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Everton have struggled to find any consistent form this season. The Merseysiders could certainly be considered relegation contenders at this stage of the campaign, with Sean Dyche’s side currently sitting 17th in the Premier League table, just two points clear of the relegation zone on 11 points.

They have been on the wrong end of some disappointing losses so far this term. Most recently, they lost 4-0 to Manchester United and were sunk courtesy of two goals each from Joshua Zirkzee and Marcus Rashford. That was one of six losses this term for the Toffees.

There were certainly some dismal individual performances from some of Dyche’s side, with such displays only serving to heap the pressure on the man at the helm.

Everton’s worst performers vs. Man United

One of the most frustrating performances from a Toffees player at Old Trafford last weekend came from defender James Tarkowski. One of the most experienced players in the Everton side, it was not a good performance from the defender.

It was the former Burnley defender who lost the ball to Amad for Zirkzee’s second and United’s fourth. The England international failed to control a pass in time, and the Ivorian simply charged him down and stole it off him, driving forward into plenty of vacant space.

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He also failed to block Rashford’s strike for the opening goal, a volley from a corner, although it does feel harsh to criticise him for the Red Devils’ first of the afternoon.

Another player who struggled against Ruben Amorim’s side was striker Beto. It has been a poor run of form for the Guinea-Bissau international, who has scored seven goals in 48 games for Everton so far. Only two of those have come this season.

Against United, he struggled, and whilst he got into some good positions, did miss some big chances. The striker received a 5/10 rating from Liverpool Echo journalist Chris Beesley. He explained that from Beto’s point of view, ‘more quality must be shown to be a success’ in the top flight of English football.

As disappointing as that pair were, there was arguably a worse player against the Red Devils. That man is Vitalii Mykolenko, who has struggled for much of the season.

Mykolenko’s stats this season

It has been a really frustrating campaign for Ukrainian international Mykolenko. He has played 12 times in all competitions, starting all but one of the 11 Premier League games he has been available for, missing two with injury and illness. However, the former Dynamo Kyiv full-back has certainly struggled for any kind of consistent form.

This is likely not helped by the fact he has not played much next to Jarrad Branthwaite, a man who he has an excellent relationship with on the pitch.

Not only is the England international left-footed, but he is an excellent defender of wide areas, meaning the Toffees number 19 has a license to get forward and impact the game in the final third. They have a good record together, keeping 15 clean sheets when playing in the same side. However, that has only happened six times this season.

Against Amorim’s Red Devils last Sunday, Mykolenko had a poor game. As per Sofascore, he had 33 touches of the ball and lost possession seven times. Off the ball, the full-back won just one out of five duels.

Mykolenko stats vs. Man United
Stat	Number
Touches	33
Pass accuracy	83%
Passes completed	19/23
Number of times possession lost	7
Tackles won	0/1
Ground duels won	1/5
Stats from Sofascore

His tough day at the office was reflected by his post-match rating courtesy of Beesley. He explained the defender ‘unfortunately endured a personal nightmare on a day of collective woes’, after he left acres of space for Rashford to exploit which led to United’s third, and sold Tarkowski short with the backpass for the fourth.

With Dyche’s job on the line, performances such as the one from Mykolenko simply do not cut it for the Toffees right now.

The £58k-per-week ace, who was once described as “frustrating” by football statistician Statman Dave, may be among those to lose his place ahead of Wednesday’s clash with Wolverhampton Wanderers, with the Toffees needing to improve their performances ahead of a big festive period which is crucial for Dyche’s job.

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By
Angus Sinclair

Dec 3, 2024

It was a poor start to the campaign for Manchester United under former boss, Erik ten Hag, with the Dutchman having recently left his post at Old Trafford.

Before his sacking, the 13-time Premier League champions won just four games all season, which included a 7-0 thrashing of League One side Barnsley in the Carabao Cup. Interim manager Ruud van Nistelrooy steadied the ship, and Ruben Amorim has now begun his tenure in the role full-time.

The Portuguese manager will inherit a squad shaped by his predecessor, with the Dutchman spending a rumoured £617m on his squad, many of which have a link back to the Netherlands.

Ten Hag’s best and worst Man United signings

It is fair to say that Ten Hag had a habit of bringing in his former players, or at least players with a link to the Dutch league. Of the 21 signings he made, six of them played under him at Ajax, or in Sofyan Amrabat’s case, Utrecht.

