Liverpool ripped apart Manchester City with three goals inside the opening 31 minutes as they won their Champions League quarter-final, first leg tie 3-0 on Wednesday.

Anfield has witnessed many memorable European nights over the years and this will take its place among the most spectacular as a simply devastating, first-half display was crowned with goals from Mohamed Salah, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Sadio Mane.

The tie may not be over, with 90 minutes remaining at the Etihad on Tuesday, but Liverpool boss Juergen Klopp, who has enjoyed more wins over City counterpart Pep Guardiola than any other manager, will be delighted as his commitment to attacking football was amply rewarded.

Liverpool are the only team to have beaten City in the Premier League this season, with a thrilling 4-3 victory in January, and they repeated the formula of that success by attacking City’s defence from the outset.

Roared on by a particularly vocal home crowd, Liverpool put the Premier League’s champions-elect under intense pressure from the first kick and it took just 12 minutes for City to crack.

After a City corner, James Milner launched the ball forward, Salah broke from the halfway line and played the ball inside to Roberto Firmino.

His shot was blocked by City keeper Ederson but Firmino pounced on the loose ball and slipped it to Salah, who fired home.

City responded with a swift counter-attack of their own but Leroy Sane, who had broken from deep, screwed the ball wide when he could have played in team mate Kevin De Bruyne.

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Enjoy that, Liverpool fans? ?<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UCL?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UCL</a> <a href="https://t.co/S7kWI6JF0J">pic.twitter.com/S7kWI6JF0J</a>
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Unstoppable Drive

Liverpool were rampant though and harrying City off the ball in midfield when Milner won back possession and moved it straight to Oxlade-Chamberlain.

The former Arsenal midfielder unleashed an unstoppable drive from 25 metres to make it 2-0 in the 20th minute.

City were now reeling and looked nothing like the team that has marched so convincingly to a 16-point lead in the Premier League and it was not long before Juergen Klopp’s side made it 3-0.

Salah floated a teasing cross from the right towards Mane, who rose above the City defence to power a header past Ederson and send the Anfield crowd into delirium.

City came out brightly after the break though, finally managing to find some composure with their passing.

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? Liverpool heroes ?<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UCL?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UCL</a> <a href="https://t.co/wP5o7GpAaP">pic.twitter.com/wP5o7GpAaP</a>
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Liverpool were unable to get back into their first-half rhythm and they suffered a blow when Salah went off injured in the 52nd minute.

Guardiola’s side were back in their familiar role of controlling possession but were struggling to create chances with Sane wasting a promising opening at the back post, one of a series of frustrations for the German left winger.

A miserable night for Sane, who was superbly handled by young Liverpool right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold, was completed when he was ruled offside as he broke down the left and crossed for Gabriel Jesus to put the ball in the net.

Yet the fact that City’s late pressure was accompanied by audible tension from the Liverpool fans was a reminder that the tie is not over. Few teams could overturn a 3-0 deficit against Liverpool but Guardiola’s side is certainly one of them.

&nbsp

Liverpool ripped apart Manchester City with three goals inside the opening 31 minutes as they won their Champions League quarter-final, first leg tie 3-0

Liverpool ripped apart Manchester City with three goals inside the opening 31 minutes as they won their Champions League quarter-final, first leg tie 3-0 on Wednesday. Anfield has witnessed many memorable European nights over the years and this will take its place among the most spectacular as a simply devastating, first-half display was crowned with goals from Mohamed Salah, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Sadio Mane. The tie may not be over, with 90 minutes remaining at the Etihad on Tuesday, but Liverpool boss Juergen Klopp, who has enjoyed more wins over City counterpart Pep Guardiola than any other manager, will be delighted as his commitment to attacking football was amply rewarded. Liverpool are the only team to have beaten City in the Premier League this season, with a thrilling 4-3 victory in January, and they repeated the formula of that success by attacking City’s defence from the outset. Roared on by a particularly vocal home crowd, Liverpool put the Premier League’s champions-elect under intense pressure from the first kick and it took just 12 minutes for City to crack. After a City corner, James Milner launched the ball forward, Salah broke from the halfway line and played the ball inside to Roberto Firmino. His shot was blocked by City keeper Ederson but Firmino pounced on the loose ball and slipped it to Salah, who fired home. City responded with a swift counter-attack of their own but Leroy Sane, who had broken from deep, screwed the ball wide when he could have played in team mate Kevin De Bruyne. Enjoy that, Liverpool fans? ?#UCL pic.twitter.com/S7kWI6JF0J — UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) April 4, 2018 × Unstoppable Drive Liverpool were rampant though and harrying City off the ball in midfield when Milner won back possession and moved it straight to Oxlade-Chamberlain. The former Arsenal midfielder unleashed an unstoppable drive from 25 metres to make it 2-0 in the 20th minute. City were now reeling and looked nothing like the team that has marched so convincingly to a 16-point lead in the Premier League and it was not long before Juergen Klopp’s side made it 3-0. Salah floated a teasing cross from the right towards Mane, who rose above the City defence to power a header past Ederson and send the Anfield crowd into delirium. City came out brightly after the break though, finally managing to find some composure with their passing. ? Liverpool heroes ?#UCL pic.twitter.com/wP5o7GpAaP — UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) April 4, 2018 × Liverpool were unable to get back into their first-half rhythm and they suffered a blow when Salah went off injured in the 52nd minute. Guardiola’s side were back in their familiar role of controlling possession but were struggling to create chances with Sane wasting a promising opening at the back post, one of a series of frustrations for the German left winger. A miserable night for Sane, who was superbly handled by young Liverpool right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold, was completed when he was ruled offside as he broke down the left and crossed for Gabriel Jesus to put the ball in the net. Yet the fact that City’s late pressure was accompanied by audible tension from the Liverpool fans was a reminder that the tie is not over. Few teams could overturn a 3-0 deficit against Liverpool but Guardiola’s side is certainly one of them.

Champions League: Liverpool stun Manchester City with 3-0 win at Anfield

A day after fans threw bottles at Manchester City's team bus ahead of their Champions League quarter-final first leg at Anfield, UEFA on Thursday opened disciplinary proceedings against Liverpool&nbsp

Liverpool have been charged by European soccer's governing body with setting off fireworks, throwing objects, acts of damage and crowd disturbances.

The case will be dealt with by UEFA's Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body on May 31.

Fans set off red flares and sang their club's songs before the City coach arrived and beer cans were thrown at the bus.&nbsp

Earlier in the day, &nbspLiverpool apologised to Manchester City for the incident.

The case will be dealt with by UEFA's Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body on May 31

A day after fans threw bottles at Manchester City's team bus ahead of their Champions League quarter-final first leg at Anfield, UEFA on Thursday opened disciplinary proceedings against Liverpool Liverpool have been charged by European soccer's governing body with setting off fireworks, throwing objects, acts of damage and crowd disturbances. The case will be dealt with by UEFA's Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body on May 31. Fans set off red flares and sang their club's songs before the City coach arrived and beer cans were thrown at the bus. Earlier in the day, &nbspLiverpool apologised to Manchester City for the incident.

UEFA charge Liverpool after bottles thrown at Man City bus

<a href="http://cmsuat.wionews.com/india-news/indore-building-collapse-death-toll-rises-to-10-127558">Indore building collapse: Death toll rises to 10</a>

At least 10 were killed in a building collapse in Madhya Pradesh's Indore last night. According to reports, a four storeyed-building in Sarwate area collapsed around 9:20 pm last night.

<a href="http://cmsuat.wionews.com/world/gaza-sees-bloodiest-day-in-years-127556">Gaza sees </a><a href="http://cmsuat.wionews.com/world/gaza-sees-bloodiest-day-in-years-127556">bloodiest</a><a href="http://cmsuat.wionews.com/world/gaza-sees-bloodiest-day-in-years-127556"> day in years</a>

Gazans buried their dead on Saturday with calls for "revenge" a day after a mass protest led to clashes that saw Israeli forces kill 16 Palestinians in the bloodiest day since a 2014 war.

<a href="http://cmsuat.wionews.com/india-news/two-encounters-in-kashmir-1-terrorist-killed-one-held-127564">Two encounters in Kashmir 1 terrorist killed, one held</a> 
 
An encounter between security forces and terrorists in Dialgam area of Anantnag, Jammu and Kashmir got one terrorist killed while another has been held. The operation has finally come to an end.

<a href="http://cmsuat.wionews.com/sports/epl-manchester-city-one-win-away-from-title-127565">EPL: Manchester City one win away from </a><a href="http://cmsuat.wionews.com/sports/epl-manchester-city-one-win-away-from-title-127565">title</a> 
 
Pep Guardiola's side, who will be champions if they win next Saturday's Manchester derby, grabbed the lead in the fourth minute through Leroy Sane's sizzling volley from a tight angle at the back post after a pinpoint cross from David Silva.

<a href="http://cmsuat.wionews.com/india-news/the-indian-beauty-queen-that-no-one-has-heard-of-127568">The Indian beauty queen that no one has heard of</a> 
 
Varsha Rajkhowa, 26, won the Miss Scuba International beauty pageant in Malaysia in November 2016. Miss Scuba International is a beauty pageant with a slight twist – the contestants all have to be scuba divers.&nbsp;

Indore building collapse: Death toll rises to 10 At least 10 were killed in a building collapse in Madhya Pradesh's Indore last night. According to reports, a four storeyed-building in Sarwate area collapsed around 9:20 pm last night. Gaza sees bloodiest day in years Gazans buried their dead on Saturday with calls for "revenge" a day after a mass protest led to clashes that saw Israeli forces kill 16 Palestinians in the bloodiest day since a 2014 war. Two encounters in Kashmir 1 terrorist killed, one held An encounter between security forces and terrorists in Dialgam area of Anantnag, Jammu and Kashmir got one terrorist killed while another has been held. The operation has finally come to an end. EPL: Manchester City one win away from title Pep Guardiola's side, who will be champions if they win next Saturday's Manchester derby, grabbed the lead in the fourth minute through Leroy Sane's sizzling volley from a tight angle at the back post after a pinpoint cross from David Silva. The Indian beauty queen that no one has heard of Varsha Rajkhowa, 26, won the Miss Scuba International beauty pageant in Malaysia in November 2016. Miss Scuba International is a beauty pageant with a slight twist – the contestants all have to be scuba divers.

News brief: Big stories of the day

Manchester City moved to within one win of the Premier League title after an impressive 3-1 win at Everton on Saturday.

Pep Guardiola's side, who will be champions if they win next Saturday's Manchester derby, grabbed the lead in the fourth minute through Leroy Sane's sizzling volley from a tight angle at the back post after a pinpoint cross from David Silva.

Eight minutes later it was 2-0 to City after Kevin De Bruyne did well with a high bouncing ball to find Brazilian striker Gabriel Jesus who confidently headed home.

City were utterly dominant and Silva was again the provider for the third goal, in the 37th minute, when he slipped the ball across the area and Raheem Sterling drove past Jordan Pickford.

Everton gained encouragement in the 63rd minute when Yannick Bolasie's low drive from the edge of the area flew in off the inside of the post but City, preserving energy ahead of Wednesday's Champions League quarter-final first leg at Liverpool, comfortably saw out the game.

Pep Guardiola's side will be champions if they win next Saturday's Manchester derby

Manchester City moved to within one win of the Premier League title after an impressive 3-1 win at Everton on Saturday. Pep Guardiola's side, who will be champions if they win next Saturday's Manchester derby, grabbed the lead in the fourth minute through Leroy Sane's sizzling volley from a tight angle at the back post after a pinpoint cross from David Silva. Eight minutes later it was 2-0 to City after Kevin De Bruyne did well with a high bouncing ball to find Brazilian striker Gabriel Jesus who confidently headed home. City were utterly dominant and Silva was again the provider for the third goal, in the 37th minute, when he slipped the ball across the area and Raheem Sterling drove past Jordan Pickford. Everton gained encouragement in the 63rd minute when Yannick Bolasie's low drive from the edge of the area flew in off the inside of the post but City, preserving energy ahead of Wednesday's Champions League quarter-final first leg at Liverpool, comfortably saw out the game.

EPL: Manchester City one win away from title

Manchester City defender John Stones has been ruled out of Saturday's Premier League match against his former club Everton due to concussion, manager Pep Guardiola said on Friday.

Stones picked up the head injury during England's 1-1 friendly draw with Italy and Guardiola said that head injury protocol needed to be followed.

"He feels really good but the rules say he needs seven days off...everybody else is really good," said Guardiola whose team need two wins to secure the title.

Stones left Everton for City in 2016 in a 47.5 million-pound ($67 million) move and Guardiola's comments suggest he should be fit to face Liverpool in the Champions League quarter-final at Anfield on Wednesday.

Guardiola said Sergio Aguero, who missed Argentina's two friendlies during the international break with a knee injury, was doing better but suggested he was unlikely to feature against Everton.

A win at Goodison would leave City, who have a 16-point lead at the top of the table, with the chance to wrap up the title at home to local rivals Manchester United on April 7. 
&nbsp

Stones picked up the head injury during England's 1-1 friendly draw with Italy

Manchester City defender John Stones has been ruled out of Saturday's Premier League match against his former club Everton due to concussion, manager Pep Guardiola said on Friday. Stones picked up the head injury during England's 1-1 friendly draw with Italy and Guardiola said that head injury protocol needed to be followed. "He feels really good but the rules say he needs seven days off...everybody else is really good," said Guardiola whose team need two wins to secure the title. Stones left Everton for City in 2016 in a 47.5 million-pound ($67 million) move and Guardiola's comments suggest he should be fit to face Liverpool in the Champions League quarter-final at Anfield on Wednesday. Guardiola said Sergio Aguero, who missed Argentina's two friendlies during the international break with a knee injury, was doing better but suggested he was unlikely to feature against Everton. A win at Goodison would leave City, who have a 16-point lead at the top of the table, with the chance to wrap up the title at home to local rivals Manchester United on April 7.

Manchester City's Stones ruled out of Goodison return with concussion

Liverpool will face Manchester City in an all-English Champions League quarterfinal after the draw in Switzerland on Friday.

Juventus take on defending champions Real Madrid while Barcelona - the first team to emerge from the draw - play Serie A side Roma, having won three and lost three of their previous meetings with Italian teams.

Sevilla, who knocked out Manchester United to reach the quarterfinals of the competition for the first time, face Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich for a place in the last four.

The first legs of the quarterfinal ties will be played on April 3 and 4, with the return games taking place the following week.

The Champions League final takes place in Kiev on May 26.

Sevilla faces Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich for a place in the last four

Liverpool will face Manchester City in an all-English Champions League quarterfinal after the draw in Switzerland on Friday. Juventus take on defending champions Real Madrid while Barcelona - the first team to emerge from the draw - play Serie A side Roma, having won three and lost three of their previous meetings with Italian teams. Sevilla, who knocked out Manchester United to reach the quarterfinals of the competition for the first time, face Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich for a place in the last four. The first legs of the quarterfinal ties will be played on April 3 and 4, with the return games taking place the following week. The Champions League final takes place in Kiev on May 26.

Champions League quarterfinals: Liverpool to face City, Juventus to take on Real Madrid

Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp has suggested that the Manchester United fans will be happiest with his side&#39;s difficult Champions League quarter-final draw against local rivals Manchester City.

City are runaway leaders in the Premier League, with United currently second and Liverpool five points behind them in fourth.

If the Champions League draw hardly delighted Klopp, he suspected City were not too happy either and took a dim view of the likely rescheduling of the Liverpool derby against Everton as a consequence.

&quot;I think it is an absolute dream draw -- for Manchester United fans,&quot; the German told reporters.

