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Pep Guardiola might have confirmed four Man City starters vs Manchester United
The talking points as Manchester City thrashed Luton in the FA Cup at Kenilworth Road on Tuesday.
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BY JOE BRAY
Celebrations for Manchester City after another goal at Luton
Celebrations for Manchester City after another goal at Luton
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Pep Guardiola called his Manchester City players ‘Supermen’ for battling through the tiredness to record seven gritty points in the last week. He followed that up by declaring the next month as ‘defining’ if City wanted to enter April still in the hunt to retain their treble titles.
If the previous three games were attritional, characterised by wastefulness in front of goal but an improved back line, then the FA Cup win at Luton was arguably the opposite. City scored three goals from 71 efforts last week. At Luton, they notched six from 17 thanks to five from the imperious Erling Haaland.
As Haaland silenced some critics of his own, City showed their ruthless side in the cup to turn a very tricky tie into one of the most memorable wins of the season. United – and Liverpool, Arsenal and Copenhagen coming up – will be right to be worried after seeing two very different sides to City this week. If they can- put the solid defence together with the deadly attack, and City will be confident going into March’s run of must-win games across three competitions.
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These are the talking points from Kenilworth Road on a rampant night for City:
Four starters ‘confirmed’ for United as Foden overtakes Bernardo
The starting lineup at Luton confirmed where Pep Guardiola’s priorities lay ahead of a week that sees City face Manchester United, Liverpool, and a Champions League last-16 second-leg. Kevin De Bruyne and Jack Grealish started to build up some rhythm after their injury and fitness issues, but their inclusions still showed how seriously the manager was taking the cup tie. He could also have given Erling Haaland a rest after admitting the striker still isn’t fully fit, but opted to use this clash to build up that fitness rather than resting his tired legs. John Stones is another in the category of a player who could have been rested, but started in a show of strength.
So attention then switches to who wasn’t playing. Rodri’s absence from the starting XI significantly increases the chance of defeat, although City couldn’t afford not to give him a night off given the heavy fixture commitments coming up in the next month. Similarly, Phil Foden has become undroppable with his brilliant recent form, and looks a guaranteed starter at the Etihad for the derby on Sunday. For him to get the rest ahead of Bernardo Silva arguably means he is ahead of the Portuguese in the attacking pecking order.
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