONDON: Unbeaten Manchester City’s season shows no sign of losing momentum with 15 wins from 16 in all competitions after Wednesday’s 4-2 Champions League victory at Napoli.
City have not lost a competitive match anywhere since April, but that defeat came in the FA Cup semi-finals against Arsenal, the team who visit the Etihad Stadium in the Premier League on Sunday.
Manager Pep Guardiola has said he sees no possibility of City emulating the achievement of Arsenal’s ‘The Invincibles’ of 2003-04, by going through an entire Premier League season unbeaten.
“Apart from the defeat at Watford, Arsenal have won a lot of games,” said Guardiola. “It’s complicated for us. We hope we can recover well after the travel and the game in Naples. It’s so tough when you have the Champions League to consider. Arsenal played without their real squad on Thursday (Europa League group game against Red Star Belgrade), so they have effectively rested for one week. We will lack energy, so our fans will be important.”
City have scored 35 goals and conceded just six in their 10 league games so far, winning at Chelsea and thrashing Liverpool 5-0 in the process, leaving many rival managers wondering how they might be stopped.
Arsene Wenger has been encouraged by Arsenal side’s recent run of form that had seen them recover to win their previous three games before Thursday’s scoreless Europa League draw.
The visit to the Etihad Stadium, however, presents an altogether more demanding test and the Gunners manager knows his side must improve their awful record at the homes of the Premier League’s leading teams if they are to be considered title contenders.
The north London club last won at one of the established top six when they beat City in January 2015 and since then they have picked up just six points from a possible 42 in 14 away trips.
“We will try to play our game. We will not hide,” said Wenger. “When we go there, we want to defend well — but as well, you cannot go there and be focused on only defending. We want as well to play, have the ball and create dangerous situations. The best way to defend sometimes is to attack. If you want to play football, when you walk out on the pitch you have to accept the gamble and the risk. It is part of the game. After, you have to rate the risk. Is it a bigger risk only to defend than to attack if a team is very strong to attack? Maybe it is a bigger risk only to defend.” AFP
Morata, Lukaku seek return to form
Alvaro Morata and Romelu Lukaku will be under pressure to fire their teams back into the Premier League title race when the misfiring strikers clash in Chelsea’s showdown with Manchester United on Sunday.
Chelsea forward Morata and United front man Lukaku were the toast of their clubs after celebrating their close-season transfers with a barrage of goals.
But, with Chelsea and United battling to keep pace with leaders Manchester City, Morata and Lukaku have lost their midas touch at the wrong moment, putting them under the microscope at Stamford Bridge this weekend.
United fans have grown frustrated by Lukaku’s lack of contributions outside the penalty area, prompting Mourinho to chastise Old Trafford crowd for failing to give the striker enough support in last weekend’s win over Tottenham.
Lukaku responded to the doubters by admitting he is still a work in progress.
“You can’t judge me as the finished article. I’d rather have a career where year after year I improve rather than going to the top and decline,” he said.