&quot;I didn&#39;t expect anything, I didn&#39;t wish anything, I don&#39;t think it&#39;s good in the Champions League if you play against a team from your own country, but at one point it&#39;s pretty clear you will play them,&quot; he added.

&quot;It didn&#39;t matter who we got, I knew it would be difficult. And it&#39;s difficult. Manchester City will be difficult. It doesn&#39;t look like Christmas and Easter in the same day.&quot;

Pep Guardiola&#39;s City side face United in the league in between the two legs of the European tie and could potentially clinch the title against their local foes.

Manchester City&#39;s director of football Txiki Begiristain told the club website (www.mancity.com) that the draw had thrown up difficult opponents, who beat his side at Anfield in January after losing 5-0 at the Etihad last September.

&quot;We like to travel and to go to another country in the Champions League but it is what it is,&quot; he said.

&quot;We know each other very well, they are a very offensive team, the truth is it is going to be a great couple of games and we are going to see good football.&quot;

The first leg will be played at Anfield on April 4, with the return on April 10.

Klopp said he had caught sight of Begiristain&#39;s face after the draw was announced and he &quot;didn&#39;t look like it was Christmas&quot;.

The rescheduling of the Merseyside derby from April 8 to April 7 has yet to be confirmed but Klopp said he had heard that it would be.

&quot;Sometimes, the associations will cancel the fixture to help, but not in this case,&quot; he said. &quot;We play Wednesday night v Man City and then play Everton at 12.30 three days later... Not too cool, but we do it the hard way.&quot;

Pep Guardiola's City side face United in the league in between the two legs of the European tie and could potentially clinch the title against their local foes.

Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp has suggested that the Manchester United fans will be happiest with his side's difficult Champions League quarter-final draw against local rivals Manchester City. City are runaway leaders in the Premier League, with United currently second and Liverpool five points behind them in fourth. If the Champions League draw hardly delighted Klopp, he suspected City were not too happy either and took a dim view of the likely rescheduling of the Liverpool derby against Everton as a consequence. "I think it is an absolute dream draw -- for Manchester United fans," the German told reporters. "I didn't expect anything, I didn't wish anything, I don't think it's good in the Champions League if you play against a team from your own country, but at one point it's pretty clear you will play them," he added. "It didn't matter who we got, I knew it would be difficult. And it's difficult. Manchester City will be difficult. It doesn't look like Christmas and Easter in the same day." Pep Guardiola's City side face United in the league in between the two legs of the European tie and could potentially clinch the title against their local foes. Manchester City's director of football Txiki Begiristain told the club website (www.mancity.com) that the draw had thrown up difficult opponents, who beat his side at Anfield in January after losing 5-0 at the Etihad last September. "We like to travel and to go to another country in the Champions League but it is what it is," he said. "We know each other very well, they are a very offensive team, the truth is it is going to be a great couple of games and we are going to see good football." The first leg will be played at Anfield on April 4, with the return on April 10. Klopp said he had caught sight of Begiristain's face after the draw was announced and he "didn't look like it was Christmas". The rescheduling of the Merseyside derby from April 8 to April 7 has yet to be confirmed but Klopp said he had heard that it would be. "Sometimes, the associations will cancel the fixture to help, but not in this case," he said. "We play Wednesday night v Man City and then play Everton at 12.30 three days later... Not too cool, but we do it the hard way."

Football: Liverpool v Man City is a dream draw for United fans, say Klopp

In-form&nbsp;Sergio Aguero of Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero has been ruled out due to a knee injury. He will miss Monday&#39;s&nbsp;Premier League match against Stoke.

It is expected that it will take two weeks time to heal the injury and&nbsp;Aguero will mark his return in the time for City&#39;s next fixture at Everton on March 31.

He shared the news on his official Twitter account captioning, &quot;During yesterday&#39;s training I had a discomfort on my left knee. The club&#39;s doctors told me I&#39;ll be back with the team in approximately two weeks. Now it&#39;s time for a full recovery!&quot;

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During yesterday&#39;s training I had a discomfort on my left knee. The club&#39;s doctors told me I&#39;ll be back with the team in approximately two weeks. Now it&#39;s time for a full recovery!
&mdash; Sergio Kun Aguero (@aguerosergiokun) <a href="https://twitter.com/aguerosergiokun/status/972859117726588928?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 11, 2018</a></blockquote>
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The Argentine striker,&nbsp;Aguero&nbsp;is also a doubt for Argentina&#39;s World Cup warm-up friendlies against Italy and Spain on March 23 and 27 respectively.

Manchester City is set to claim the&nbsp;Premier League title as they hold a 13-point lead and&nbsp;Aguero will have a big part to play if City&nbsp;are&nbsp;to land a first-ever Champions League after easing into the quarter-finals for just the second time in the club&#39;s history with a 5-2 aggregate win over Basel&nbsp;are in&nbsp;the last 16.

The Argentine striker, Aguero is also a doubt for Argentina's World Cup warm-up friendlies against Italy and Spain on March 23 and 27 respectively

In-form Sergio Aguero of Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero has been ruled out due to a knee injury. He will miss Monday's Premier League match against Stoke. It is expected that it will take two weeks time to heal the injury and Aguero will mark his return in the time for City's next fixture at Everton on March 31. He shared the news on his official Twitter account captioning, "During yesterday's training I had a discomfort on my left knee. The club's doctors told me I'll be back with the team in approximately two weeks. Now it's time for a full recovery!" During yesterday's training I had a discomfort on my left knee. The club's doctors told me I'll be back with the team in approximately two weeks. Now it's time for a full recovery! — Sergio Kun Aguero (@aguerosergiokun) March 11, 2018 × The Argentine striker, Aguero is also a doubt for Argentina's World Cup warm-up friendlies against Italy and Spain on March 23 and 27 respectively. Manchester City is set to claim the Premier League title as they hold a 13-point lead and Aguero will have a big part to play if City are to land a first-ever Champions League after easing into the quarter-finals for just the second time in the club's history with a 5-2 aggregate win over Basel are in the last 16.

Sergio Aguero suffers injury, out for 2 weeks

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola labelled his team&#39;s second-half performance against Basel as &quot;really, really poor&quot; and said their possession play had been largely pointless in their 2-1 Champions League defeat on Wednesday.

City advanced to the quarter-finals 5-2 on aggregate thanks to their 4-0 first-leg win in Switzerland, but while Guardiola fielded a weakened side at the Etihad Stadium he was still unhappy with his team&#39;s first home loss in over a year.

City completed 978 passes, the most recorded by a side in a Champions League match since such statistics began being recorded in 2003, but Guardiola was not impressed.

&quot;The first half was quite good but in the second half we forgot to attack, we forgot to play. When we pass the ball we do it to move through the opponents to attack - just to pass the ball for itself is nothing and the second half was really really poor,&quot; Guardiola told reporters.

&quot;It is not easy to play with a 4-0 lead. We tried, we spoke about that and I think what we showed in the first half we showed we wanted to win the game. We created a lot of chances and we were good.

&quot;But after 1-1 in the second half, it didn&rsquo;t happen. We just passed for itself and when that happens, that is not football,&quot; he added.

The result ended a 36-game unbeaten run for City at the Etihad Stadium in all competitions and the Spaniard acknowledged that his team selection had impacted Wednesday&#39;s outcome.

&quot;You will find all the clubs in the world when you make six or seven changes, always the team is not the same,&quot; he said.

&quot;That&#39;s why I insisted to start well and we did well in the first half. In the second half we just passed the ball to pass the ball. It was everything slowly, without rhythm.&quot;

Guardiola did have some positive words for 17-year-old English midfielder Phil Foden, who delivered a confident display in a rare start.

&quot;He was good. In the second half, with Leroy (Sane), he was the only one who tried to be aggressive.&quot;

Manchester City advanced to the quarter-finals 5-2 on aggregate thanks to their 4-0 first-leg win in Switzerland

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola labelled his team's second-half performance against Basel as "really, really poor" and said their possession play had been largely pointless in their 2-1 Champions League defeat on Wednesday. City advanced to the quarter-finals 5-2 on aggregate thanks to their 4-0 first-leg win in Switzerland, but while Guardiola fielded a weakened side at the Etihad Stadium he was still unhappy with his team's first home loss in over a year. City completed 978 passes, the most recorded by a side in a Champions League match since such statistics began being recorded in 2003, but Guardiola was not impressed. "The first half was quite good but in the second half we forgot to attack, we forgot to play. When we pass the ball we do it to move through the opponents to attack - just to pass the ball for itself is nothing and the second half was really really poor," Guardiola told reporters. "It is not easy to play with a 4-0 lead. We tried, we spoke about that and I think what we showed in the first half we showed we wanted to win the game. We created a lot of chances and we were good. "But after 1-1 in the second half, it didn’t happen. We just passed for itself and when that happens, that is not football," he added. The result ended a 36-game unbeaten run for City at the Etihad Stadium in all competitions and the Spaniard acknowledged that his team selection had impacted Wednesday's outcome. "You will find all the clubs in the world when you make six or seven changes, always the team is not the same," he said. "That's why I insisted to start well and we did well in the first half. In the second half we just passed the ball to pass the ball. It was everything slowly, without rhythm." Guardiola did have some positive words for 17-year-old English midfielder Phil Foden, who delivered a confident display in a rare start. "He was good. In the second half, with Leroy (Sane), he was the only one who tried to be aggressive."

Champions League: Guardiola bemoans pointless possession of 'really poor' Manchester City

&quot;I think the pundit has to use the head when you speak tactics because you must have the knowledge to speak about tactics,&quot; said&nbsp;Chelsea manager Antonio Conte while defending&nbsp;the tactics of his team in the Sunday&#39;s match, which they eventually lost by 0-1 against the table leader Manchester City.

Conte defended his cautious approach despite his side failing to register a shot on target as they went down 1-0 to Premier League champions-elect Manchester City.

The Italian&#39;s tactics were lambasted by pundits and Chelsea fans alike as he started without a recognised striker by leaving club-record signing Alvaro Morata and Olivier Giroud on the bench.

City moved 18 points clear at the top of the table, and 25 ahead of Chelsea in fifth, as Bernardo Silva&#39;s goal 35 seconds into the second half broke the visitors&#39; resistance.

However, Conte claimed it would be &quot;stupid&quot; to open up against the runaway league leaders, citing criticism of Arsenal`s back-to-back 3-0 defeats to City in the League Cup final and Premier League in the past week.

&quot;I&#39;m not so stupid to play against Man City open and lose 3-0 or 4-0,&quot; said Conte.

&quot;If I remember well, Arsenal three days ago played against them and you criticise (Arsene) Wenger because they concede three goals.

Chelsea, though, had no response after going behind as Conte waited until 12 minutes from time to introduce Giroud, whilst Morata wasn`t brought on until the final minute when he replaced Chelsea&#39;s top scorer Eden Hazard.

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Great performance boys! A step closer! ???????????????????????? <a href="https://t.co/pfG1tbk2gB">pic.twitter.com/pfG1tbk2gB</a>
&mdash; David Silva (@21LVA) <a href="https://twitter.com/21LVA/status/970369878766112768?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 4, 2018</a></blockquote>
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The Belgian ploughed a lonely furrow as an auxiliary central forward but had no impact on the game before trudging off with his head bowed to make way for Morata.

&quot;I try to wait because the (Morata) substitution was with (Eden) Hazard and you hope until the end that a player like Hazard can invent something in the game,&quot; added Conte.

A fourth defeat in five Premier League games leaves Chelsea&#39;s ambitions of Champions League football next season in serious peril.

Conte&#39;s men now trail Tottenham Hotspur in fourth by five points. 
However, the former Juventus boss insisted it wasn&#39;t his side&#39;s performance at the Etihad that will come back to haunt them if they fail to make the top four.

&quot;We must have a big regret for the defeat against Bournemouth, Watford, (Manchester) United, but I don&#39;t think today because today we played against a team that is showing to be a strong team,&quot; he said.

&quot;Today they showed the difference between them and us in this moment. Twenty-five points is a big gap and I think that we can have a regret for the other games but not for this.&quot;

City boss Pep Guardiola wouldn`t be drawn on Chelsea`s tactics as his side registered 902 passes - the most of any team in a Premier League game for 14 years.

However, he hailed the standards set by his players.

&quot;In all aspects we were better. We make an amazing high pressing, they could not contact with Hazard, Willian or Pedro (Rodriguez).

&quot;We didn&#39;t concede one shot on target, we create enough chances to win, and I think we made an amazing performance because (it) is against Chelsea, the last champion.&quot;

Guardiola admitted even he has been surprised by the extent of City&#39;s dominance this season, but insisted it is to their credit rather than the other contenders falling away.

&quot;To have the distance from five or six contenders: 25 to Chelsea; 33 for Arsenal; United tomorrow (are) going to play; 20 to Tottenham, in March it is a lot.

&quot;I think Tottenham, Liverpool, United even, they make good results but we were so good so far.&quot;

&nbsp;

 
&nbsp;

Manchester City moved 18 points clear at the top of the table, and 25 ahead of Chelsea in fifth, as Bernardo Silva's goal 35 seconds into the second half broke the visitors' resistance

"I think the pundit has to use the head when you speak tactics because you must have the knowledge to speak about tactics," said Chelsea manager Antonio Conte while defending the tactics of his team in the Sunday's match, which they eventually lost by 0-1 against the table leader Manchester City. Conte defended his cautious approach despite his side failing to register a shot on target as they went down 1-0 to Premier League champions-elect Manchester City. The Italian's tactics were lambasted by pundits and Chelsea fans alike as he started without a recognised striker by leaving club-record signing Alvaro Morata and Olivier Giroud on the bench. City moved 18 points clear at the top of the table, and 25 ahead of Chelsea in fifth, as Bernardo Silva's goal 35 seconds into the second half broke the visitors' resistance. However, Conte claimed it would be "stupid" to open up against the runaway league leaders, citing criticism of Arsenal`s back-to-back 3-0 defeats to City in the League Cup final and Premier League in the past week. "I'm not so stupid to play against Man City open and lose 3-0 or 4-0," said Conte. "If I remember well, Arsenal three days ago played against them and you criticise (Arsene) Wenger because they concede three goals. Chelsea, though, had no response after going behind as Conte waited until 12 minutes from time to introduce Giroud, whilst Morata wasn`t brought on until the final minute when he replaced Chelsea's top scorer Eden Hazard. Great performance boys! A step closer! ???????????????????????? pic.twitter.com/pfG1tbk2gB — David Silva (@21LVA) March 4, 2018 × The Belgian ploughed a lonely furrow as an auxiliary central forward but had no impact on the game before trudging off with his head bowed to make way for Morata. "I try to wait because the (Morata) substitution was with (Eden) Hazard and you hope until the end that a player like Hazard can invent something in the game," added Conte. A fourth defeat in five Premier League games leaves Chelsea's ambitions of Champions League football next season in serious peril. Conte's men now trail Tottenham Hotspur in fourth by five points. However, the former Juventus boss insisted it wasn't his side's performance at the Etihad that will come back to haunt them if they fail to make the top four. "We must have a big regret for the defeat against Bournemouth, Watford, (Manchester) United, but I don't think today because today we played against a team that is showing to be a strong team," he said. "Today they showed the difference between them and us in this moment. Twenty-five points is a big gap and I think that we can have a regret for the other games but not for this." City boss Pep Guardiola wouldn`t be drawn on Chelsea`s tactics as his side registered 902 passes - the most of any team in a Premier League game for 14 years. However, he hailed the standards set by his players. "In all aspects we were better. We make an amazing high pressing, they could not contact with Hazard, Willian or Pedro (Rodriguez). "We didn't concede one shot on target, we create enough chances to win, and I think we made an amazing performance because (it) is against Chelsea, the last champion." Guardiola admitted even he has been surprised by the extent of City's dominance this season, but insisted it is to their credit rather than the other contenders falling away. "To have the distance from five or six contenders: 25 to Chelsea; 33 for Arsenal; United tomorrow (are) going to play; 20 to Tottenham, in March it is a lot. "I think Tottenham, Liverpool, United even, they make good results but we were so good so far."

