The European season enters the final stretch, testing the physical and football reserves of the teams with the greatest aspirations. In the midst of that challenge lies Manchester City, which serves three fronts: Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup. The coaches have an extra opponent in the demanding calendar. Some days ago, Pep Guardiola He made a public complaint against the Premier’s programming, because his team will have played two games in the nine-day period that Real Madrid, rival next week for the quarterfinals of the Champions League, he will have time to rest.
Manchester City remains one of the three candidates for the title in the most disputed and closed league among the top five in Europe. After not being able to break Arsenal’s closed approach on Sunday, this Wednesday they overcame with a 4-1 a complex obstacle, Aston Villa, the rival who had inflicted the last defeat, 1-0, at the beginning of December. Since then, Guardiola’s team, in all official competitions, has 20 wins and four draws. And another no small fact: it was City’s first victory over one of the four opponents located in the top five of the standings. A symptom of the arduous struggle at the top.
Arsenal, After the 2-0 win over Luton, they reached first place, followed one unit by Manchester City. But this Thursday, Liverpool They will be able to regain the lead if they beat Sheffield, the last in the table. Then they will be eight dates that seem as or more exciting than the journey taken.
It was the big night Phil Foden, author of a hat-trick, with the masterful Rodri as a batonero from the midline. When Guardiola took over in 2016, after the first practices he told his coaching staff about a youth player who at that time had 16 years: “Remember the name Foden, it will be brutal. He will play with me, he will very soon.”
A few minutes before the game, the bass by Emiliano Martinez, who came to feature in the starting lineup delivered by Aston Villa. A viral symptoms, with vomiting, he marginalized “Dibu”, who traveled with the delegation. The absences of the world champion goalkeeper are a rarity. Since he joined the Birmingham club in 2020 – a fundamental decision in his career to escape the lack of continuity at Arsenal and be considered for the national team – the man from Mar del Plata He only missed five of the 145 games Premier League in four seasons.
Julián Álvarez, starter after having been a substitute without minutes against Arsenal, he could not end the drought he is dragging in the Premier. They are already 590 minutes (distributed into eight matches) without scoring, since the double he scored against Burnley at the end of January. He occupied the center-forward position, while Erling Haaland rested on the bench.
The Argentine was more active in the first half than in the second. In the scoring opportunities that he had, he found himself with a goalkeeper, the Swede Robin Olsen (34 years old, 1.98 meters), who He responded as if he were “Dibu” Martínez. Olsen covered him with his right foot, with his leg stretched out, a crossed finish. Great cover. Before the close of the first half, the Spider jumped as much as he could to head a cross that Olsen deflected with a swipe over the crossbar.
Alvarez also left a free kick over the crossbar, a shot that was blocked by defender Lenglet before the goalkeeper intervened and a final duel with Olsen, who at the end of the match, with the win already accomplished, cornered him against the goal line. background to close the definition angle. Dibu was not there, but the Cordoban encountered another wall. Solidarity and with the usual collective spirit, Julián lacked the forcefulness that would increase his chances of starting next Tuesday, against Real Madrid.
In it Etihad Stadiumm a boo was heard every time Jack Grealish came into contact with the ball. He came from the sector occupied by Aston Villa fans, who still have not forgiven him for leaving the club in 2021 to join Manchester City. Neither time nor 115 million euros who entered through their transfer appease the resentment of the fans.
Grealish’s appearance, with the features of a film actor, ostentatious in several of his night outings when he is on vacation, to which is added his defiant dribbling against rivals, make him a target of repudiation from local fans in each away match. of the City. A couple of days ago, Grealish referred to the subject: “I always wonder, Why are opposing fans booing me? My mom asks me too. And I don’t really know, I never understand the reasons.”
Manchester City, almost always dominating the game, achieved a victory that was comfortable in the second half. Aston Villa only responded with a counterattack, which led to a 1-1 lead 20 minutes into the first half, with a definition from the Colombian John Duran (20 years). Before the end of the first stage, a free kick from Foden, which passed between a barrier that opened, undermined Aston Villa’s resistance and unleashed the inspiration of that “left-handed, white, thin as a reed, with bowed legs, “But he protects the ball wonderfully and has a great vision of the game.” The description of Guardiola who is on his way to turning eight years old.