One of those additions, who proved to be a disaster, was the most expensive man United’s former manager signed at Old Trafford. Antony cost the Red Devils £81.3m from the Amsterdam side but has scored just 12 goals and has five assists to his name in 87 games for the club.

Antony is not the only Ten Hag signing who has struggled at Old Trafford. Injuries have ravaged Mason Mount’s time at the club so far, and the likes of Casemiro have also come under fire for his performances in Red, with the Brazilian described as looking like he was “in Soccer Aid” by pundit Jamie Redknapp.

There were some investments for the future made by the Dutchman. He signed promising striker Rasmus Hojlund. He has 18 goals in 55 games for the club so far but has struggled for his best form this season.

One of his biggest success stories has been Noussair Mazraoui. The Moroccan defender cost United just £12.8m with a potential £4.2m in add-ons. Red Devils fan Alex Turk explained the English club have “plucked out a bargain defender” in their new number three.

Mazraoui signed for the club at the same time as another former Ajax player, Matthijs de Ligt, who has gone on to prove his doubters wrong.

De Ligt’s Man United career

Since leaving Ajax in 2019 for Juventus, the perception surrounding De Ligt has been one of disappointment. Injuries have affected him, and he certainly played his best football under Ten Hag in Amsterdam, part of a hugely successful team where he was captain as a teenager.

That is why United great Paul Scholes was critical of the £42.7m signing, a deal which included add-ons. The Red Devils academy graduate described the signing of De Ligt as a “massive concern”, amid his arrival in Manchester:

However, in a tough season for the Red Devils, their new Dutch defender has been superb. He has played 15 times for the club, scoring once against Southampton.

The defender has been colossal in the Premier League in 2024/25, as his stats on Sofascore suggest. He has won 1.4 ground duels and 1.5 aerial duels per game, and looks after the ball exceptionally well, with a 92% pass accuracy.

Stat

Number

Starts

8

Touches per game

50.4

Pass accuracy

92%

Clean sheets

2

Tackles and interceptions per game

2.2

Ball recoveries per game

2.3

Duels won per game

2.9

He was a first choice under Ten Hag and Van Nistelrooy, with journalist Liam Canning explaining the defender can “thrive” under Amorim, too, having done “going under the radar” for his form so far. As Canning also stated, the towering defender is “uber reliable”, has a “perfect mentality” and is “strong in duels”, making him a real asset for the former Sporting CP coach.

The new United boss seems set to play his famed back three system, and United’s number four could slot in as the central centre-back as a key component of his side.

Although there were doubts surrounding De Ligt’s move to United, he has clearly taken great strides to disprove such beliefs. He will almost certainly be a key player under Amorim and could help take United forward after a shaky collective start to the season.

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Ruben Amorim desperately needs to offload the Manchester United flop.

ByEthan Lamb Nov 14, 2024

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was given a hero's welcome as he arrived to complete the formalities of his return to Marseille.

Aubameyang to rejoin MarseillePlayed for the club in 2023-24 seasonJoined Al-Qadsiah for 24-25Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Aubameyang is returning to the club on a free transfer, having left for Saudi Arabia at the end of the 2023-24 campaign. And in doing so, he was met by a huge gaggle of fans, who greeted him with applause and chants.

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Aubameyang played 51 times for Marseille in 23-24, scoring 30 goals and registering 11 assists. He departed the club to head to the Middle East, joining Al-Qadsiah on a two-year contract, but he left the club at the end of the season and is now preparing for his homecoming. In Saudi Arabia, he scored 21 times in 36 games.

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Aubameyang will complete his move and could make his debut for Marseille when they play Sevilla on August 2 in a pre-season friendly as he aims to forge a working relationship with Mason Greenwood up front.

Tottenham Hotspur secured a stunning 4-0 win against champions Manchester City at the Etihad, inflicting yet more pain on boss Pep Guardiola.

The victory was City’s first home defeat in 52 matches, with the three points catapulting Ange Postecoglou’s side back into the Premier League top-four race.

A reaction needed to be seen after the embarrassing 2-1 defeat at home to newly promoted Ipswich Town before the international break, with yesterday’s performance way better than any supporter could have ever envisaged.

A double from James Maddison, followed by two strikes from former City talent Pedro Porro and a late finish from substitute Brennan Johnson secured three vital points for the Lilywhites.

The meeting in Manchester is evidence that Postecoglou and his side are more than capable of producing stellar displays that many teams in the division wouldn’t be able to contain – but it’s crucial that they build on the performance and start to produce it on a consistent basis.