Bernardo Silva thrashes Chelsea's 'tactics' to stretch City's lead

Manchester City tore Arsenal apart for the second time in five days on Thursday, beating them 3-0 on a freezing night at The Emirates to restore their 16-point lead as they close in on the Premier League title.

Arsenal hoped for redemption after City thrashed them by the same scoreline in the League Cup final at Wembley on Sunday but first-half goals by Bernardo Silva, David Silva and Leroy Sane handed the Gunners their second home league loss this season.

Arsenal&#39;s club record signing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang added to the home side&#39;s woes when his penalty was saved by Ederson early in the second half after fellow new arrival Henrikh Mkhitaryan was brought down just inside the area.

The win leaves Pep Guardiola&#39;s scintillating City side on 75 points from 28 games ahead of second-placed Manchester United and they only have to win five of their last 10 matches to be crowned champions for the third time in seven seasons.

&quot;We are close. It&#39;s in our hands, we can&#39;t deny it,&quot; Guardiola said, while stressing his team must focus on the next game at home to last season&#39;s champions Chelsea on Sunday.

He expressed some sympathy for Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, who has faced renewed speculation over his future at the London club as the Gunners slide out of contention for Champions League football next season for the second year in a row.

&quot;He knows my admiration for him... I know all the managers can be in that situation. I&#39;m sure he&#39;s going to take the right decision for him and for the club,&quot; Guardiola told a post-match news conference without elaborating.

LOW CONFIDENCE

The result leaves Arsenal sixth, 10 points outside the top four places that guarantee Champions League football next term.

They can still qualify for Europe&#39;s elite club competition, but to do so they will almost certainly have to win the Europa League in which they meet AC Milan in the last 16.

&quot;We played with low confidence, you could see that at the start of the game and we paid for it,&quot; said Wenger.

&quot;We needed the penalty to go in, but that was another negative. We lost to a team that is the best in the country at the moment... The difference in the league is no coincidence.&quot;

On a snowy night at The Emirates, City&#39;s Portuguese forward Bernardo Silva opened the scoring in the 14th minute, collecting a pass after a long weaving run from Leroy Sane and delightfully curling his shot into the far corner past goalkeeper Petr Cech.

City sliced open Arsenal&#39;s defence again just before the half-hour, moving the ball swiftly upfield to Aguero who laid it into the path of David Silva racing up on the left, and the Spaniard drove a low shot into the corner to double the lead.

Sane made it 3-0 five minutes later, walking the ball into the goal after another quick-fire City move had bamboozled Arsenal&#39;s ramshackle defence who were left chasing shadows.

The young German&#39;s goal drew the first of many boos from the home fans in the less than full stadium as their team headed for home and away defeats by City for the first time in 42 years.

Arsenal had a chance to get back into the game when they won a penalty early in the second half but their Gabon striker Aubameyang saw his spot kick saved by Ederson to complete a miserable night that piles more pressure on Wenger&#39;s team.

Manchester City tore Arsenal apart for the second time in five day, beating them 3-0 at The Emirates to restore their 16-point lead at the top of the table

Manchester City tore Arsenal apart for the second time in five days on Thursday, beating them 3-0 on a freezing night at The Emirates to restore their 16-point lead as they close in on the Premier League title. Arsenal hoped for redemption after City thrashed them by the same scoreline in the League Cup final at Wembley on Sunday but first-half goals by Bernardo Silva, David Silva and Leroy Sane handed the Gunners their second home league loss this season. Arsenal's club record signing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang added to the home side's woes when his penalty was saved by Ederson early in the second half after fellow new arrival Henrikh Mkhitaryan was brought down just inside the area. The win leaves Pep Guardiola's scintillating City side on 75 points from 28 games ahead of second-placed Manchester United and they only have to win five of their last 10 matches to be crowned champions for the third time in seven seasons. "We are close. It's in our hands, we can't deny it," Guardiola said, while stressing his team must focus on the next game at home to last season's champions Chelsea on Sunday. He expressed some sympathy for Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, who has faced renewed speculation over his future at the London club as the Gunners slide out of contention for Champions League football next season for the second year in a row. "He knows my admiration for him... I know all the managers can be in that situation. I'm sure he's going to take the right decision for him and for the club," Guardiola told a post-match news conference without elaborating. LOW CONFIDENCE The result leaves Arsenal sixth, 10 points outside the top four places that guarantee Champions League football next term. They can still qualify for Europe's elite club competition, but to do so they will almost certainly have to win the Europa League in which they meet AC Milan in the last 16. "We played with low confidence, you could see that at the start of the game and we paid for it," said Wenger. "We needed the penalty to go in, but that was another negative. We lost to a team that is the best in the country at the moment... The difference in the league is no coincidence." On a snowy night at The Emirates, City's Portuguese forward Bernardo Silva opened the scoring in the 14th minute, collecting a pass after a long weaving run from Leroy Sane and delightfully curling his shot into the far corner past goalkeeper Petr Cech. City sliced open Arsenal's defence again just before the half-hour, moving the ball swiftly upfield to Aguero who laid it into the path of David Silva racing up on the left, and the Spaniard drove a low shot into the corner to double the lead. Sane made it 3-0 five minutes later, walking the ball into the goal after another quick-fire City move had bamboozled Arsenal's ramshackle defence who were left chasing shadows. The young German's goal drew the first of many boos from the home fans in the less than full stadium as their team headed for home and away defeats by City for the first time in 42 years. Arsenal had a chance to get back into the game when they won a penalty early in the second half but their Gabon striker Aubameyang saw his spot kick saved by Ederson to complete a miserable night that piles more pressure on Wenger's team.

EPL: Sparkling City close in on title by thrashing Arsenal again

Manchester City won the first trophy of the Pep Guardiola era with three of their veteran players scoring in an emphatic <a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/aguero-kompany-silva-inspire-city-to-win-first-trophy-of-guardiola-era-34056">3-0 win against Arenal</a> at Wembley. Sergio Aguero, Vincent Kompany and David Silva were all on the scoresheet as City lifted the trophy for the fifth time. &quot;We&#39;re so happy, and a big congratulations to all of Manchester City, and our fans. This trophy is for Manchester City and not for me,&quot; said City coach Guardiola.

Unsurprisingly, the other team, Arsenal was again overshadowed by the voodoo of <a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/aguero-kompany-silva-inspire-city-to-win-first-trophy-of-guardiola-era-34056">losing in the finals</a>. No manager has lost more League Cup finals than Arsene Wenger (2007, 2011 and 2018). This was the fourth time when the Gunners lost in a final clash. Arsene Wenger admits Arsenal&#39;s Carabao Cup defeat by Manchester City on Sunday was caused by their own mistakes.&nbsp;Last season was Wenger&rsquo;s worst at the club. This season is shaping up to be even poorer.

In the post-match presentation, Wenger said, &quot;Well done to (Manchester) City. Congratulations to them, they won the trophy, they won the cup and they will go happy home and we will go very <a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/aguero-kompany-silva-inspire-city-to-win-first-trophy-of-guardiola-era-34056">disappointed</a>.

&quot;I feel that a little bit everything went against us today and we self-inflicted our punishment because we had an unbelievable chance at nil-nil. We gave them a goal at one-nil,&quot; he added.

Wenger also mentioned, &quot;We were a bit unlucky in the second half even if I think we didn&#39;t start well at all in the second half and we were punished but that second goal is offside.&quot;

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When Wenger complained about added time, the fourth official replied: &#39;Why would you want more time?!&#39; ???? <a href="https://t.co/7n5VL5HF1a">pic.twitter.com/7n5VL5HF1a</a>
&mdash; Goal UK (@GoalUK) <a href="https://twitter.com/GoalUK/status/967909382309560320?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 25, 2018</a></blockquote>
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He also made an astonishing remark on added injury time and said, &quot;Why would you want more time?&quot;

He asked the team to focus on the next match, &quot;You have to prioritise your next game first before we speak about the Europa League. We will, of course, take the Europa League very seriously but we have to as well win big games because if you want to go far in the Europa League you have to win big games as well if you look at the opponents already in the Europa League many big teams are in there.&quot;

&nbsp;

Manchester City defeated Arsenal by 3-0 to win the first trophy of Guardiola era

Manchester City won the first trophy of the Pep Guardiola era with three of their veteran players scoring in an emphatic 3-0 win against Arenal at Wembley. Sergio Aguero, Vincent Kompany and David Silva were all on the scoresheet as City lifted the trophy for the fifth time. "We're so happy, and a big congratulations to all of Manchester City, and our fans. This trophy is for Manchester City and not for me," said City coach Guardiola. Unsurprisingly, the other team, Arsenal was again overshadowed by the voodoo of losing in the finals. No manager has lost more League Cup finals than Arsene Wenger (2007, 2011 and 2018). This was the fourth time when the Gunners lost in a final clash. Arsene Wenger admits Arsenal's Carabao Cup defeat by Manchester City on Sunday was caused by their own mistakes. Last season was Wenger’s worst at the club. This season is shaping up to be even poorer. In the post-match presentation, Wenger said, "Well done to (Manchester) City. Congratulations to them, they won the trophy, they won the cup and they will go happy home and we will go very disappointed. "I feel that a little bit everything went against us today and we self-inflicted our punishment because we had an unbelievable chance at nil-nil. We gave them a goal at one-nil," he added. Wenger also mentioned, "We were a bit unlucky in the second half even if I think we didn't start well at all in the second half and we were punished but that second goal is offside." When Wenger complained about added time, the fourth official replied: 'Why would you want more time?!' ???? pic.twitter.com/7n5VL5HF1a — Goal UK (@GoalUK) February 25, 2018 × He also made an astonishing remark on added injury time and said, "Why would you want more time?" He asked the team to focus on the next match, "You have to prioritise your next game first before we speak about the Europa League. We will, of course, take the Europa League very seriously but we have to as well win big games because if you want to go far in the Europa League you have to win big games as well if you look at the opponents already in the Europa League many big teams are in there."

'Defeat caused by own mistakes,' says Arsene Wenger after losing to City

Catalonia-born Pep Guardiola, who wore a yellow ribbon on his grey jumper in the post-match press conference at Wembley defended his intent to wear a yellow ribbon in support of jailed Catalan independence leaders after his side beat Arsenal 3-0 to win the League Cup final on Sunday.

The Football Association on Friday charged Guardiola, saying the symbol sported by the former Barcelona boss on his jacket broke its rules.

Former Barcelona coach said, &quot;Before I&#39;m a manager I&#39;m a human being. I am a person.&quot;

He mentioned Britain&#39;s exit from European Union and said, &quot;You did the Brexit you let the people make an opinion. You allowed Scotland to make a referendum about if they want to stay or not and after the people voted. That is what they are asking.&quot;

Guardiola sympathised with the jailed Catalan leader and said, &quot;They are in prevention jail right now. So go out and after maybe be judged okay but they are (in jail) for more than 145 days. You know everybody is innocent until the judge proves you are guilty and they aren&#39;t being judged.&quot;

Guardiola was charged by the FA for wearing a political message.

The Football Association on Friday charged Guardiola, saying the symbol sported by the former Barcelona boss on his jacket broke its rules

Catalonia-born Pep Guardiola, who wore a yellow ribbon on his grey jumper in the post-match press conference at Wembley defended his intent to wear a yellow ribbon in support of jailed Catalan independence leaders after his side beat Arsenal 3-0 to win the League Cup final on Sunday. The Football Association on Friday charged Guardiola, saying the symbol sported by the former Barcelona boss on his jacket broke its rules. Former Barcelona coach said, "Before I'm a manager I'm a human being. I am a person." He mentioned Britain's exit from European Union and said, "You did the Brexit you let the people make an opinion. You allowed Scotland to make a referendum about if they want to stay or not and after the people voted. That is what they are asking." Guardiola sympathised with the jailed Catalan leader and said, "They are in prevention jail right now. So go out and after maybe be judged okay but they are (in jail) for more than 145 days. You know everybody is innocent until the judge proves you are guilty and they aren't being judged." Guardiola was charged by the FA for wearing a political message.

Pep Guardiola defends wearing Catalan support ribbon

Manchester City rolled back the years on Sunday to win the first trophy of the Pep Guardiola era with three of their veteran players scoring in an emphatic 3-0 win against Arsenal at Wembley.

Sergio Aguero, Vincent Kompany and David Silva were all on the scoresheet as City lifted the trophy for the fifth time -- only Liverpool have won it more.

&quot;It&#39;s important,&quot; said Guardiola. &quot;We&#39;re so happy, and a big congratulations to all of Manchester City, and our fans. This trophy is for Manchester City and not for me.

&quot;The first half we were not good, there were a lot of mistakes. In the second half we played with a lot more courage and personality -- we were outstanding.&quot;

City&#39;s first goal, in the first half, came in unlikely circumstances for a side lauded for their slick passing style.

A long punt upfield from goalkeeper Claudio Bravo was controlled by Sergio Aguero, who coolly lifted the ball over a helpless David Ospina in the Arsenal goal.

Captain Kompany doubled the lead in the second half with just over half an hour to go and Silva put the game out of the reach of Arsene Wenger&#39;s team.&nbsp;

The runaway Premier League leaders will be hoping to use the victory as a springboard to greater glory as the season approaches its final stretch but defeat for Wenger means he has never lifted the League Cup.

Control

On a bitterly cold, clear day in London, City, in their light blue kit, took control early, playing measured football and enjoying the lion&#39;s share of possession against a side who have made Wembley a second home in recent years.

But Arsenal went closest to taking the lead within the first 10 minutes, with new signing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang seeing his scuffed shot saved by a sprawling Bravo.

Seconds later Aguero found the side netting after an incisive break from City, who looked short of their fluent best.&nbsp;

But it was Aguero who broke the deadlock, controlling the ball as Arsenal&#39;s defence failed to deal with the danger.

The Argentine striker has scored in each of his past five games in all competitions against Arsenal and this was his 199th goal in City colours.

It was an unusual goal for Guardiola&#39;s team, who have been lauded for their silky passing game this season, which has already seen them hailed as one of the finest sides in Premier League history.

City made a bright start to the second half and captain Kompany was in the right place to steer home Ilkay Gundogan&#39;s shot from the edge of the box after a Kevin De Bruyne corner in the 58th minute.

It was no more than City deserved against a lacklustre Arsenal and the Belgian celebrated wildly in front of his own fans.

Just seven minutes later Arsenal was left with a mountain to climb when Silva smashed the ball past Ospina into the far corner of the net to make it 3-0.

Former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss Guardiola kept faith with reserve goalkeeper Bravo for the Wembley showpiece ahead of first-choice Ederson. Bravo has played in every round of the competition so far.

Wenger also played his number two between the sticks, fielding Ospina ahead of Petr Cech.

A disappointed Wenger bemoaned his side&#39;s failure to take the lead through Aubameyang.

&quot;I felt the game, we had the first good chance, a very easy one that we missed,&quot; he said.

