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SHEFFIELD, England – Pep Guardiola says he will extend his stay at Manchester City only if he “deserves it” and his players are at least playing their part. Sheffield United were defeated 1-0 at Bramall Lane on Saturday to enhance City’s unbeaten streak in all competitions to seven games thanks to 45 minutes of beauty and 45 minutes of strength.
It was fitting that Kyle Walker, making his 100th league appearance for the club in his hometown (and against his first club), landed the goal. He has done more than most during the opening matches to help Guardiola land a new contract at the Etihad Stadium.
– Walker’s strike gives Man City a win at Sheffield United
Guardiola, in his fifth season at City, is getting fed up with questions about his contract. When asked at a press conference on Friday for an update, his response was particularly brief. “I have answered many times” was the curt reply before taking a drink from the bottle of water on his desk to indicate that the line of questions was over.
Faced with claims that Barcelona’s presidential favorite Víctor Font wants to bring him back to the Camp Nou, Guardiola insisted he wants to stay in Manchester beyond next summer. City also want him to stay, but as long as an extension remains unsigned, there will always be uncertainty.
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What Guardiola has done, intentionally or not, is to leave his options open. His record at the helm of Barcelona between 2008 and 2012 means that he will always be welcome in Catalonia, something Font knows well, although asked again at Bramall Lane, Guardiola said he will only return as a fan. Having racked up league titles in Spain, Germany and England, there has been a stream of speculation about trying his luck in Italy with a move to Juventus. He has also been considered taking over Qatar for their World Cup at home in 2022.
After two Premier League titles and a domestic treble, Guardiola says he will not use the results to judge whether he deserves to stay, but whether his team continues to play for him or not. The way they cut Sheffield United in the first half and struggled in the second was a timely reminder that they are.
Guardiola, left, has turned down questions about his future at Man City, but Saturday’s performance showed the team is willing to fight to keep him at the club and sign another extension. Rui Vieira – Pool / Getty Images
Guardiola is an intense coach and the mental fatigue is understandable, but there were no signs of throwing in the towel against Sheffield United, although a team struggling to accept its second season back in the top flight. Now it’s the worst start to the season since 1975.
“It was a really good game,” Guardiola said afterward. “They play with a rhythm that you don’t control. The first half we played very well, we created many chances, but it was difficult for us to score.”
By halftime, City had made 10 shots with five on goal, and only Aaron Ramsdale’s intervention ensured the score was 1-0 at halftime after he made two good saves from Ferran Torres, again playing as a center forward. makeshift. . But the Sheffield United goalkeeper couldn’t do anything with Walker’s shot that crashed into the corner from 25 yards after 28 minutes.
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Guardiola said in preparation that the England defender is playing the best football since his transfer from Tottenham in 2017, and it’s hard to argue. He’s certainly playing like a man who wants his boss to stay. However, goals remain a problem and, for the first time under Guardiola, City have failed to score more than once in four consecutive league games.
Sergio Agüero and Gabriel Jesús remain offside, and without a recognized striker to end the match, in the second half it was left to the defense to ensure that there was no third consecutive 1-1 draw away from home after draws at Leeds and West Ham.
Since sending five against Leicester, City have conceded three goals in seven games, coinciding with the arrival of Ruben Dias from Benfica, and it seems much more durable with the Portuguese international alongside Aymeric Laporte.
“They are doing very, very well, and it is very important for us, but the reason we don’t concede a goal is not just them,” Guardiola said. “We are delighted with what they are doing. Five games in 16 days. This baseline charisma helps us. They had a clear opportunity in 90 minutes, so that’s very good for us.
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Ederson made a good save when Rhian Brewster came out clear and Laporte coped well when the home team went more direct to Oli McBurnie and backup David McGoldrick.
City have only lost once this season, but without the killer instinct of previous seasons, there is always the possibility of a fool’s blow, something that must change if they want to regain their title. Agüero and Jesús are getting in shape and Guardiola hopes to have at least one for Liverpool’s visit to Etihad in the final match before the international break in November.
“We arrived in the last third and we are not clinical,” Guardiola said. “When you get to the second half at 1-0 anything can happen, especially with them being so good in the second balls and having patience for an extra pass.
“Nine goals in six games is not enough. I understand the reasons.”
Guardiola has problems to solve in the face of the games in a row against Liverpool and Tottenham on both sides of the international break, but the commitment of his players is not one of them. As speculation about his future swirls, you can at least be satisfied that they want him to stay.
Source: espn.co.uk
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