Spurs’ star performers against City

Birthday boy Maddison grabbed his fourth and fifth goals of the league season during the win, starting the campaign with a point to prove after an injury-hit 2023/24.

The Englishman has already bettered his tally from the previous year, currently sitting as the club’s joint-top league scorer in the opening months of 2024/25.

Maddison won nine of the 12 duels that he contested during the encounter, whilst completing 100% of the dribbles that he attempted and scoring with both of his efforts on target.

Captain Heung-min Son has been on the comeback trail after his recent injury, still yet to recapture his excellent form from last season that saw the South Korean notch 17 goals in all competitions last season.

In the win, the 32-year-old only managed a single effort on goal, losing possession 15 times before being replaced by the goalscorer of the fourth, Johnson.

He also failed to complete any of his attempted dribbles during the triumph at the Etihad, ultimately failing to play any real part in the unlikely victory.

As a result, one other current Spurs first-team member may have potentially overtaken the fan-favourite in terms of importance under Ange, with the star producing yet another sensational performance last night.

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Posts ByTom Cunningham Nov 21, 2024 The Spurs player who is more important than Son

Sweden international Dejan Kulusevski has often featured in a more central role for Spurs this season, often partnering Maddison at the heart of the wide during the early stages of the campaign.

However, with Pape Matar Sarr earning a recall for the meeting with Guardiola’s men, the 24-year-old shifted to a more natural right-sided role – one in which he excelled once again.

Kulusevski registered the assist for the opener, playing a peach of a pass into Maddison, who managed to fire home past the helpless Ederson.

He also completed all four of his attempted dribbles, making light work of full-back Josko Gvardiol, who has been one of the most impressive defenders in the division in recent months.

Kulusevski’s stats against Manchester City

Statistics

Tally

Minutes played

90

Touches

34

Assists

1

Dribbles completed

4/4 (100%)

Pass accuracy

16/19 (84%)

Key passes completed

4

Ground duels won

6/6 (100%)

Stats via SofaScore

Despite not registering the assist for Porro’s superb strike, he played an influential role in finding Dominic Solanke, who subsequently set the ball into the path of the Spaniard before he fired home.

As a result of his stellar display in Manchester, the Swede was handed a 9/10 match rating by The Express’ Alex Turk – the highest of any player apart from his two-goal teammate.

It’s been an impressive start to the season for Kulusevski, registering two goals and six assists in his first 18 outings in all competitions – offering that attacking threat for Postecoglou in the final third.

He’s become a reliable figure for the Lilywhites, often the go-to man for creativity, potentially making him a star for many years to come in North London and one that can replace Son as the club’s golden boy.

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Posts 3 ByAngus Sinclair Nov 24, 2024

Aston Villa are ready to continue their impressive work on and off the pitch this season as they look to reward a pair of talented stars, according to a fresh report.

Aston Villa enjoy an excellent start under Unai Emery

The 2024/25 season could not have started much better for Aston Villa and Unai Emery. As it stands, they sit fourth in the Premier League after nine games, with their only loss having coming against Arsenal, who sit above them only on goal difference.

Five points off current league leaders Manchester City, they are showing strong form as they look to record back-to-back top four finishes for the first time in their Premier League history.

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Of course, fourth place in the Premier League comes with Champions League football, and Villa have not missed a beat in that competition. After three games, they sit top of the new-look league format, and have claimed a famous win over Bayern Munich already as they look to qualify for the knockout rounds at the first time of asking.

They exited the Carabao Cup at the fourth round at the hands of Crystal Palace, but that is the only blot on their copybook so far in an impressive start to the season.

On top of that, they have managed to tie down exciting striker talent Jhon Duran to a new contract. The Colombian striker was linked with a move to both West Ham and Chelsea in the summer, but ended up staying at Villa Park and his early season form has been rewarded with a contract that will now keep him in the Midlands until 2030.

Now, they are ready to continue their good work off the pitch.

Villa to offer new deals to exciting duo

That comes as new reports reveal that the Villans are prepared to offer new contracts to young English duo Jacob Ramsey and Morgan Rogers after an impressive start to the campaign.

Rogers has started all nine of his side’s Premier League games so far this season, and has caught the eye with a series of fine performances. Ramsey, meanwhile, has only made five Premier League starts but has featured in all but one game so far this campaign, as Villa look to manage the 22-year-old following a series of injuries.