&quot;After that we made a big mistake for their first goal. But we controlled them pretty well in the first half, but they came out in the second half, and we were unlucky because the second goal was offside. But congratulations to Man City, they deserve the win.&quot;

&nbsp;

Manchester City defeats Arsenal to register their first victory of the season

Manchester City rolled back the years on Sunday to win the first trophy of the Pep Guardiola era with three of their veteran players scoring in an emphatic 3-0 win against Arsenal at Wembley. Sergio Aguero, Vincent Kompany and David Silva were all on the scoresheet as City lifted the trophy for the fifth time -- only Liverpool have won it more. "It's important," said Guardiola. "We're so happy, and a big congratulations to all of Manchester City, and our fans. This trophy is for Manchester City and not for me. "The first half we were not good, there were a lot of mistakes. In the second half we played with a lot more courage and personality -- we were outstanding." City's first goal, in the first half, came in unlikely circumstances for a side lauded for their slick passing style. A long punt upfield from goalkeeper Claudio Bravo was controlled by Sergio Aguero, who coolly lifted the ball over a helpless David Ospina in the Arsenal goal. Captain Kompany doubled the lead in the second half with just over half an hour to go and Silva put the game out of the reach of Arsene Wenger's team. The runaway Premier League leaders will be hoping to use the victory as a springboard to greater glory as the season approaches its final stretch but defeat for Wenger means he has never lifted the League Cup. Control On a bitterly cold, clear day in London, City, in their light blue kit, took control early, playing measured football and enjoying the lion's share of possession against a side who have made Wembley a second home in recent years. But Arsenal went closest to taking the lead within the first 10 minutes, with new signing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang seeing his scuffed shot saved by a sprawling Bravo. Seconds later Aguero found the side netting after an incisive break from City, who looked short of their fluent best. But it was Aguero who broke the deadlock, controlling the ball as Arsenal's defence failed to deal with the danger. The Argentine striker has scored in each of his past five games in all competitions against Arsenal and this was his 199th goal in City colours. It was an unusual goal for Guardiola's team, who have been lauded for their silky passing game this season, which has already seen them hailed as one of the finest sides in Premier League history. City made a bright start to the second half and captain Kompany was in the right place to steer home Ilkay Gundogan's shot from the edge of the box after a Kevin De Bruyne corner in the 58th minute. It was no more than City deserved against a lacklustre Arsenal and the Belgian celebrated wildly in front of his own fans. Just seven minutes later Arsenal was left with a mountain to climb when Silva smashed the ball past Ospina into the far corner of the net to make it 3-0. Former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss Guardiola kept faith with reserve goalkeeper Bravo for the Wembley showpiece ahead of first-choice Ederson. Bravo has played in every round of the competition so far. Wenger also played his number two between the sticks, fielding Ospina ahead of Petr Cech. A disappointed Wenger bemoaned his side's failure to take the lead through Aubameyang. "I felt the game, we had the first good chance, a very easy one that we missed," he said. "After that we made a big mistake for their first goal. But we controlled them pretty well in the first half, but they came out in the second half, and we were unlucky because the second goal was offside. But congratulations to Man City, they deserve the win."

Aguero, Kompany, Silva inspire City to win first trophy of Guardiola era

Arsenal goalkeeper Petr Cech is expecting to be benched for the League Cup final against Manchester City on Sunday with David Ospina being favoured to start.

Ospina, 29, has played in all but one of Arsenal`s League Cup matches this campaign and Cech, who has featured in all 27 of the club`s Premier League games, expects his Colombian counterpart will continue in goal against City.

&quot;At the start it was clear that it was going to be like that,&quot; Cech told British media when asked if Ospina would play in the final.

&quot;I will be there with the team supporting but I don`t expect to play. It is always hard to watch any game from the bench or even from the stand if you are not selected.

&quot;As a player, you always want to be involved.&nbsp;

&quot;But obviously you are in a professional club where there are 25 top players and the manager always makes his choices for the game and you need to accept that.&quot;

Ospina has also been Arsenal`s first-choice keeper in the Europa League and is likely to start in Thursday`s second-leg of their last-32 tie against Ostersunds.

&quot;Going to Wembley is special, the atmosphere and the occasion is special,&quot; Ospina told Arsenal`s matchday programme.

&quot;I`d like to play every week but I respect the manager`s decision.

&quot;You have to prepare as though you`re going to play every game. It can be tough to play maybe a couple of games a month, especially when they are as big as this one.

&quot;You just need to focus and be ready. I have a very good relationship with Petr, and that helps.&quot;

Cech is expecting to be benched for the League Cup final against Manchester City

Arsenal goalkeeper Petr Cech is expecting to be benched for the League Cup final against Manchester City on Sunday with David Ospina being favoured to start. Ospina, 29, has played in all but one of Arsenal`s League Cup matches this campaign and Cech, who has featured in all 27 of the club`s Premier League games, expects his Colombian counterpart will continue in goal against City. "At the start it was clear that it was going to be like that," Cech told British media when asked if Ospina would play in the final. "I will be there with the team supporting but I don`t expect to play. It is always hard to watch any game from the bench or even from the stand if you are not selected. "As a player, you always want to be involved. "But obviously you are in a professional club where there are 25 top players and the manager always makes his choices for the game and you need to accept that." Ospina has also been Arsenal`s first-choice keeper in the Europa League and is likely to start in Thursday`s second-leg of their last-32 tie against Ostersunds. "Going to Wembley is special, the atmosphere and the occasion is special," Ospina told Arsenal`s matchday programme. "I`d like to play every week but I respect the manager`s decision. "You have to prepare as though you`re going to play every game. It can be tough to play maybe a couple of games a month, especially when they are as big as this one. "You just need to focus and be ready. I have a very good relationship with Petr, and that helps."

Ospina likely to start for Arsenal in League Cup final, says goalkeeper Cech

Third-tier Wigan Athletic lived up to the billing as Manchester City&#39;s bogey team by beating the 10-man Premier League leaders 1-0 in a stunning FA Cup fifth round upset on Monday (February 19).

Will Grigg coolly slotted home the winner in the 79th minute to trigger chants of &#39;Will Grigg&#39;s on fire&#39; around the DW Stadium.

The defeat ended City&#39;s hopes of an unprecedented quadruple of trophies this season.

City played the entire second half with 10 men after midfielder Fabian Delph was sent off in the 45th minute for a late challenge on Max Power.

But on a night of stirring memories for the home fans, whose side beat City in the 2013 FA Cup final and in the quarter-finals a year later, there was always the hint of an upset in the air.

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2013 ✅ 
2014 ✅ 
2018 ✅ 
 
Don&rsquo;t you just love an <a href="https://twitter.com/EmiratesFACup?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EmiratesFACup</a> game against Manchester City ????<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/wafc?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#wafc</a> <a href="https://t.co/aVvNcK93U2">pic.twitter.com/aVvNcK93U2</a>
&mdash; Wigan Athletic (@LaticsOfficial) <a href="https://twitter.com/LaticsOfficial/status/965740089216090117?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">20 February 2018</a></blockquote>
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79&#39; GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAALLLL!!!! WILL GRIGG!!! ???? 
 
Follow it live ????<a href="https://t.co/R8XiBiTPX2">https://t.co/R8XiBiTPX2</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/wafc?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#wafc</a> <a href="https://t.co/Itm1gzOXFw">pic.twitter.com/Itm1gzOXFw</a>
&mdash; Wigan Athletic (@LaticsOfficial) <a href="https://twitter.com/LaticsOfficial/status/965700642638573568?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">19 February 2018</a></blockquote>
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That only increased when referee Anthony Taylor, a yellow card already in his hand, reached for the red.

Delph looked stunned, his angry teammates swarming around the official, while manager Pep Guardiola seethed on the touchline.

The Spaniard, already frustrated by his side&#39;s failure to break through the home side&#39;s sturdy defense, had to be kept apart from Wigan manager Paul Cook as they headed down the tunnel at the break.

Guardiola reacted to the setback by bringing on versatile right-back Kyle Walker for winger Leroy Sane at the start of the second half.

He then introduced midfielder Kevin De Bruyne in place of David Silva in the 65th, with the Belgian immediately piling the pressure on Wigan&#39;s defense.

But still, City, 16 points clear at the top of the Premier League, heading for the last eight of the Champions League and looking forward to Sunday&#39;s League Cup final, failed to find a way through despite having most of the possession.

Wigan will now host another Premier League team Southampton in next month&#39;s quarter-finals having now beaten three top-flight sides in their fairytale Cup run.

&nbsp;

Will Grigg coolly slotted home the winner in the 79th minute to trigger chants of 'Will Grigg's on fire' around the DW Stadium

Third-tier Wigan Athletic lived up to the billing as Manchester City's bogey team by beating the 10-man Premier League leaders 1-0 in a stunning FA Cup fifth round upset on Monday (February 19). Will Grigg coolly slotted home the winner in the 79th minute to trigger chants of 'Will Grigg's on fire' around the DW Stadium. The defeat ended City's hopes of an unprecedented quadruple of trophies this season. City played the entire second half with 10 men after midfielder Fabian Delph was sent off in the 45th minute for a late challenge on Max Power. But on a night of stirring memories for the home fans, whose side beat City in the 2013 FA Cup final and in the quarter-finals a year later, there was always the hint of an upset in the air. 2013 ✅ 2014 ✅ 2018 ✅ Don’t you just love an @EmiratesFACup game against Manchester City ????#wafc pic.twitter.com/aVvNcK93U2 — Wigan Athletic (@LaticsOfficial) 20 February 2018 × 79' GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAALLLL!!!! WILL GRIGG!!! ???? Follow it live ????https://t.co/R8XiBiTPX2#wafc pic.twitter.com/Itm1gzOXFw — Wigan Athletic (@LaticsOfficial) 19 February 2018 × That only increased when referee Anthony Taylor, a yellow card already in his hand, reached for the red. Delph looked stunned, his angry teammates swarming around the official, while manager Pep Guardiola seethed on the touchline. The Spaniard, already frustrated by his side's failure to break through the home side's sturdy defense, had to be kept apart from Wigan manager Paul Cook as they headed down the tunnel at the break. Guardiola reacted to the setback by bringing on versatile right-back Kyle Walker for winger Leroy Sane at the start of the second half. He then introduced midfielder Kevin De Bruyne in place of David Silva in the 65th, with the Belgian immediately piling the pressure on Wigan's defense. But still, City, 16 points clear at the top of the Premier League, heading for the last eight of the Champions League and looking forward to Sunday's League Cup final, failed to find a way through despite having most of the possession. Wigan will now host another Premier League team Southampton in next month's quarter-finals having now beaten three top-flight sides in their fairytale Cup run.

FA Cup: Third-tier Wigan Athletic ends Man City's fairytale run

Wigan Athletic defeated Manchester City 1-0 to end City&#39;s dream run.

Pep Guardiola&#39;s quest to win an unprecedented quadruple with Manchester City came to a stunning and controversial end when they fell to a <a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/fa-cup-third-tier-wigan-athletic-ends-man-citys-fairytale-run-33412">1-0 defeat at third-tier Wigan</a> in the fifth round of the FA Cup on Monday.

Will Grigg netted the ball in the 79th minute to trigger chants of &#39;Will Grigg&#39;s on fire&#39; around the DW Stadium.

The full of drama when Premier League leaders, Manchester City faced a tragic defeat by third-tier Wigan Athletic.

A lot of things happened during the match, as&nbsp;City played the entire second half with 10 men after Fabian Delph was ousted was sent off after showing a red card, Sergio Aguero was confronted by Wigan supporters as they invaded the ground after the match was ended.

Apart from that, frustrated Guardiola involved in a fight with Wigan manager&nbsp;Paul Cook in the tunnel after the match, both of them had a major verbal confrontation.

Watch the video here:

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Pep Guardiola and Paul Cook arguing in the tunnel and Pep charging at the referee before the camera cuts away, Aguero punching a Wigan fan and the ManCity fans attacking the police. 
 
Manchester City, money cannot buy you class. 
 
<a href="https://t.co/8F3HmpmDd6">pic.twitter.com/8F3HmpmDd6</a>
&mdash; Utd (@SimplyUtd) <a href="https://twitter.com/SimplyUtd/status/965726435909488640?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">19 February 2018</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

Frustrated Guardiola involved in a fight with Wigan manager Paul Cook in the tunnel after the match, both of them had a major verbal confrontation

Wigan Athletic defeated Manchester City 1-0 to end City's dream run. Pep Guardiola's quest to win an unprecedented quadruple with Manchester City came to a stunning and controversial end when they fell to a 1-0 defeat at third-tier Wigan in the fifth round of the FA Cup on Monday. Will Grigg netted the ball in the 79th minute to trigger chants of 'Will Grigg's on fire' around the DW Stadium. The full of drama when Premier League leaders, Manchester City faced a tragic defeat by third-tier Wigan Athletic. A lot of things happened during the match, as City played the entire second half with 10 men after Fabian Delph was ousted was sent off after showing a red card, Sergio Aguero was confronted by Wigan supporters as they invaded the ground after the match was ended. Apart from that, frustrated Guardiola involved in a fight with Wigan manager Paul Cook in the tunnel after the match, both of them had a major verbal confrontation. Watch the video here: Pep Guardiola and Paul Cook arguing in the tunnel and Pep charging at the referee before the camera cuts away, Aguero punching a Wigan fan and the ManCity fans attacking the police. Manchester City, money cannot buy you class. pic.twitter.com/8F3HmpmDd6 — Utd (@SimplyUtd) 19 February 2018 ×

Watch: Pep Guardiola fights with Wigan manager Paul Cook

Disgraced former British youth coach Barry Bennell was on Thursday found guilty of 43 counts of sexual abuse against 11 boys aged between eight and 15 in a case that has rocked English football.

Bennell, 64, who coached at Manchester City and Crewe Alexandra, was found guilty of indecent assault, buggery and attempted buggery and police said 86 more complainants have come forward since the case started.

&quot;Barry Bennell is a predatory paedophile who groomed and abused young boys who dreamed of a career in professional football,&quot; prosecutor Jackie Lamb said after the trial concluded at Liverpool Crown Court.

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<h5>Bennell was found guilty of sexually abusing 11 boys aged between eight and 15. Police said 86 more complainants have come forward since the case started</h5>
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The case has sparked wider allegations of sexual and physical abuse of boys at football clubs in Britain in the 1970s and 1980s, some of whom went on to become heroes of the terraces and international stars.

Nearly 800 victims have come forward against more than 100 coaches, leading to accusations that some of the game&#39;s most famous and loved clubs covered up allegations of abuse of boys in their care.

&quot;My parents thought I was safe,&quot; victim Steven Walters said outside court. &quot;They trusted the club, the staff, the senior management.

&quot;For years, hundreds of us were groomed in plain view. How can it be that no one realised something was wrong?

&quot;We suffered because a culture of complacency and cover-up was allowed to take root.&quot;

&#39;All worthwhile&#39; 
The scandal broke in late 2016 when former Liverpool and Tottenham star Paul Stewart broke his 40-year silence and revealed how he was abused as a teenager, shortly after former Crewe player Andy Woodward went public with allegations against Bennell.

&quot;I can&#39;t put it into words how difficult these last 15 months have been for me and my family,&quot; Woodward said outside court.

&quot;I feel such gratitude and I&#39;m proud of what I&#39;ve achieved, it was all worthwhile,&quot; he added.

The former youth player demanded that authorities and clubs reveal what they knew.

The clubs &quot;could have stopped this,&quot; he said.

&quot;I would personally like... an apology from Crewe Alexandra. The FA has been very quiet. I hope now they will speak out.&quot;

Crewe Alexandra put out a statement expressing its &quot;deepest sympathies&quot; to Bennell&#39;s victims.

The club said it was not aware of any sexual abuse by Bennell and only became aware of any offences committed by him when he was arrested in the United States in 1994.

During the trial, another victim revealed how four players coached by Bennell had gone on to commit suicide, including Newcastle and Wales star Gary Speed, who hanged himself in November 2011, at the age of 42.

England&#39;s Football Association (FA) opened an inquiry into the scandal in 2016, headed by lawyer Clive Sheldon.

He was due to report back in the New Year, but the sheer weight of accusations has put back its publication.

