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Manchester City are returning to their highest levels and will be the favorite for the Carabao Cup final, and Liverpool’s main concern in the race for the Premier League title, says Gary Neville.
Pep Guardiola’s side backed up their impressive 3-1 league win over Chelsea with a 2-0 win over Manchester United in the Carabao Cup semi-finals on Wednesday.
Goals from John Stones and Fernandinho at Old Trafford sent City to the final of the competition for the fourth year in a row, where they will meet José Mourinho’s Tottenham.
Neville believes City will be the favorites for that Wembley clash if they maintain their current form until the April final, and says Liverpool’s loss to Southampton on Monday, which left City four points behind with two games in hand, has opened the door in the Premier League. for Guardiola’s rejuvenated side.
Download Gary Neville’s podcast at: Spotify | Apple | Castbox | Spreaker
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Summary of the semi-final tie of the Carabao Cup between Manchester United and Manchester City
“The city, during the 90 minutes, seemed like it had returned to its best level or near its best moment,” said the Sky Sports expert in Gary Neville’s podcast.
“If you had told me before the game at Stamford Bridge on Sunday who the favorites would be for this game, I would have said Man Utd. But after seeing City deliver that first half hour and then watching the game out of the way they did so in the second half [against Chelsea]It just made it that much more interesting tonight, in the sense that you were wondering if this was City back at its best.
“From the way the game started, the passing rhythm returned. It seemed that Pep Guardiola had regained the spark on the touchline.
“I said a few weeks ago, looking at City, it was almost as if the players had gotten bored of playing really well and reaching the standards that they had previously achieved.
Manchester City celebrate their second goal from Fernandinho
“But I imagine that since Sunday Pep Guardiola has told you, ‘Don’t you enjoy playing football more like this than in recent weeks?’
“They were absolutely sensational against Chelsea for 25 minutes, they opened them up. Their passing was so precise, rough, fast that you can’t live with it. You can’t get anywhere near and there were periods in that first half where City were brilliant.
“United played well in the game, they were managing it, they lived with it and it’s hard to live with it. City came close, they hit the post.
“United looked dangerous through Paul Pogba, Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford, but they couldn’t score.
“Overall, I don’t think Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will come out and say they deserved to win tonight; he will say they played a really good team.”
There has been a spark; The city stood up
Manchester City have been affected by the coronavirus in recent weeks, with several players sidelined. However, despite these difficulties, they have been able to produce two outstanding performances.
Neville believes that something has galvanized the group, be it something mental, in terms of the players’ determination, or how the team is playing in a forced formation without an absolute striker.
“Something has lifted them up before Chelsea,” Neville said. “Maybe it’s the reaction to the fact that they canceled the game at Everton. But they were on a different level.
“I have to say that sometimes that can happen, you don’t know what a season is going to cause and sometimes it can be when you’re at your lowest point, and the players are out, and you think it’s going to be the hardest, people just stand up.
“On Sunday it was Kevin De Bruyne playing almost like a fake center forward nine and you wonder, ‘How is this going to go?’ It just seemed to click.The pass, the pace, Ilkay Gundogan in midfield started to propel them forward.
“Of what would be an adversity with the positive COVID tests, the game canceled, people potentially criticize them, they have clicked. It seems that Guardiola has that spark in his eyes because he has seen his team play football.”
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Roy Keane says Manchester United have made progress with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer but believes they still have a long way to go to start winning trophies again.
Why City are favorites again in the final and aspiring to the Premier League
This return to form puts them in a strong position with the first silver medal of the season and the Premier League in their sights.
“Liverpool lost points on Monday night and from Man Utd’s point of view we had a small smile,” Neville said.
“But the Manchester City players, having played like they did in Chelsea on Sunday, will have been the ones who have been in the background thinking, ‘That was a good three-point drop for us, because we know we can win this title, we know who can beat that Liverpool. ‘
“Liverpool are making mistakes, and they needed to make mistakes to allow Man City back in, but they are back.
“Playing like this is a dangerous proposition. They will be the ones who will cause Liverpool the most problems.
“Man Utd is immediately in their eye line but City are on the prowl and if they play like this they will be really dangerous.
“The final? I may have called it 50-50 a few weeks ago when Tottenham were on that fantastic streak and Harry Kane was absolutely outstanding. They are still doing well, don’t get me wrong. But City were nowhere near this.
“When you see City like this, you have to make City the favorite. City would be the favorite against any Premier League team that plays like this, maybe apart from Liverpool, when you would say it’s 50-50.
“José Mourinho, even the Tottenham players, no one in the country, if City is at this level I would think Tottenham is 50-50. I would think it’s more of a 70-30.”
“But it’s a final and it’s convincing, José against Pep. It would definitely make City favorites.”
Gary Neville’s podcast
Hear Gary Neville on The Gary Neville Podcast for more insight into Man City’s Carabao Cup semi-final victory over Manchester United, and what the result means for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and his team.
Download Gary Neville’s podcast at: Spotify | Apple | Castbox | Spreaker
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