Key occasions
48 min Martinez makes a advantageous save, getting down low to his left to cease Rodri’s deflected shot from 15 yardas.
46 min City made a double change at half-time: Julian Alvarez and Manuel Akanji for Erling Haaland and Ruben Dias.
46 min Peep peep! The second half begins, and Ashley Young nobbles Jack Grealish inside 30 seconds.
“While on the topic of genius, I just want to thank you for the deployment of The Rat by The Walkmen in today’s MBM,” says Gabe S. “A banger so impeccably well-written and lethally well-performed, the fact it isn’t a House Of The Rising Sun or All Along The Watchtower-level universal rock ‘n roll standard is a bit of a shame. See you down the front for the reunion shows?”
They’re coming to South Somerset are they? (I agree with you by the best way – it’s a novel, ageless track, with a paint-stripping ferocity that would make a nonagenarian really feel younger.)
“Amid all the brouhaha about City’s finances,” begins Simon McMahon, “I think what most people are forgetting is that, if Liverpool win tomorrow, they will move to with 16 points of City, with a game in hand. No wonder Pep is raging.”
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Half-time studying
Half time: Man City 3-0 Aston Villa
Do you see what occurs, Larry? Do you see what occurs if you cost Manchester City 115 occasions?
That was totally predictable, and it could have been extra however for some decided defending from Villa. Rodri headed in from a nook, Erling Haaland gave Ilkay Gundogan an open aim and Riyad Mahrez scored a penalty previous Emi Martinez.
GOAL! Man City 3-0 Aston Villa (Mahrez 45+1 pen)
That’s proper, Mahrez. I anticipated Haaland to take it, however Mahrez stepped up and despatched the penalty knowledgeable Martinez the incorrect means.
Grealish was on the lookout for it, however Ramsey caught his trailing leg so there’s no means this will probably be overturned. It’s a transparent penalty.
44 min: PENALTY TO CITY! Ramsey brings down Grealish, and City are about to go 3-0 up.
44 min Here’s City’s second aim.
42 min Dias is booked for dissent.
De Bruyne clipped an early lengthy move in the direction of Haaland, charging between the 2 Villa central defenders close to the sting of the world. Chambers panicked and stooped to move the ball someplace, wherever, however Haaland retrieved it on the precise facet of the world, waited for assist and rammed a devastating low cross that gave Gundogan a tap-in.
GOAL! Man City 2-0 Aston Villa (Gundogan 39)
Not for the primary time in opposition to Villa this yr, Ilkay Gundogan faucets into an empty web on the far put up.
38 min De Bruyne’s free-kick is headed large by Rodri, beneath lots stress from Kamara.
37 min Saying which, Mahrez slips Digne, who legs him up and is booked.
36 min Villa have defended extraordinarily effectively in opposition to a City facet who, excluding the second half at dwelling to Spurs, are taking part in in addition to they’ve because the World Cup.
35 min “Since Peter Oh brought it up, I’ve wondered how much attention is paid to the Super Bowl in the UK,” says Joe Pearson. “I mean, a game that starts at 11:30 PM on a Sunday can’t attract that many viewers, right? Will you stay up to watch?”
No, however I’ve by no means actually understood American sports activities, despite the fact that I really like the concept of them. I do know loads of individuals who watch for it yearly, or no less than did earlier than all of us hit outdated age. Like barely repressed self-loathing, it’s all the time been a fairly large factor over right here.
33 min Walker performs a poor ball straight to Bailey, 30 yards from aim. He is cleaned out emphatically by Dias, an old-school man-and-ball problem. The referee permits play to proceed, and replays present that, whereas it was a really sturdy problem, it wasn’t a harmful one.
32 min “Pep is not a genius,” says Jeff Sax. “A genius does not make continual changes to a winning side… And when last did he win the Champions League?”
Jeff, I really like you, however belief me: he’s an entire and utter and sometimes maddening genius. Sir Alex Ferguson went about 4 years with out naming an unchanged facet, and he was a genius as effectively.
30 min Rodri, who has been excellent, releases De Bruyne on the precise with a beautiful first-time move. De Bruyne will get to the byline and tries to chop the ball again to Haaland. Konsa does the mandatory within the six-yard field.
De Bruyne additionally seems actually sharp immediately. It’s the FA Charge Bounce!
29 min: Good save from Martinez! De Bruyne marches imperiously throughout the sphere from the precise, beating Kamara with ease earlier than discovering Grealish on the left facet of the field. He whips a curling shot throughout aim that’s fingertipped around the put up by the flying Martinez. That’s a advantageous save truly. Grealish, typically comparatively shot-shy, seems determined to attain immediately.
28 min “Do you think,” says Richard Hirst, “Pep is playing Rage Against The Machine in the dressing room?”