Any new information unearthed is being handed to Operation Hydrant, a wider police investigation into child abuse.

Premier League giants Chelsea were forced to apologise in 2016 after admitting to paying former player Gary Johnson &pound;50,000 ($70,000, 56,000 euros) to keep quiet about the abuse he suffered while in the club&#39;s youth team in the 1970s.

Meanwhile, Premier League leaders Manchester City are conducting their own review into Bennell&#39;s activities while at the club.

The club said it was examining &quot;a number of reports of historic anomalous behaviours.. over a period spanning more than 50 years&quot;.

The abuse of young sportspeople by those supposed to be in charge of their welfare was thrown into focus in the United States with the conviction earlier this year of Larry Nassar, the former USA Gymnastics doctor who sexually abused girls and young women for decades.

Nassar faces a lifetime behind bars after being accused by some 265 women -- including Olympians and collegiate athletes -- of sexually abusing them over more than two decades.

Bennell will be sentenced at a later date.

Barry Bennell coached at Manchester City and Crewe Alexandra

Disgraced former British youth coach Barry Bennell was on Thursday found guilty of 43 counts of sexual abuse against 11 boys aged between eight and 15 in a case that has rocked English football. Bennell, 64, who coached at Manchester City and Crewe Alexandra, was found guilty of indecent assault, buggery and attempted buggery and police said 86 more complainants have come forward since the case started. "Barry Bennell is a predatory paedophile who groomed and abused young boys who dreamed of a career in professional football," prosecutor Jackie Lamb said after the trial concluded at Liverpool Crown Court. Bennell was found guilty of sexually abusing 11 boys aged between eight and 15. Police said 86 more complainants have come forward since the case started × The case has sparked wider allegations of sexual and physical abuse of boys at football clubs in Britain in the 1970s and 1980s, some of whom went on to become heroes of the terraces and international stars. Nearly 800 victims have come forward against more than 100 coaches, leading to accusations that some of the game's most famous and loved clubs covered up allegations of abuse of boys in their care. "My parents thought I was safe," victim Steven Walters said outside court. "They trusted the club, the staff, the senior management. "For years, hundreds of us were groomed in plain view. How can it be that no one realised something was wrong? "We suffered because a culture of complacency and cover-up was allowed to take root." 'All worthwhile' The scandal broke in late 2016 when former Liverpool and Tottenham star Paul Stewart broke his 40-year silence and revealed how he was abused as a teenager, shortly after former Crewe player Andy Woodward went public with allegations against Bennell. "I can't put it into words how difficult these last 15 months have been for me and my family," Woodward said outside court. "I feel such gratitude and I'm proud of what I've achieved, it was all worthwhile," he added. The former youth player demanded that authorities and clubs reveal what they knew. The clubs "could have stopped this," he said. "I would personally like... an apology from Crewe Alexandra. The FA has been very quiet. I hope now they will speak out." Crewe Alexandra put out a statement expressing its "deepest sympathies" to Bennell's victims. The club said it was not aware of any sexual abuse by Bennell and only became aware of any offences committed by him when he was arrested in the United States in 1994. During the trial, another victim revealed how four players coached by Bennell had gone on to commit suicide, including Newcastle and Wales star Gary Speed, who hanged himself in November 2011, at the age of 42. England's Football Association (FA) opened an inquiry into the scandal in 2016, headed by lawyer Clive Sheldon. He was due to report back in the New Year, but the sheer weight of accusations has put back its publication. Any new information unearthed is being handed to Operation Hydrant, a wider police investigation into child abuse. Premier League giants Chelsea were forced to apologise in 2016 after admitting to paying former player Gary Johnson £50,000 ($70,000, 56,000 euros) to keep quiet about the abuse he suffered while in the club's youth team in the 1970s. Meanwhile, Premier League leaders Manchester City are conducting their own review into Bennell's activities while at the club. The club said it was examining "a number of reports of historic anomalous behaviours.. over a period spanning more than 50 years". The abuse of young sportspeople by those supposed to be in charge of their welfare was thrown into focus in the United States with the conviction earlier this year of Larry Nassar, the former USA Gymnastics doctor who sexually abused girls and young women for decades. Nassar faces a lifetime behind bars after being accused by some 265 women -- including Olympians and collegiate athletes -- of sexually abusing them over more than two decades. Bennell will be sentenced at a later date.

Ex-UK football coach found guilty on 43 charges of child sex abuse

It was back to thrilling business as usual for&nbsp;Manchester&nbsp;City&nbsp;on Saturday as Sergio Aguero&#39;s hat-trick helped the Premier League leaders to a 3-1 victory over abject Newcastle United at the Etihad Stadium.

Pep Guardiola demanded a response from his table-toppers following the 4-3 loss to Liverpool last Sunday that ended their unbeaten start to the league season.

The&nbsp;City manager got just that as the hosts dominated, despite Newcastle making it interesting for a while in the second half thanks to Jacob Murphy&#39;s fine finish.

The city&nbsp;is again 12 points clear of second-placed&nbsp;Manchester&nbsp;United thanks to a ruthless performance capped by the brilliant Aguero, their all-time leading scorer, whose 11th hat-trick for the club took his tally for the season to 22 goals.

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Back on track ????<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cityvnufc?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#cityvnufc</a> highlights... 
 
SHORT: <a href="https://t.co/Wr7IPLf2zx">https://t.co/Wr7IPLf2zx</a> 
 
EXTENDED: <a href="https://t.co/Cum2pNAv2t">https://t.co/Cum2pNAv2t</a> <a href="https://t.co/9wep6bVA09">pic.twitter.com/9wep6bVA09</a>
&mdash; Manchester City (@ManCity) <a href="https://twitter.com/ManCity/status/954867387559329792?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 21, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Newcastle&#39;s supporters must look at&nbsp;City&nbsp;and wonder how close they are to getting their own rich new owners after a week in which a potential takeover of the club by British businesswoman Amanda Staveley was branded &quot;frustrating and a complete waste of time&quot; by owner Mike Ashley.

With Newcastle suffering from a lack of investment and hovering at the wrong end of the table, this contest was never going to be a comfortable one for Rafa Benitez&#39;s visitors, especially as the gifted David Silva returned for&nbsp;City&nbsp;after overcoming a stomach complaint.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Yet Newcastle still looked sharper at the start as Christian Atsu snatched at a great chance just 90 seconds in, failing to connect properly when well positioned on the penalty spot.&nbsp;

City&nbsp;then began to dictate the match and John Stones went close for the hosts, poking just wide after an intelligent ball from Silva inside the area.&nbsp;

The city&nbsp;remained on top, with Silva, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Kevin De Bruyne posing problems for Newcastle.

&nbsp;

Manchester City is again 12 points clear of second-placed Manchester United

It was back to thrilling business as usual for Manchester City on Saturday as Sergio Aguero's hat-trick helped the Premier League leaders to a 3-1 victory over abject Newcastle United at the Etihad Stadium. Pep Guardiola demanded a response from his table-toppers following the 4-3 loss to Liverpool last Sunday that ended their unbeaten start to the league season. The City manager got just that as the hosts dominated, despite Newcastle making it interesting for a while in the second half thanks to Jacob Murphy's fine finish. The city is again 12 points clear of second-placed Manchester United thanks to a ruthless performance capped by the brilliant Aguero, their all-time leading scorer, whose 11th hat-trick for the club took his tally for the season to 22 goals. Back on track ????#cityvnufc highlights... SHORT: https://t.co/Wr7IPLf2zx EXTENDED: https://t.co/Cum2pNAv2t pic.twitter.com/9wep6bVA09 — Manchester City (@ManCity) January 21, 2018 × Newcastle's supporters must look at City and wonder how close they are to getting their own rich new owners after a week in which a potential takeover of the club by British businesswoman Amanda Staveley was branded "frustrating and a complete waste of time" by owner Mike Ashley. With Newcastle suffering from a lack of investment and hovering at the wrong end of the table, this contest was never going to be a comfortable one for Rafa Benitez's visitors, especially as the gifted David Silva returned for City after overcoming a stomach complaint. Yet Newcastle still looked sharper at the start as Christian Atsu snatched at a great chance just 90 seconds in, failing to connect properly when well positioned on the penalty spot. City then began to dictate the match and John Stones went close for the hosts, poking just wide after an intelligent ball from Silva inside the area. The city remained on top, with Silva, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Kevin De Bruyne posing problems for Newcastle.

EPL: Aguero hat-trick reboots Man City's title charge

Pep Guardiola saw his Manchester City side pushed hard before defeating second-tier Bristol City in an entertaining League Cup semi-final on Tuesday to leave him one game away from winning his first major trophy in English football.&nbsp;

Guardiola&#39;s runaway Premier League leaders, eyeing an unprecedented season quadruple given they also remain involved in both the FA Cup and Champions League, won 3-2 on the night for a 5-3 aggregate win over the Championship side.

They kicked off with a narrow advantage at Ashton Gate after a 2-1 first-leg win at the Etihad Stadium.

But goals either side of half-time from Leroy Sane and Sergio Aguero effectively saw Manchester City to a win on Tuesday and success over the two legs as they reached their first final under former Barcelona and Bayern Munich manager Guardiola.

Bristol City was undaunted, however, with Marlon Pack pulling a goal back in the 64th minute before Aden Flint scored deep into stoppage time.

However, there was still time for Kevin De Bruyne to round off the scoring for Manchester City.

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Manchester City&#39;s manager Pep Guardiola gestures on the touchline during the English League Cup semi-final. (AFP)
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Guardiola&#39;s men will now face the winners of Wednesday&#39;s Emirates Stadium semi-final between their Premier League rivals Arsenal and Chelsea at Wembley on February 25, with the two London clubs deadlocked at 0-0 after a first-leg stalemate.

&quot;We are so happy to be there, to reach this final,&quot; Guardiola, whose debut season as City boss last term saw him end a campaign without a trophy for the first time in his managerial career, told Sky Sports.

&quot;We played an amazing game until 2-0 and then we lost control, these type of games never end until the end.

&quot;This is a lesson for next weekend in Cardiff in the FA Cup and especially for the Champions League,&quot; the Spaniard warned.

&#39;Judged on trophies&#39;

&quot;At 2-0 we knew it would be easier because they needed three or four goals but with one minute left it was 2-2 and anything could happen.&quot;

Guardiola played down the personal importance of reaching a Wembley final, saying: &quot;It&#39;s not for me, it&#39;s for Manchester City, a club who are trying to reach another level.&nbsp;

&quot;I know that we will be judged by trophies we win but we are so happy,&quot; he insisted. &quot;Nobody can take away what we have done, but Chelsea or Arsenal are strong teams.&quot;

Meanwhile, Pack summed up the mood of the home side by saying: I&#39;m proud of the boys and proud to be part of this team. Hopefully, we can take this into the league now and keep it going.&quot;

It looked as if Bristol City would deny Manchester City a goal in the first half of Tuesday&#39;s match.

But three minutes before the break, Hordur Magnusson made the mistake of trying to shepherd the ball out of play rather than clearing and was dispossessed near the byline by Bernardo Silva.

His cross was fired in by Sane and left Bristol City, chasing promotion to the lucrative Premier League, with a mountain to climb.

Four minutes after the re-start Aguero, Manchester City&#39;s all-time leading goalscorer seemed to put the result of the tie beyond doubt.

The Argentina striker, fresh from a hat-trick in a 3-1 league win over Newcastle United last weekend, still had plenty to do following De Bruyne&#39;s cross-field ball.

But he made light of a tight angle by letting fly with a shot into the top corner from 18 yards out.

It would have been easy for Bristol City to be overwhelmed from then on in but, to their credit, it was the southwest side who scored next, in the 64th minute.

John Stones made a mess of a clearance and when it came back into the box, Pack guided a well-directed header across Manchester City goalkeeper Claudio Bravo and into the top corner.

Flint turned in a header late on to give Bristol City fans hope of extra time but, pressing for that goal, their side were wide-open to a counter-attack, with Sane cutting the ball back for De Bruyne to fire home.

&nbsp;

Manchester City will now face either Arsenal or Chelsea in the finals on February 25

Pep Guardiola saw his Manchester City side pushed hard before defeating second-tier Bristol City in an entertaining League Cup semi-final on Tuesday to leave him one game away from winning his first major trophy in English football. Guardiola's runaway Premier League leaders, eyeing an unprecedented season quadruple given they also remain involved in both the FA Cup and Champions League, won 3-2 on the night for a 5-3 aggregate win over the Championship side. They kicked off with a narrow advantage at Ashton Gate after a 2-1 first-leg win at the Etihad Stadium. But goals either side of half-time from Leroy Sane and Sergio Aguero effectively saw Manchester City to a win on Tuesday and success over the two legs as they reached their first final under former Barcelona and Bayern Munich manager Guardiola. Bristol City was undaunted, however, with Marlon Pack pulling a goal back in the 64th minute before Aden Flint scored deep into stoppage time. However, there was still time for Kevin De Bruyne to round off the scoring for Manchester City. Manchester City's manager Pep Guardiola gestures on the touchline during the English League Cup semi-final. (AFP) × Guardiola's men will now face the winners of Wednesday's Emirates Stadium semi-final between their Premier League rivals Arsenal and Chelsea at Wembley on February 25, with the two London clubs deadlocked at 0-0 after a first-leg stalemate. "We are so happy to be there, to reach this final," Guardiola, whose debut season as City boss last term saw him end a campaign without a trophy for the first time in his managerial career, told Sky Sports. "We played an amazing game until 2-0 and then we lost control, these type of games never end until the end. "This is a lesson for next weekend in Cardiff in the FA Cup and especially for the Champions League," the Spaniard warned. 'Judged on trophies' "At 2-0 we knew it would be easier because they needed three or four goals but with one minute left it was 2-2 and anything could happen." Guardiola played down the personal importance of reaching a Wembley final, saying: "It's not for me, it's for Manchester City, a club who are trying to reach another level. "I know that we will be judged by trophies we win but we are so happy," he insisted. "Nobody can take away what we have done, but Chelsea or Arsenal are strong teams." Meanwhile, Pack summed up the mood of the home side by saying: I'm proud of the boys and proud to be part of this team. Hopefully, we can take this into the league now and keep it going." It looked as if Bristol City would deny Manchester City a goal in the first half of Tuesday's match. But three minutes before the break, Hordur Magnusson made the mistake of trying to shepherd the ball out of play rather than clearing and was dispossessed near the byline by Bernardo Silva. His cross was fired in by Sane and left Bristol City, chasing promotion to the lucrative Premier League, with a mountain to climb. Four minutes after the re-start Aguero, Manchester City's all-time leading goalscorer seemed to put the result of the tie beyond doubt. The Argentina striker, fresh from a hat-trick in a 3-1 league win over Newcastle United last weekend, still had plenty to do following De Bruyne's cross-field ball. But he made light of a tight angle by letting fly with a shot into the top corner from 18 yards out. It would have been easy for Bristol City to be overwhelmed from then on in but, to their credit, it was the southwest side who scored next, in the 64th minute. John Stones made a mess of a clearance and when it came back into the box, Pack guided a well-directed header across Manchester City goalkeeper Claudio Bravo and into the top corner. Flint turned in a header late on to give Bristol City fans hope of extra time but, pressing for that goal, their side were wide-open to a counter-attack, with Sane cutting the ball back for De Bruyne to fire home.

EFL: Man City beats Bristol City to reach finals

Pep Guardiola hailed Sergio Aguero as an &quot;authentic legend&quot; of Manchester City after his four second-half goals continued the club&#39;s emphatic march towards the Premier League title with a 5-1 thrashing of Leicester.

Raheem Sterling had given City an early lead on Saturday but Leicester went into the break on level terms thanks to Jamie Vardy&#39;s equaliser.