Neither Rogers nor Ramsey, who take home £20k and £70k per week respectively, are in danger of leaving for free any time soon, but Villa are keen to reward their progress with fresh terms in the Midlands.

Aston Villa’s highest earners

Player

Weekly wages

Youri Tielemans

£150,000

Emiliano Martinez

£150,000

Boubacar Kamara

£150,000

Amadou Onana

£140,000

Ollie Watkins

£130,000

According to the Boot Room, in the case of Rogers, “Villa have recognised his progress and are ready to hand him what sources describe as a ‘significant’ pay rise”, which could move him more in line with Ramsey’s current deal and other first team players at the club.

Talks are on over that new deal, while the club are also expected to open negotiations over Ramsey’s contract in the near future, with the 22-year-old “held in huge regard by Emery and the club”, while their regular gametime demonstrates just how much Emery values the pair.

Tottenham Hotspur boss Ange Postecoglou could be set to axe a big-name player from his starting XI, according to an ex-recruitment expert who still has real connections within the beautiful game.

Tottenham 4-1 West Ham as Postecoglou returns to winning ways

Following their dismal 3-2 defeat away to Brighton, which Postecoglou admitted was the “worst” loss of his tenure, Spurs put London rivals West Ham to the sword with a memorable 4-1 domination of their neighbours at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

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Mohammed Kudus briefly opened the scoring for West Ham, giving Postecoglou and supporters inside the stadium a real scare, but it didn’t take long for star forward Dejan Kulusevski to equalise and maintain his exceptional start to the new Premier League season.

Level at half-time, Spurs surged after the restart, taking a 4-1 lead inside the space of ten minutes. Yves Bissouma, an own goal from Alphonse Areola and Son Heung-min’s strike handed the home side a three-goal cushion just before the hour mark – with Julen Lopetegui distraught over the Hammers’ capitulation.

Crystal Palace vs Tottenham

October 27

Tottenham vs Aston Villa

November 3

Tottenham vs Ipswich Town

November 10

Man City vs Tottenham

November 23

Tottenham vs Fulham

December 1

Kudus was sent off a few minutes from full-time, cementing West Ham’s misery over a second period to forget. Postecoglou’s delight at his team’s response after the Brighton game was evident in his press conference, where he praised supporters for helping to lift the team.

“It’s important for our fans for sure because these are the games they want to feel good about and win obviously,” said Postecoglou’s on Tottenham’s 4-1 win over West Ham.

“Personally for me any game we win I get equal joy out of it as I’ve always said. Part of the kind of momentum we built in the second half came through the edge the supporters gave us, especially after the second goal you could really feel the atmosphere inside the stadium lift and that pushed us along and we had a 15-20min spell where we were outstanding.

“It goes hand in hand. We need the supporters especially at home to provide but to be able to provide we need to give them something in return. Today is hopefully a little bit of a reward for our fans.”

Kulusevski earned the plaudits against West Ham after another superb all-round display, but the same cannot be said for James Maddison, who was hooked at half-time in favour of Pape Matar Sarr.

James Maddison facing Tottenham axe

The £170,000-per-week Maddison actually got the assist for Kulusevski’s equaliser, though Postecoglou’s side arguably looked more threatening after the England international was subbed off, which showed in the scoreline.

Speaking to Football Insider, former recruitment expert Mick Brown, who remains well-connected in the Premier League, says that he’s “heard” Maddison could be axed from Tottenham’s starting elevens on a regular basis.

“I appreciate what James Maddison can do,” said Brown.

“But it’s almost as if the game has to be run for his benefit, whereas the elite players in his position put their stamp on the game and dictate the way it’s played. If it’s a 50/50 battle of a game, he can go missing. From what I’ve heard, the manager could look to drop him from the starting XI from time to time. He won’t be afraid of making big calls and that is one that he may have to make.

“Postecoglou will be looking at who they’re playing against, and will change his system to suit the game. Maddison might be able to take advantage of teams that are weaker in midfield, for example, but in games like the one at the weekend they can leave him out.

“We saw against West Ham the difference that dropping him out of the side can make, and I’d expect to see that on a more regular basis now.”

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Com o departamento médico quase vazio, o Corinthians segue os preparativos para o duelo de sábado (4), contra o Santo André, pela rodada final da fase de grupos do Paulistão.

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Nesta sexta (3), no período da manhã, o Corinthians realizará o último treino de preparação para a partida diante do Santo André, que acontece no sábado, às 18h30, na Neo Química Arena.