I assumed this was on loop, or perhaps he’s saving it for the following time Daniel Levy calls to debate European Super League.
27 min De Bruyne’s deep free-kick is headed right into a harmful space by the backpedalling Ramsey. Bernardo Silva’s snapshot is blocked, and there’s one other VAR test for handball. No cube.
25 min Villa have finished fairly effectively to remain within the sport, as a result of when Rodri scored so early I assumed we’d be in double figures by now.
24 min “Why did Guardiola barely play Dias, his best central defender, and get rid of his best wing-back?” wonders Andrew Hurley. “Freud, if still alive, wd have a field day with his narcissism / need for it always to be about needing to be recognized for how clever he is. As he’s long gone, what is your diagnosis Dr Smyth?”
That’s the factor about geniuses – all of us go a bit of mad generally. Har, har, har. In his defence, Dias hasn’t been totally match because the World Cup.
23 min At the opposite finish, Bailey’s long-range shot deflects large. By the best way, it now seems like Bernardo Silva is taking part in within the Rico Lewis position at left-back.
21 min: Chance for Haaland! Mahrez’s outswinging nook brushes the top of Dias on the close to put up and ricochets across the space till Haaland volleys over from six yards. It wasn’t a simple probability – he needed to rapidly, at a clumsy top, and I believe a Villa defender could have made contact a break up second earlier than Haaland.
20 min: Just large from Grealish! And nearly a spectacular aim. De Bruyne drove the nook flat and exhausting to Grealish, lurking on the sting of the world on the far put up. He twisted his physique like an motion determine to smack a volley that hit the leaping Chambers and deflected simply large. There’s a VAR test for handball, however no penalty.
20 min After one other slick, proper-City transfer, De Bruyne’s low cross is crucially minimize out by Chambers. It’s not fairly a battering, nevertheless it’s not far off.
17 min “Clearly in the wrong place for any balanced coverage of Manchester City,” weeps Daniel. “How else would fans react to the anthem of a league that told the press about these charges before the club? Cannot wait to see the reactions of so called ‘neutrals’ everywhere when we’re vindicated again.”
I can promise you now, that even when the police wrongfully imprisoned my complete prolonged household, I nonetheless wouldn’t boo the theme tune to Line of Duty.
13 min: Gundogan has a aim disallowed! Ah, Haaland was offside within the construct up, that’s why. At first I couldn’t work out what he had finished incorrect. He ran onto an extended move and was principally slapped concerning the chops by the outrushing Martinez, with Gundogan placing the free ball away. But the play was pulled again for offside.
13 min “Today isn’t just any given Sunday but Super Bowl Sunday,” says Peter Oh. “Super Bowl LVII, in fact. I think that’s number 57, but I’m not sure because I rarely use Roman numerals. Just for fun, could you please use Roman numerals in your updates? For example, LXIII min. Erling Haaland completes his hat trick.”
I’m unsure he’s touched the ball but.
11 min: Fine save from Martinez! City are taking part in fantastically. Rodri performs a one-two with De Bruyne, marches by means of midfield and eases a by means of ball into the trail of Gundogan. He opens his physique to slip a left-footed shot that hits the outstretched proper leg of Martinez and goes simply large of the far put up. Terrific save, that.
11 min Villa look fairly brilliant once they do break, Watkins specifically, however they’re spending lengthy intervals with out the ball.
In different information, right here’s that Rodri aim.
10 min “This has the makings of a good old-fashioned shellacking,” says Joe Pearson. “Don’t poke the bear, I guess.”
Villa didn’t! I ponder how lengthy it is going to be earlier than we begin speaking about groups benefitting from the FA-charge bounce.
8 min City are taking part in with murderous objective, and look within the temper not simply to beat Villa however humiliate them.
6 min De Bruyne lunges at Bailey within the field, getting nowhere close to the ball, and is relieved that Bailey doesn’t settle for the invitation to go down.
6 min “I see from the picture that Mr. Neville is wearing at least three layers of black,” says Mac Millings. “Do you think he’s in mourning for the imminent stripping of thousands of trophies from Manchester City’s record? Personally, I can’t wait for the mighty Hornets to be declared the 2018-2019 FA Cup winners, by a score of 0 (nil) – 6.”
I’d like it if Pep, disdain written throughout his face, namechecked “Mac Millings” at his subsequent press convention.
What a easy aim. Mahrez curled a left-wing nook in the direction of the close to put up, the place Rodri acquired the spherical on Kamara and flicked a robust downward header that beat the sprawling Martinez on the close to put up.
GOAL! Man City 1-0 Aston Villa (Rodri 4)
The first of many.
3 min Grealish’s chipped cross is claimed on the stretch by Martinez.
2 min These are the revised line-ups.
Manchester City (3-2-2-3) Ederson; Walker, Dias, Laporte; Rodri, Bernardo; De Bruyne, Gundogan; Mahrez, Haaland, Grealish.