However, Aguero took centre stage with a finishing masterclass to take his tally in City&#39;s last seven home games to 14 goals as Guardiola&#39;s side moved 16 points clear.

&quot;An authentic legend of this club,&quot; said Guardiola of his prolific Argentine striker.

&quot;In the second half he scored four goals. Sergio is like this, he has a special talent in the box. He&#39;s clinical... especially the third one and fourth one are amazing.&quot;

Aguero now has 28 goals in all competitions this season -&ndash; eight more than Sterling.

&ldquo;So we try to create a lot of chances to score the goals he does, and he always does. Congratulations to him because it&#39;s not easy to score four goals,&quot; added Guardiola.

&ldquo;When one player&nbsp;is able to score four goals, he deserves all the credit and the nice words. He fights, he plays really good and he scored. We needed it.&ldquo;

Guardiola believes the win was &ldquo;one of the best&rdquo; performances his players have produced since he took over at City but urged them not to let their intensity drop.

&ldquo;My advice for the players is not to think how many games are left, just to look to the next one,&rdquo; he said.

&ldquo;Every time we dropped points this season, the next game we won, which is so, so important. Keeping that consistency is so important for us. If we are able to win the title it will be something special for us.&quot;

Leicester manager Claude Puel brought Riyad Mahrez off the bench in the second half as the winger made his first appearance since a self-imposed exile following the collapse of a deadline day transfer to City.

And Puel claimed both he and the Algeria international will not focus their efforts on the rest of the season without any issues.

&ldquo;I said before my last press conference it was important for him to come back quick,&rdquo; Puel said.

&ldquo;He maintained a good level and it was important he was back in the squad. We have lost time and now it is important to look forward. The transfer window is finished.

&ldquo;Since the beginning of the transfer window we took a decision with the club, to protect the squad. Riyad came back, and he is an important player.

&ldquo;Now it is about time to move on together and of course we are stronger with him. It is important to move together with good solidarity and understanding together.&quot;

&nbsp;

"An authentic legend of this club," said the City coach Pep Guardiola

Pep Guardiola hailed Sergio Aguero as an "authentic legend" of Manchester City after his four second-half goals continued the club's emphatic march towards the Premier League title with a 5-1 thrashing of Leicester. Raheem Sterling had given City an early lead on Saturday but Leicester went into the break on level terms thanks to Jamie Vardy's equaliser. However, Aguero took centre stage with a finishing masterclass to take his tally in City's last seven home games to 14 goals as Guardiola's side moved 16 points clear. "An authentic legend of this club," said Guardiola of his prolific Argentine striker. "In the second half he scored four goals. Sergio is like this, he has a special talent in the box. He's clinical... especially the third one and fourth one are amazing." Aguero now has 28 goals in all competitions this season -– eight more than Sterling. “So we try to create a lot of chances to score the goals he does, and he always does. Congratulations to him because it's not easy to score four goals," added Guardiola. “When one player is able to score four goals, he deserves all the credit and the nice words. He fights, he plays really good and he scored. We needed it.“ Guardiola believes the win was “one of the best” performances his players have produced since he took over at City but urged them not to let their intensity drop. “My advice for the players is not to think how many games are left, just to look to the next one,” he said. “Every time we dropped points this season, the next game we won, which is so, so important. Keeping that consistency is so important for us. If we are able to win the title it will be something special for us." Leicester manager Claude Puel brought Riyad Mahrez off the bench in the second half as the winger made his first appearance since a self-imposed exile following the collapse of a deadline day transfer to City. And Puel claimed both he and the Algeria international will not focus their efforts on the rest of the season without any issues. “I said before my last press conference it was important for him to come back quick,” Puel said. “He maintained a good level and it was important he was back in the squad. We have lost time and now it is important to look forward. The transfer window is finished. “Since the beginning of the transfer window we took a decision with the club, to protect the squad. Riyad came back, and he is an important player. “Now it is about time to move on together and of course we are stronger with him. It is important to move together with good solidarity and understanding together."

EPL: Sergio Aguero's four-goal show inspires Man City to stylish win

Manchester United have to continue fighting for the Premier League title regardless of the 13-point gap to leaders Manchester City, defender Antonio Valencia said.

United are second on 56 points with 12 games remaining but Valencia said the club cannot lose hope yet, pointing to how their cross-town rivals overcame an eight-point deficit in the final six games to pip them to the title in the 2011-12 season.

&quot;We lost a title when we were eight points ahead and there were only a few games left. Now, we have a lot more games to play and we need to keep fighting,&quot; Valencia told the club`s website (www.manutd.com). &quot;We need to keep going.

&quot;The important thing is to get the three points, playing at home, playing well, and we will carry on with this mentality until the end of the season.&quot;

United bounced back from a 2-0 defeat by Tottenham Hotspur last Wednesday to beat Huddersfield Town 2-0 on Saturday.&nbsp;

&quot;We have shown that we have the quality and conditions to fight until the end of the season,&quot; Valencia added.

United travel to 16th-placed Newcastle United on Sunday.

United bounced back from a 2-0 defeat by Tottenham Hotspur last Wednesday to beat Huddersfield Town 2-0 on Saturday.

Manchester United have to continue fighting for the Premier League title regardless of the 13-point gap to leaders Manchester City, defender Antonio Valencia said. United are second on 56 points with 12 games remaining but Valencia said the club cannot lose hope yet, pointing to how their cross-town rivals overcame an eight-point deficit in the final six games to pip them to the title in the 2011-12 season. "We lost a title when we were eight points ahead and there were only a few games left. Now, we have a lot more games to play and we need to keep fighting," Valencia told the club`s website (www.manutd.com). "We need to keep going. "The important thing is to get the three points, playing at home, playing well, and we will carry on with this mentality until the end of the season." United bounced back from a 2-0 defeat by Tottenham Hotspur last Wednesday to beat Huddersfield Town 2-0 on Saturday. "We have shown that we have the quality and conditions to fight until the end of the season," Valencia added. United travel to 16th-placed Newcastle United on Sunday.

Football: Valencia urges United to stay in hunt for Premier League title

Manchester City winger Raheem&nbsp;Sterling&nbsp;has hit out at the quality of officials in England, claiming players could miss the World Cup because they&rsquo;re being &quot;butchered&quot; by bad challenges.

City star Leroy Sane was sidelined for up to seven weeks after a bad tackle by Cardiff&rsquo;s Joe Bennett in their 2-0 win in the FA Cup last weekend.

Referee Bobby Madley then failed to show a red card to West Brom&rsquo;s Matt Phillips after his knee-high challenge on youngster Brahim Diaz in the closing stages.

It follows a glut of incidents on City players this season, none of which were punished with dismissals.

Manager Pep Guardiola has repeatedly asked for referees to protect the players, but his calls appear to fall on deaf ears.

But now&nbsp;Sterling, 23, is backing up his manager, saying the nature of the tackles could put those on the receiving end in serious trouble.

He said: &ldquo;I find it a bit unfair at times. I feel that we haven&rsquo;t been protected enough in certain situations. I think some of the challenges have been awful.

&ldquo;It&rsquo;s not what I expect to see in a top-flight football match -- especially when teams are losing and just go out to kick players.

&ldquo;I don&rsquo;t think that&rsquo;s right. I do think we need to cut down on that because we&rsquo;ve got a World Cup at the end of the year and majority of the players in the top flight and in our team will be playing in it.

&ldquo;It would be sad to see someone miss the tournament due to a silly tackle and someone gets away with it.

&ldquo;These tackles can happen -- but it can&rsquo;t be every game we&rsquo;re getting two players coming in with injuries.

&ldquo;There are going to be challenges that are badly timed and probably not all of them are intentional, but at the same time, if it&rsquo;s a dangerous tackle, it&rsquo;s a dangerous tackle.

&ldquo;I think the referees and officials need to cut these tackles out because as you can see some of the players are getting butchered out there and it&rsquo;s sad to see.

&ldquo;But I just feel we need to try and cut this out of the game.&rdquo;

Guardiola has called for officials to protect not just his stars, but all players -- though he has not had much support from his peers.

Cardiff boss Neil Warnock commented after the FA Cup tie that Guardiola should expect strong challenges in England, while West Brom manager Alan Pardew accused the Catalan of trying to get the crowd to put pressure on the referee.

It was sparked by several weeks of incidents that could have left some of the Premier League leaders&rsquo; team badly hurt.

Kevin De Bruyne was stretchered off at Crystal Palace after being hacked down by Jason Puncheon, weeks after he was on the receiving end of a studs-up challenge by Tottenham&rsquo;s Dele Alli.

Sterling&nbsp;was also caught late by Harry Kane in the first half of that match, which finished 4-1 to City.

City already has long-term injury problems with Benjamin Mendy, Gabriel Jesus and Sane still missing.

&nbsp;

Raheem Sterling has hit out at the quality of officials in England, claiming players could miss the World Cup because they’re being "butchered" by bad challenges

Manchester City winger Raheem Sterling has hit out at the quality of officials in England, claiming players could miss the World Cup because they’re being "butchered" by bad challenges. City star Leroy Sane was sidelined for up to seven weeks after a bad tackle by Cardiff’s Joe Bennett in their 2-0 win in the FA Cup last weekend. Referee Bobby Madley then failed to show a red card to West Brom’s Matt Phillips after his knee-high challenge on youngster Brahim Diaz in the closing stages. It follows a glut of incidents on City players this season, none of which were punished with dismissals. Manager Pep Guardiola has repeatedly asked for referees to protect the players, but his calls appear to fall on deaf ears. But now Sterling, 23, is backing up his manager, saying the nature of the tackles could put those on the receiving end in serious trouble. He said: “I find it a bit unfair at times. I feel that we haven’t been protected enough in certain situations. I think some of the challenges have been awful. “It’s not what I expect to see in a top-flight football match -- especially when teams are losing and just go out to kick players. “I don’t think that’s right. I do think we need to cut down on that because we’ve got a World Cup at the end of the year and majority of the players in the top flight and in our team will be playing in it. “It would be sad to see someone miss the tournament due to a silly tackle and someone gets away with it. “These tackles can happen -- but it can’t be every game we’re getting two players coming in with injuries. “There are going to be challenges that are badly timed and probably not all of them are intentional, but at the same time, if it’s a dangerous tackle, it’s a dangerous tackle. “I think the referees and officials need to cut these tackles out because as you can see some of the players are getting butchered out there and it’s sad to see. “But I just feel we need to try and cut this out of the game.” Guardiola has called for officials to protect not just his stars, but all players -- though he has not had much support from his peers. Cardiff boss Neil Warnock commented after the FA Cup tie that Guardiola should expect strong challenges in England, while West Brom manager Alan Pardew accused the Catalan of trying to get the crowd to put pressure on the referee. It was sparked by several weeks of incidents that could have left some of the Premier League leaders’ team badly hurt. Kevin De Bruyne was stretchered off at Crystal Palace after being hacked down by Jason Puncheon, weeks after he was on the receiving end of a studs-up challenge by Tottenham’s Dele Alli. Sterling was also caught late by Harry Kane in the first half of that match, which finished 4-1 to City. City already has long-term injury problems with Benjamin Mendy, Gabriel Jesus and Sane still missing.

EPL: Man City players butchered by poor tackles, says Sterling

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has said his team would not concede defeat in the Premier League title race if they were in the same position as Manchester United.

United manager Jose Mourinho conceded the title to runaway leaders City for the first time on Friday with the 20-times champions running second, 15 points behind City with 13 games left.

Asked ahead of City&#39;s trip to seventh-placed Burnley on Saturday if he would give up on Mourinho&#39;s position, Guardiola said: &quot;No, I don&#39;t think so. That is not going to happen.

&quot;We have shown even in our two defeats this season that we will try until the very end. We play every game to give sense to what we are doing. I know the 15-point distance is quite big at the moment. It&#39;s the same gap from six games ago.

&quot;In football and in sports anything can happen. You are good today but tomorrow you are bad. The most important thing we have done is the focus. In my experience, until everything is done, you have to be prepared for anything to happen.&quot;

City has endured a hectic season having progressed to the Champions League last 16, the FA Cup fifth round and the League Cup final apart from dominating the league and Guardiola said he would rest his players following the Burnley game.

&quot;After the game against Burnley until next Wednesday the players will be resting,&quot; Guardiola added.

&quot;The players can do whatever they want, they can travel or whatever. If they want to go and find some sunshine or stay here in Manchester, they can do what they like. They are free.&quot;

&nbsp;

United manager Jose Mourinho conceded the title to runaway leaders City for the first time on Friday with the 20-times champions running second, 15 points behind City with 13 games left

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has said his team would not concede defeat in the Premier League title race if they were in the same position as Manchester United. United manager Jose Mourinho conceded the title to runaway leaders City for the first time on Friday with the 20-times champions running second, 15 points behind City with 13 games left. Asked ahead of City's trip to seventh-placed Burnley on Saturday if he would give up on Mourinho's position, Guardiola said: "No, I don't think so. That is not going to happen. "We have shown even in our two defeats this season that we will try until the very end. We play every game to give sense to what we are doing. I know the 15-point distance is quite big at the moment. It's the same gap from six games ago. "In football and in sports anything can happen. You are good today but tomorrow you are bad. The most important thing we have done is the focus. In my experience, until everything is done, you have to be prepared for anything to happen." City has endured a hectic season having progressed to the Champions League last 16, the FA Cup fifth round and the League Cup final apart from dominating the league and Guardiola said he would rest his players following the Burnley game. "After the game against Burnley until next Wednesday the players will be resting," Guardiola added. "The players can do whatever they want, they can travel or whatever. If they want to go and find some sunshine or stay here in Manchester, they can do what they like. They are free."

'I won't concede title if in Man United's position' says Pep Guardiola

Premier League leaders Manchester City paid the price for missed chances as they were held to a 1-1 draw at Burnley on Saturday with Johann Berg Gudmundsson&rsquo;s 82nd minute equaliser earning the hosts a share of the points.

City had dominated possession throughout most of the game, which they strolled through for large spells, but after taking the lead with a beautiful strike from Brazilian Danilo in the 22nd minute, they failed to press home their advantage.

Raheem Sterling produced one of the misses of the season &ndash; somehow putting the ball wide just one metre out from the empty goal and Burnley made the most of that let-off.

City extended their lead to 16 points over second-placed rivals Manchester United, who were hosting Huddesfield Town later on Saturday. City now have 69 points from 26 games.

City manager Pep Guardiola, without the injured David Silva, Leroy Sane and Gabriel Jesus, named only six substitutes including club record signing Aymeric Laporte, signed for a club record 57 million pounds ($80.48 million) last week.

In an attacking line-up, Burnley boss Sean Dyche gave winger Aaron Lennon his first start since joining from Everton.

City went ahead when a short corner was worked to Danilo and, enjoying plenty of space, the Brazilian unleashed an unstoppable drive from outside the area.

City quality

The Clarets were struggling to create openings but when Jack Cork looped the ball into the area, it fell to defender Ben Mee whose volley forced a good save from Ederson.

Former City youth team player Mee had another half-chance minutes later but his header from a corner flashed just wide.

City showcased their quality in the 39th minute with a flowing move from the back, ending with a powerful drive from Kevin De Bruyne which keeper Nick Pope did well to keep out.

After the break, there was almost a repeat of the opening goal when City again found Danilo from a corner but this time the full back&rsquo;s shot was tipped over by Pope.

Somehow Burnley were still in the game and they came close to levelling when a fine Lennon strike was pushed against the woodwork by Ederson.

That brought the game to life and City pushed forward with increased urgency and should have doubled their lead when Kyle Walker played the ball across the face of goal and somehow Sterling put it wide from point-blank range.

