Foot & Soccer Soccer Match Reports, Football News 
Pep Guardiola is having arguably his hardest season but as Man Metropolis boss, however the Spaniard has nonetheless had solely good issues to say about Newcastle United.
Talking to the media forward of at the moment’s 3pm kick-off on the Etihad, Guardiola has revealed a few Metropolis gamers set to overlook out by way of harm, hailed Bruno Guimaraes and mentioned what he believes to be an enormous a part of our success up to now this season.
Requested in regards to the prospect of taking up Eddie Howe’s Newcastle, Guardiola shortly introduced up Bruno Guimaraes; our captain and midfield maestro who was linked with a transfer to Metropolis at one stage final summer time.
Pep believes Bruno has been enjoying at a “excessive degree” for a number of years now and is impressed by his capacity to adapt both as a deep-lying No.6 or in a “extra superior place”, which we’ve seen just lately since he and Sandro Tonali swapped roles.
On Newcastle and Guimaraes, Guardiola mentioned: “They’ve been [a dangerous side] since Eddie Howe took over, particularly the final years. Good kind, unbelievable pace, so credit score to them.”
“Plenty of threats, optimistic issues, and Bruno is certainly one of them. He has been enjoying at a excessive degree for 2, three or 4 seasons now, since he arrived from France.
“He continues to play in a extra superior place; earlier than, he was extra of a defensive midfielder, and now he’s coming ahead extra, with Tonali extra central. They’ve the physicality, the tempo, the lengthy balls, the set items, the expertise, they’re a stable workforce.”
Guardiola then mentioned our current run to the Carabao Cup Last and push for one more prime 4 end, feeling we’re benefiting massively from enjoying one sport every week and an enormous contender to qualify for the Champions League once more:
“After all, congratulations to them for the League Cup closing, however a part of that’s enjoying one sport every week, not enjoying in Europe, and when that occurs, they’re extremely harmful. We noticed the yr Newcastle solely performed simply within the Premier League, not enjoying in Europe, certified for the Champions League.
“The yr they certified, that they had a variety of accidents, they didn’t qualify the Champions League the next season and they are going to be a contender for the highest 4, prime 5 by the top.”
Rodri isn’t the one Man Metropolis participant who’ll be lacking at the moment, it appears, with Pep confirming that Manuel Akanji set for surgical procedure after limping off of their 3-2 defeat to Actual Madrid on Tuesday.
Jack Grealish can be a doubt, with Guardiola seeming downbeat on his hopes of creating the sport after he too picked up a knock in midweek.
“Manuel may have surgical procedure on Saturday and eight-10 weeks out. It’s an adductor harm. I simply want him a speedy restoration as a result of the hassle he has put on this season has been unbelievable. He and Nathan [Ake] have performed in troublesome positions.
“There was an absence of gamers in that place and his physique has mentioned sufficient is sufficient. I don’t know if Jack can be prepared tomorrow, I don’t suppose he can be, however we’ll assess him within the subsequent hours.”