Aston Villa (4-2-2-2) Martinez; Young, Konsa, Chambers, Digne; Kamara, Douglas Luiz; J Ramsey, Buendia; Bailey, Watkins.
1 min Villa win a nook after 20-odd seconds, with Bailey’s errant shot deflecting behind off Laporte.
1 min Villa kick off from proper to left as we watch. City are literally taking part in a 3-2-2-3 formation with a midfield sq..
Before the sport, the gamers collect around the centre circle. There’s a minute’s applause for Tudor Thomas, City’s honorary president who died final week on the age of 94.
The gamers are on the sphere, and the Premier League anthem is being roundly booed by the house followers. I’m all for a superb siege mentality, however grown males (sic) booing an anthem, nah.
“I’m tuning in and hoping for the Villa win that would help Arsenal,” says Shane O’Leary, “but more importantly, tip Pep into full Howard Beale mode.”
Unai Emery speaks
Good afternoon. [Tyrone Mings] has a small damage. He tried however he’s not prepared for this match. [Calum Chambers] is coaching every single day with superb spirit, he is aware of how we wish to play and he’s skilled. He’s able to play.
Pep Guardiola speaks
We’ve acquired quite a lot of video games developing, many away, so everyone goes to play. We want [Ruben Dias], he’s a pacesetter. It’s been a very long time as a result of he was injured after the World Cup and it wasn’t simple to get better. We assume immediately is the right day for him to return again.
[Is it a back three or a back four?] Back 4 or 5. Seriously, it relies upon how they assault.
“Pep is raging against the entire world,” says Mary Waltz. “I feel sorry for Villa, I fear they are going to be the victim of Pep’s volcanic anger.”
City scored three in six minutes in opposition to Villa on the final day of final season, so I’m anticipating no less than a 45-0 win immediately.
City will begin the sport in third place after late objectives from Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho gave Manchester United victory at Elland Road. Tim de Lisle was watching that one.
ITUEYMI, right here’s what Pep Guardiola needed to say on Friday
Where will we begin with that City staff? There are 4 adjustments, with Ruben Dias (keep in mind him?), Aymeric Laporte (keep in mind him?), Ilkay Gundogan and Kevin De Bruyne changing Manuel Akanji, Nathan Ake, Rico Lewis and Julian Alvarez.
There are solely three common defenders within the XI, so I’ve no concept what formation they’re taking part in. LOOK, JUST LEAVE IT.
The funky formation apart, it seems like a critical staff, and it’s been some time since Pep Guardiola picked a type of.
Unai Emery makes one change for the Villa facet that was plugged 4-2 at dwelling to Leicester final weekend. Calum Chambers replaces the injured Tyrone Mings, and I’ll allow you to resolve who acquired the higher of that deal.
Manchester City (attainable 4-1-2-3) Ederson; Walker, Rodri, Dias, Laporte; Gundogan; De Bruyne, Bernardo; Mahrez, Haaland, Grealish.
Substitutes: Ortega Moreno, Phillips, Ake, Alvarez, Gomez, Akanji, Foden, Palmer, Lewis.
Aston Villa (attainable 4-2-2-2) Martinez; Young, Konsa, Chambers, Digne; Kamara, Douglas Luiz; J Ramsey, Buendia; Bailey, Watkins.
Substitutes: Sinisalo, Zych, Cash, McGinn, Alex Moreno, Coutinho, Dendoncker, Swinkels.
Referee Robert Jones.
Team information
Pep, we have to discuss.
𝗧𝗘𝗔𝗠 𝗡𝗘𝗪𝗦 💙
XI | Ederson, Walker, Dias, Laporte, Rodrigo, De Bruyne, Gundogan (C), Bernardo, Mahrez, Grealish, Haaland
SUBS | Ortega Moreno, Phillips, Ake, Alvarez, Gomez, Akanji, Foden, Palmer, Lewis#ManCity | @HaysWorldwide pic.twitter.com/6zTYyAysbu
— Manchester City (@ManCity) February 12, 2023
Preamble
Hello and welcome to live protection of Manchester City v the world Aston Villa on the Etihad Stadium. After per week of speaking about FFP, it’s time to debate FFF. Fight, flight or flounce: the best way City reply to the stress of being charged by the FA will in all probability resolve whether or not they win the league this season.
Pep Guardiola’s press convention on Friday recommended he was within the temper to stay two fingers and three consecutive titles up on the institution, and we’ll quickly discover out whether or not the gamers – who’ve regarded unfocussed and a bit sulky because the winter break – are equally minded.
The subsequent two video games, Villa immediately and Arsenal away on Wednesday, ought to give us a fairly large clue. If City win each, they’ll be high of the league once more.
Kick off 4.30pm
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