City were made to pay when Burnley substitute Matt Lowton floated in a cross from the right and Gudmundsson met it on the half-volley to fire home and give the hosts one of the more memorable results of a season that has defied expectations.

City had dominated possession throughout most of the game, which they strolled through for large spells, but after taking the lead with a beautiful strike from Brazilian Danilo in the 22nd minute, they failed to press home their advantage

Premier League leaders Manchester City paid the price for missed chances as they were held to a 1-1 draw at Burnley on Saturday with Johann Berg Gudmundsson’s 82nd minute equaliser earning the hosts a share of the points. City had dominated possession throughout most of the game, which they strolled through for large spells, but after taking the lead with a beautiful strike from Brazilian Danilo in the 22nd minute, they failed to press home their advantage. Raheem Sterling produced one of the misses of the season – somehow putting the ball wide just one metre out from the empty goal and Burnley made the most of that let-off. City extended their lead to 16 points over second-placed rivals Manchester United, who were hosting Huddesfield Town later on Saturday. City now have 69 points from 26 games. City manager Pep Guardiola, without the injured David Silva, Leroy Sane and Gabriel Jesus, named only six substitutes including club record signing Aymeric Laporte, signed for a club record 57 million pounds ($80.48 million) last week. In an attacking line-up, Burnley boss Sean Dyche gave winger Aaron Lennon his first start since joining from Everton. City went ahead when a short corner was worked to Danilo and, enjoying plenty of space, the Brazilian unleashed an unstoppable drive from outside the area. City quality The Clarets were struggling to create openings but when Jack Cork looped the ball into the area, it fell to defender Ben Mee whose volley forced a good save from Ederson. Former City youth team player Mee had another half-chance minutes later but his header from a corner flashed just wide. City showcased their quality in the 39th minute with a flowing move from the back, ending with a powerful drive from Kevin De Bruyne which keeper Nick Pope did well to keep out. After the break, there was almost a repeat of the opening goal when City again found Danilo from a corner but this time the full back’s shot was tipped over by Pope. Somehow Burnley were still in the game and they came close to levelling when a fine Lennon strike was pushed against the woodwork by Ederson. That brought the game to life and City pushed forward with increased urgency and should have doubled their lead when Kyle Walker played the ball across the face of goal and somehow Sterling put it wide from point-blank range. City were made to pay when Burnley substitute Matt Lowton floated in a cross from the right and Gudmundsson met it on the half-volley to fire home and give the hosts one of the more memorable results of a season that has defied expectations.

Manchester City held at Burnley after late Gudmundsson equaliser

The form table suggests Liverpool have realistic hopes of disrupting Manchester City&#39;s waltz towards the Premier League title when they meet on Sunday, although they must quickly learn how to cope without Philippe Coutinho.

The Brazilian playmaker completed a 142 million-pound ($192 million) move to Barcelona on Monday, meaning Juergen Klopp&#39;s &quot;fab four&quot; up front is now just a three.

Unbeaten City are 15 points clear at the top of the table, having scored more goals than anybody with 64, but fourth-placed Liverpool come second on that count with 50.

Klopp&#39;s side are unbeaten in 17 games in all competitions since they were thrashed 4-1 by Tottenham on Oct. 22.

Egyptian winger Mohamed Salah is set to return from injury and he and Sadio Mane are likely to play either side of striker Roberto Firmino.

Although Coutinho will no longer be able to provide the trio with ammunition, they still have the speed and guile to trouble Pep Guardiola&#39;s side at the back.

Former Liverpool midfielder Jason McAteer believes the Reds can get at City&#39;s defence.

&quot;We know Manchester City&#39;s quality, we know that they&#39;re running away with (the league) at the minute, but I think, on their day, Liverpool can match anybody,&quot; McAteer told the Liverpool website.

&quot;They&#39;re so good going forward. You&#39;ve got to be (wary) of the attacking prowess that they&#39;ve got but there are areas of weakness.

&quot;If you can get in between the lines and at the two centre-halves, which I feel we can, then there are chances and goals there.&quot;

City, however, will look to repeat their dominant 5-0 victory over Liverpool at the Etihad in September, although they will be without injured striker Gabriel Jesus, who scored a brace that day.

This time they will have Virgil van Dijk in their way with the Liverpool defender set to make his Premier League debut after his move from Southampton.

Van Dijk enjoyed a dramatic debut for his new team in the FA Cup, scoring late on against Everton to earn Liverpool a derby victory.

City&#39;s Belgian midfielder Kevin De Bruyne said his team would just focus on their own performance.

&quot;We go there to win the game,&quot; he said. &quot;They will have a very strong team and they want to be there for the Champions League (places).

&quot;We just try to do the things that we do well and then we will see what happens.&quot;

Second-placed Manchester United host Stoke City on Monday, the visitors currently without a coach after sacking Mark Hughes following their FA Cup defeat by League Two Coventry City.

Coach Eddie Niedzwiecki is in temporary charge of the team for the trip to Old Trafford, with Jose Mourinho&#39;s side anxious to keep ahead of the chasing pack behind Manchester City.

The Portuguese has been embroiled in a war of words with Chelsea coach Antonio Conte, whose side host Leicester City on Saturday when a victory would see them provisionally move above United into second.

Tottenham host Everton on Saturday and Arsenal travel to Bournemouth on Sunday. Crystal Palace face Burnley, Huddersfield meet West Ham United and Newcastle United entertain Swansea City in other weekend matches.

Klopp's side are unbeaten in 17 games in all competitions since they were thrashed 4-1 by Tottenham on Oct. 22.

The form table suggests Liverpool have realistic hopes of disrupting Manchester City's waltz towards the Premier League title when they meet on Sunday, although they must quickly learn how to cope without Philippe Coutinho. The Brazilian playmaker completed a 142 million-pound ($192 million) move to Barcelona on Monday, meaning Juergen Klopp's "fab four" up front is now just a three. Unbeaten City are 15 points clear at the top of the table, having scored more goals than anybody with 64, but fourth-placed Liverpool come second on that count with 50. Klopp's side are unbeaten in 17 games in all competitions since they were thrashed 4-1 by Tottenham on Oct. 22. Egyptian winger Mohamed Salah is set to return from injury and he and Sadio Mane are likely to play either side of striker Roberto Firmino. Although Coutinho will no longer be able to provide the trio with ammunition, they still have the speed and guile to trouble Pep Guardiola's side at the back. Former Liverpool midfielder Jason McAteer believes the Reds can get at City's defence. "We know Manchester City's quality, we know that they're running away with (the league) at the minute, but I think, on their day, Liverpool can match anybody," McAteer told the Liverpool website. "They're so good going forward. You've got to be (wary) of the attacking prowess that they've got but there are areas of weakness. "If you can get in between the lines and at the two centre-halves, which I feel we can, then there are chances and goals there." City, however, will look to repeat their dominant 5-0 victory over Liverpool at the Etihad in September, although they will be without injured striker Gabriel Jesus, who scored a brace that day. This time they will have Virgil van Dijk in their way with the Liverpool defender set to make his Premier League debut after his move from Southampton. Van Dijk enjoyed a dramatic debut for his new team in the FA Cup, scoring late on against Everton to earn Liverpool a derby victory. City's Belgian midfielder Kevin De Bruyne said his team would just focus on their own performance. "We go there to win the game," he said. "They will have a very strong team and they want to be there for the Champions League (places). "We just try to do the things that we do well and then we will see what happens." Second-placed Manchester United host Stoke City on Monday, the visitors currently without a coach after sacking Mark Hughes following their FA Cup defeat by League Two Coventry City. Coach Eddie Niedzwiecki is in temporary charge of the team for the trip to Old Trafford, with Jose Mourinho's side anxious to keep ahead of the chasing pack behind Manchester City. The Portuguese has been embroiled in a war of words with Chelsea coach Antonio Conte, whose side host Leicester City on Saturday when a victory would see them provisionally move above United into second. Tottenham host Everton on Saturday and Arsenal travel to Bournemouth on Sunday. Crystal Palace face Burnley, Huddersfield meet West Ham United and Newcastle United entertain Swansea City in other weekend matches.

Football: Liverpool, without Philippe Coutinho, out to halt Manchester City march

Sergio Aguero says he would like to see out his present contract with runaway Premier League leaders Manchester City which runs until 2020.

However, he looks set for a long run in the starting line-up with Brazil youngster Gabriel Jesus suffering a knee ligament injury in Sunday&#39;s 0-0 draw with Crystal Palace.

&quot;I have until 2020, I think,&quot; said Aguero regarding his contract.

&quot;The truth is that I hope to see out my contract and I&#39;ll try to do my best from here until the end of the season, and after that we will see what happens with me,&quot; added Aguero, who is City&#39;s all-time leading scorer and netted his 185th goal for the club in Tuesday&#39;s 3-1 win over Watford.

The 29-year-old Argentinian striker had been rumoured to be unhappy at not always being a first-choice starter.

Aguero has been with City since 2011 and memorably scored the goal that clinched the title on the last day of the season in 2012 at the expense of city rivals Manchester United.

He insists he would like to stay at the club but accepted that it was not ultimately his decision.

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More speculation has emerged about Sergio Aguero&#39;s future at Manchester City. 
 
Seems hard to imagine them letting a player of his ability leave the etihad.<a href="https://t.co/iQiMzuNJgQ">pic.twitter.com/iQiMzuNJgQ</a>
&mdash; OLBG Betting Tips (@OLBG) <a href="https://twitter.com/OLBG/status/948519853027155968?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2018</a></blockquote>
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&quot;The truth is I&#39;m very happy here but, as always, as I said before, the club has the last word,&quot; said Aguero.

&quot;They&#39;re the only ones who decide because obviously, the club is the one who makes the decisions, they are the ones who say you have to go or have to stay, so I&#39;ll respect whatever they tell me.&quot;

City manager Pep Guardiola appears content for him to stay as long as he wants given what he said in December.

&quot;He is a legend,&quot; said Guardiola.

&quot;He will decide absolutely everything about his life and his future. I&#39;m delighted to have him here.&quot;

There were speculations that Argentine star is unhappy under Guardiola after being dropped for the Manchester derby last month.

He scored his 16th goal of the season in Tuesday&rsquo;s 3-1 win against Watford.

Still, speculation over his future refuses to go away as Manchester City intent on signing Alexis Sanchez.

&nbsp;

Manchester City's Sergio Aguero intends to see out contract at City but speculation over his future continues

Sergio Aguero says he would like to see out his present contract with runaway Premier League leaders Manchester City which runs until 2020. However, he looks set for a long run in the starting line-up with Brazil youngster Gabriel Jesus suffering a knee ligament injury in Sunday's 0-0 draw with Crystal Palace. "I have until 2020, I think," said Aguero regarding his contract. "The truth is that I hope to see out my contract and I'll try to do my best from here until the end of the season, and after that we will see what happens with me," added Aguero, who is City's all-time leading scorer and netted his 185th goal for the club in Tuesday's 3-1 win over Watford. The 29-year-old Argentinian striker had been rumoured to be unhappy at not always being a first-choice starter. Aguero has been with City since 2011 and memorably scored the goal that clinched the title on the last day of the season in 2012 at the expense of city rivals Manchester United. He insists he would like to stay at the club but accepted that it was not ultimately his decision. More speculation has emerged about Sergio Aguero's future at Manchester City. Seems hard to imagine them letting a player of his ability leave the etihad.pic.twitter.com/iQiMzuNJgQ — OLBG Betting Tips (@OLBG) January 3, 2018 × "The truth is I'm very happy here but, as always, as I said before, the club has the last word," said Aguero. "They're the only ones who decide because obviously, the club is the one who makes the decisions, they are the ones who say you have to go or have to stay, so I'll respect whatever they tell me." City manager Pep Guardiola appears content for him to stay as long as he wants given what he said in December. "He is a legend," said Guardiola. "He will decide absolutely everything about his life and his future. I'm delighted to have him here." There were speculations that Argentine star is unhappy under Guardiola after being dropped for the Manchester derby last month. He scored his 16th goal of the season in Tuesday’s 3-1 win against Watford. Still, speculation over his future refuses to go away as Manchester City intent on signing Alexis Sanchez.

Football: Sergio Aguero denies transfer rumours

Manchester City&#39;s Spanish international forward David Silva missed four matches recently because his prematurely-born baby son is fighting for his life, he revealed on Wednesday.

The 31-year-old -- who returned to the runaway Premier League leaders starting line-up for Tuesday&#39;s 3-1 win over Watford -- thanked everyone for their support on his Twitter account.

&quot;Also I want to share with you the birth of my son Mateo, who was born extremely preterm and is fighting day by day with the help of the medical team,&quot; he tweeted.

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COMUNICADO OFICIAL: <a href="https://t.co/8Ooaef92ro">pic.twitter.com/8Ooaef92ro</a>
&mdash; David Silva (@21LVA) <a href="https://twitter.com/21LVA/status/948534711378415616?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Manchester City midfielder David Silva reveals that his son has been brought prematurely and is fighting 'day by day' which is why he has been absent from the squad recently

Manchester City's Spanish international forward David Silva missed four matches recently because his prematurely-born baby son is fighting for his life, he revealed on Wednesday. The 31-year-old -- who returned to the runaway Premier League leaders starting line-up for Tuesday's 3-1 win over Watford -- thanked everyone for their support on his Twitter account. "Also I want to share with you the birth of my son Mateo, who was born extremely preterm and is fighting day by day with the help of the medical team," he tweeted. COMUNICADO OFICIAL: pic.twitter.com/8Ooaef92ro — David Silva (@21LVA) January 3, 2018 ×

David Silva explains absence from Manchester City squad

Runaway Premier League leaders Manchester City returned to winning ways with a comfortable 3-1 victory over Watford on Tuesday, showing no signs of letting the festive flurry of fixtures impact their momentum.

City manager Pep Guardiola responded to Sunday&rsquo;s goalless draw at Crystal Palace, which ended their 18-match winning run, by fielding a full-strength side with John Stones and David Silva both returning.

Belgian midfielder Kevin De Bruyne, who was stretchered off at Palace after a horrific challenge, was fit to start while Sergio Aguero replaced the injured Gabriel Jesus in the centre-forward role.

If that was a statement of intent - it was certainly backed up on the field. It took just 38 seconds for the leaders to get ahead when Silva fed Leroy Sane on the left flank and the German&rsquo;s low cross was turned in at the back post by an unmarked Raheem Sterling.

City looked in the mood to get the business settled early and they should have doubled their lead when Sane, after a clever piece of footwork, cut back to Stones but the defender&rsquo;s shot, while leaning back, flew high over the bar.

It was not long before the second came, however, and again it was a low ball across the face of the goal that proved Watford&rsquo;s undoing. Silva fed De Bruyne on the right and the midfielder&rsquo;s cross was turned into his own net by the sliding Christian Kabasele.

Marco Silva&rsquo;s Watford faced a long night of damage limitation and they had their keeper Heurelho Gomes to thank for tipping a curling De Bruyne free kick against the bar.

The counter-attack was Watford&rsquo;s only likely route to goal and that nearly proved fruitful in the 29th minute when Andre Gray broke clear and burst goalwards but his low shot was well saved by Ederson.

The City keeper did well again to keep out a low drive from Etienne Capoue two minutes before the break but only the most optimistic of Hornets fans would have seen that as a sign of things changing in the second half.

Aguero missed a clearcut chance to make it 3-0 three minutes after the restart, heading well wide when found unmarked 10 metres out by a trademark pinpoint cross from De Bruyne.

It was that combination, however, that put the game well and truly beyond Watford in the 63rd minute with the help of Gomes who fumbled the Belgian&rsquo;s cross to leave Aguero with the simplest of tap-ins.

De Bruyne drove into the side-netting from a tight angle in the 78th minute and was immediately taken off by Guardiola, receiving a richly deserved ovation from the Etihad crowd.

Gray got a consolation for Watford in the 82nd minute slotting home a low cross from Andre Carillo.

Manager Pep Guardiola responded to Sunday?s goalless draw at Crystal Palace, which ended their 18-match winning run, by fielding a full-strength side

Runaway Premier League leaders Manchester City returned to winning ways with a comfortable 3-1 victory over Watford on Tuesday, showing no signs of letting the festive flurry of fixtures impact their momentum. City manager Pep Guardiola responded to Sunday’s goalless draw at Crystal Palace, which ended their 18-match winning run, by fielding a full-strength side with John Stones and David Silva both returning. Belgian midfielder Kevin De Bruyne, who was stretchered off at Palace after a horrific challenge, was fit to start while Sergio Aguero replaced the injured Gabriel Jesus in the centre-forward role. If that was a statement of intent - it was certainly backed up on the field. It took just 38 seconds for the leaders to get ahead when Silva fed Leroy Sane on the left flank and the German’s low cross was turned in at the back post by an unmarked Raheem Sterling. City looked in the mood to get the business settled early and they should have doubled their lead when Sane, after a clever piece of footwork, cut back to Stones but the defender’s shot, while leaning back, flew high over the bar. It was not long before the second came, however, and again it was a low ball across the face of the goal that proved Watford’s undoing. Silva fed De Bruyne on the right and the midfielder’s cross was turned into his own net by the sliding Christian Kabasele. Marco Silva’s Watford faced a long night of damage limitation and they had their keeper Heurelho Gomes to thank for tipping a curling De Bruyne free kick against the bar. The counter-attack was Watford’s only likely route to goal and that nearly proved fruitful in the 29th minute when Andre Gray broke clear and burst goalwards but his low shot was well saved by Ederson. The City keeper did well again to keep out a low drive from Etienne Capoue two minutes before the break but only the most optimistic of Hornets fans would have seen that as a sign of things changing in the second half. Aguero missed a clearcut chance to make it 3-0 three minutes after the restart, heading well wide when found unmarked 10 metres out by a trademark pinpoint cross from De Bruyne. It was that combination, however, that put the game well and truly beyond Watford in the 63rd minute with the help of Gomes who fumbled the Belgian’s cross to leave Aguero with the simplest of tap-ins. De Bruyne drove into the side-netting from a tight angle in the 78th minute and was immediately taken off by Guardiola, receiving a richly deserved ovation from the Etihad crowd. Gray got a consolation for Watford in the 82nd minute slotting home a low cross from Andre Carillo.

EPL: City back to winning ways with 3-1 victory over Watford

Ederson`s last-gasp penalty heroics saved Manchester City from defeat but a 0-0 stalemate at Crystal Palace on Sunday brought the Premier League leaders` record-breaking 18-match winning run to an end.

Luka Milivojevic was presented with the chance to seal a memorable victory for Roy Hodgson`s relegation-threatened side when Wilfried Zaha was brought down by Raheem Sterling in injury time.

But the Palace midfielder struck his spot-kick too close to Ederson, allowing the City goalkeeper to preserve his side`s 21-game unbeaten start to the league campaign.

City`s failure to score in a league game for the first time since last April meant they fell short in their bid to equal Bayern Munich 19-game winning run of four years ago, the longest in Europe`s five major leagues, set under their current boss Pep Guardiola.

And City`s afternoon was further soured when Kevin De Bruyne was stretchered off immediately after the spot-kick following an ugly challenge by Palace substitute Jason Puncheon.

Guardiola, who also said forward Gabriel Jesus was likely to be out for up to two months after an injury early in the game, called for referees to take firm action.

&quot;Please, referees, they have to protect players,&quot; he said. &quot;We were lucky against Tottenham and against Newcastle. Today we were not lucky.

&quot;Referees have to protect. We know how strong physically it is England but teams miss big players, not just Manchester City. The replay speaks for itself. We have to protect players.&quot;Hodgson claimed before the game there was &quot;no magic formula&quot; to competing with City, insisting his Palace side`s hopes of getting something from the game hinged on working hard and defending well while maintaining an attacking threat.

The manager could be satisfied that during the opening 45 minutes his players stuck to the prescribed plan to the extent that by the half-time break, the frustration among Guardiola`s players was obvious.

There was an early sign the visitors might not be at their best when a breakdown in communication between Eliaquim Mangala and Ederson led to the goalkeeper directing an attempted clearance against his centre-back, presenting Christian Benteke with an opportunity that he could not take.

Both sides were forced into early changes, with Palace captain Scott Dann being stretchered off in the 19th minute and City striker Jesus following shortly afterwards.

The subsequent reshuffle appeared to affect the visitors more, with Palace growing more into the game the longer the half went on.

Sergio Aguero, Jesus`s replacement, struck the post in the 28th minute with a deflected shot from the edge of the penalty area but that proved to be a rare moment of concern for home goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey.

And while Palace were unable to carve out many clear chances at the other end, Wilfried Zaha was a constant threat down the Palace left, frequently getting the better of City right-back Kyle Walker.

An animated conversation between De Bruyne and Leroy Sane confirmed the sense that City were growing increasingly uncomfortable.

Palace found it far harder to be as expansive after the restart, when City finally began to move through the gears.

But Hennessey proved equal to the task, blocking Leroy Sane`s close-range volley at the far post and denying De Bruyne as City struggled to find openings in a well-drilled Palace backline.

And they should have entered the final 14 minutes of the game needing a goal to get back on level terms after Andros Townsend missed the home side`s best chance of the half before Milivojevic was handed his late opportunity to clinch the points.

City`s failure to score in a league game for the first time since last April meant they fell short in their bid to equal Bayern Munich 19-game winning run of four years ago

Ederson`s last-gasp penalty heroics saved Manchester City from defeat but a 0-0 stalemate at Crystal Palace on Sunday brought the Premier League leaders` record-breaking 18-match winning run to an end. Luka Milivojevic was presented with the chance to seal a memorable victory for Roy Hodgson`s relegation-threatened side when Wilfried Zaha was brought down by Raheem Sterling in injury time. But the Palace midfielder struck his spot-kick too close to Ederson, allowing the City goalkeeper to preserve his side`s 21-game unbeaten start to the league campaign. City`s failure to score in a league game for the first time since last April meant they fell short in their bid to equal Bayern Munich 19-game winning run of four years ago, the longest in Europe`s five major leagues, set under their current boss Pep Guardiola. And City`s afternoon was further soured when Kevin De Bruyne was stretchered off immediately after the spot-kick following an ugly challenge by Palace substitute Jason Puncheon. Guardiola, who also said forward Gabriel Jesus was likely to be out for up to two months after an injury early in the game, called for referees to take firm action. "Please, referees, they have to protect players," he said. "We were lucky against Tottenham and against Newcastle. Today we were not lucky. "Referees have to protect. We know how strong physically it is England but teams miss big players, not just Manchester City. The replay speaks for itself. We have to protect players."Hodgson claimed before the game there was "no magic formula" to competing with City, insisting his Palace side`s hopes of getting something from the game hinged on working hard and defending well while maintaining an attacking threat. The manager could be satisfied that during the opening 45 minutes his players stuck to the prescribed plan to the extent that by the half-time break, the frustration among Guardiola`s players was obvious. There was an early sign the visitors might not be at their best when a breakdown in communication between Eliaquim Mangala and Ederson led to the goalkeeper directing an attempted clearance against his centre-back, presenting Christian Benteke with an opportunity that he could not take. Both sides were forced into early changes, with Palace captain Scott Dann being stretchered off in the 19th minute and City striker Jesus following shortly afterwards. The subsequent reshuffle appeared to affect the visitors more, with Palace growing more into the game the longer the half went on. Sergio Aguero, Jesus`s replacement, struck the post in the 28th minute with a deflected shot from the edge of the penalty area but that proved to be a rare moment of concern for home goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey. And while Palace were unable to carve out many clear chances at the other end, Wilfried Zaha was a constant threat down the Palace left, frequently getting the better of City right-back Kyle Walker. An animated conversation between De Bruyne and Leroy Sane confirmed the sense that City were growing increasingly uncomfortable. Palace found it far harder to be as expansive after the restart, when City finally began to move through the gears. But Hennessey proved equal to the task, blocking Leroy Sane`s close-range volley at the far post and denying De Bruyne as City struggled to find openings in a well-drilled Palace backline. And they should have entered the final 14 minutes of the game needing a goal to get back on level terms after Andros Townsend missed the home side`s best chance of the half before Milivojevic was handed his late opportunity to clinch the points.

Football: Man City winning run ends in draw at Crystal Palace

Raheem Sterling says Manchester City are motivated by the pursuit of silverware rather than the promise of breaking more records as the Premier League leaders chase another landmark at Crystal Palace this weekend.

Pep Guardiola&#39;s side have already turned the title race into a lengthy coronation party after winning 18th successive league matches to open up a 15-point lead over second placed Manchester United.

A slew of statistical milestones have littered red-hot City&#39;s incredible run and they can finish 2017 by claiming another notable feat.

Just hours before the New Year&#39;s Eve fireworks begin to light up the night sky&nbsp;on Sunday, unbeaten City will be at Selhurst Park looking for a record-equalling 19th consecutive league victory.

The only club in Europe&#39;s five biggest leagues to have had a winning run that long is Bayern Munich under Guardiola in 2013-14.

But, while the historic sub-plots are a welcome bonus, City winger Sterling insists it is the thought of moving another step closer to the Premier League trophy that inspires his side.

&quot;I don&#39;t think everyone is really too focused on records. The most important thing is the three points,&quot; said Sterling, who scored City&#39;s winner at Newcastle&nbsp;on Wednesday.

&quot;Once you win the game and the stats come up, that&#39;s all well and great, but you can&#39;t be thinking about that.

&quot;We&#39;ve just got to have a single focus. At the end of the day, if it happens, it happens, but we need to go there with the mentality to get the job done.&quot;

United&#39;s failure to keep pace with City has sent Jose Mourinho into a grumpy mood, with the Old Trafford chief blasting his players after their recent draw at Leicester and demanding his employers back his plan for substantial investment in new signings.

A 2-2 home draw with Burnley&nbsp;on Tuesday&nbsp;did little to lift Mourinho&#39;s spirits, but it would have been even worse but for Jesse Lingard&#39;s brace as United recovered from two goals down.

Mourinho&#39;s side are without a win in three matches in all competitions, but Lingard claims their recovery against Burnley proves the spirit is still strong ahead of&nbsp;Saturday&#39;s&nbsp;clash with Southampton.

&quot;If we had played for another five or 10 minutes, we would have won the game,&quot; said.

&quot;We always have that fighting spirit, that never-give-up attitude and we&#39;ll see where it gets us.&quot;

Van Dijk boost

Fourth-placed Liverpool host Leicester in their first match since Reds boss Jurgen Klopp paid a world record &pound;75 million ($100 million) for a defender to land Southampton centre-back Virgil van Dijk.

Although Van Dijk can&#39;t officially join Liverpool until&nbsp;January 1, the Dutch star&#39;s arrival is a significant statement of intent by Klopp, who hopes fixing his leaky defence will help the team&#39;s push for a top-four finish.

Amid criticism of the hefty fee, Klopp was asked what the 26-year-old will add to Liverpool.

&quot;Quality. That&#39;s why we got him. We don&#39;t make the prices, the market does. Liverpool supporters should forget about the price,&quot; he said.

Champions Chelsea, who meet Stoke&nbsp;on Saturday, are a whopping 16 points behind City in third place.

Yet defiant Blues defender Cesar Azpilicueta says they will keep chasing the leaders until it&#39;s impossible to catch them.

&quot;Apart for Manchester City, every team is having problems. We need to fight and to keep pushing,&quot; he said.

&quot;We have another game against Stoke, our last game of the year, and it&#39;s important to keep winning. We must try to go as far as we can.&quot;

New Swansea manager Carlos Carvalhal will take charge of the league&#39;s bottom club for the first time at Watford.

Carvalhal was appointed as successor to the sacked Paul Clement just days after being dismissed by second tier Sheffield&nbsp;Wednesday.

&quot;We felt we needed to get the managerial situation resolved as soon as possible and while the timing is not always perfect, we can look forward to the second half of the campaign with renewed optimism,&quot; Swansea chairman Huw Jenkins said in reply to criticism of Carvalhal&#39;s surprise appointment.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Pep Guardiola's side have already turned the title race into a lengthy coronation party after winning 18th successive league matches to open up a 15-point lead over second placed Manchester United

Raheem Sterling says Manchester City are motivated by the pursuit of silverware rather than the promise of breaking more records as the Premier League leaders chase another landmark at Crystal Palace this weekend. Pep Guardiola's side have already turned the title race into a lengthy coronation party after winning 18th successive league matches to open up a 15-point lead over second placed Manchester United. A slew of statistical milestones have littered red-hot City's incredible run and they can finish 2017 by claiming another notable feat. Just hours before the New Year's Eve fireworks begin to light up the night sky on Sunday, unbeaten City will be at Selhurst Park looking for a record-equalling 19th consecutive league victory. The only club in Europe's five biggest leagues to have had a winning run that long is Bayern Munich under Guardiola in 2013-14. But, while the historic sub-plots are a welcome bonus, City winger Sterling insists it is the thought of moving another step closer to the Premier League trophy that inspires his side. "I don't think everyone is really too focused on records. The most important thing is the three points," said Sterling, who scored City's winner at Newcastle on Wednesday. "Once you win the game and the stats come up, that's all well and great, but you can't be thinking about that. "We've just got to have a single focus. At the end of the day, if it happens, it happens, but we need to go there with the mentality to get the job done." United's failure to keep pace with City has sent Jose Mourinho into a grumpy mood, with the Old Trafford chief blasting his players after their recent draw at Leicester and demanding his employers back his plan for substantial investment in new signings. A 2-2 home draw with Burnley on Tuesday did little to lift Mourinho's spirits, but it would have been even worse but for Jesse Lingard's brace as United recovered from two goals down. Mourinho's side are without a win in three matches in all competitions, but Lingard claims their recovery against Burnley proves the spirit is still strong ahead of Saturday's clash with Southampton. "If we had played for another five or 10 minutes, we would have won the game," said. "We always have that fighting spirit, that never-give-up attitude and we'll see where it gets us." Van Dijk boost Fourth-placed Liverpool host Leicester in their first match since Reds boss Jurgen Klopp paid a world record £75 million ($100 million) for a defender to land Southampton centre-back Virgil van Dijk. Although Van Dijk can't officially join Liverpool until January 1, the Dutch star's arrival is a significant statement of intent by Klopp, who hopes fixing his leaky defence will help the team's push for a top-four finish. Amid criticism of the hefty fee, Klopp was asked what the 26-year-old will add to Liverpool. "Quality. That's why we got him. We don't make the prices, the market does. Liverpool supporters should forget about the price," he said. Champions Chelsea, who meet Stoke on Saturday, are a whopping 16 points behind City in third place. Yet defiant Blues defender Cesar Azpilicueta says they will keep chasing the leaders until it's impossible to catch them. "Apart for Manchester City, every team is having problems. We need to fight and to keep pushing," he said. "We have another game against Stoke, our last game of the year, and it's important to keep winning. We must try to go as far as we can." New Swansea manager Carlos Carvalhal will take charge of the league's bottom club for the first time at Watford. Carvalhal was appointed as successor to the sacked Paul Clement just days after being dismissed by second tier Sheffield Wednesday. "We felt we needed to get the managerial situation resolved as soon as possible and while the timing is not always perfect, we can look forward to the second half of the campaign with renewed optimism," Swansea chairman Huw Jenkins said in reply to criticism of Carvalhal's surprise appointment.

City want trophies not records, says Sterling

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