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Well, that was just a little bit stressful, wasn’t it?

With the country watching and without his first-choice midfield, Mikel Arteta has just led Arsenal to their third win away at Tottenham Hotspur in as many years.

It wasn’t a game full of attacking quality, but the Gunners put in another defensive masterclass, and as if it was scripted, Gabriel Magalhães nodded home the winner from a Bukayo Saka corner.

However, as brilliant as the Brazilian was and as deserving of the plaudits that he is, there’s another starter who deserves just as much praise.

Gabriel's game in numbers

Yes, just like last season, Arsenal exploited Spurs’ inability to defend setpieces and scored their winning goal from the head of Gabriel, who was awarded the Player of the Match award.

That said, while the former LOSC Lille ace was the only name on the scoresheet, he would’ve still been in with a shout for the award had he not scored, as alongside William Saliba, Ben White and Jurrien Timber, he helped to keep Ange Postecoglou’s attackers relatively quiet.

The 26-year-old was so impressive that the Standard’s Simon Collings gave him a 9/10 after the match, writing that as well as his ‘thumping header’, he ‘made so many important blocks’. While it’s a high rating, it’s more than justified by his statistics from the match.

Gabriel’s game in numbers
Minutes	95′
Goals	1
Clearances	7
Tackles	2
Interceptions	1
Duels (Won)	4 (3)
Lost Possession	6
Shots Blocked	2
Touches	40
All Stats via Sofascore

In his 95 minutes of action, he scored one goal, made seven clearances, two tackles, and one interception, won three of four duels, lost the ball just six times, blocked two shots, and took 40 touches.

In all, the 6 foot 3 “beast”, as dubbed by journalist Robert Lutesich, was the match winner and fully deserved the adulation, but one of his teammates was just as good.

David Raya's performance in numbers

Yes, one of the other standout performers from today’s victory is Spanish goalkeeper David Raya, who is proving his manager more and more right every game this season.

Now, while the former Brentford ace wasn’t peppered with shots, thanks to his defence in front of him, he was alert and ready to brilliantly deal with the ones that made it through, and on top of that, his ability to command his space was in stark contrast to his opposite number.

For his efforts between the sticks, Collings gave the 29-year-old an 8/10, writing that he ‘made several good saves early on and was solid all afternoon’ and that he now has ‘a real presence about him.’

Raya’s game in numbers
Minutes	95′
Saves (In the box)	5 (4)
Goals Prevented	0.33
Run Outs (Successful)	1 (1)
Claims	2
Touches	48
Clearances	2
Fouls Won	1
Duels Won	1 (100%)
All Stats via Sofascore

Unsurprisingly, his statistics from the match are seriously impressive as well, as in his 95 minutes of action, he made five saves, four of which were inside the box, prevented 0.33 goals, ran out once and was successful in doing so, made two claims, took 48 touches, made two clearances, won 100% of his duels and won a foul to boot.

Ultimately, the Spaniard’s “astonishing” performance in goal, as described by one Arsenal journalist and content creator, won’t get quite the same attention as Gabriel’s match-winning goal, and understandably so, but it was arguably just as important, and if Raya can keep up this sort of form then he’ll be the favourite to win the golden gloves for a second season running.

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1

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Sep 12, 2024

Tottenham Hotspur have endured a mixed start to their campaign so far this year, although based on their performances last season, that shouldn’t be all that surprising.

Ange Postecoglou’s side were only able to pick up one win from their opening four games, but a late comeback against Coventry City in the League Cup last week might have been the spark they needed as, despite going behind early on against Brentford on Saturday, the Lilywhites came away deserved 3-1 winners.

However, while things might be getting better, there are still several players in the squad who clearly aren’t good enough, including one who makes more than Brennan Johnson and Micky van de Ven.

Johnson and Van de Ven's salaries at Spurs

Tottenham paid Nottingham Forest about £47.5m for the services of Johnson last summer, and while it took him a little while to get to grips with life in N17, he eventually ended the season with a respectable haul of five goals and ten assists in just 34 appearances.

This year has been more of the same for the Welshman, as while he has struggled at points and dealt with his fair share of criticism in the process, he has found the back of the net on two occasions in just six games.

Although he’s not in scintillating form, the 23-year-old has the backing of his manager and can clearly impact games going forward, so it would probably be fair to say he’s worth the £70k-per-week he is earning.

Likewise, Van de Ven has proven that he is undoubtedly worth the £50k-per-week he is on, as, despite hamstring problems causing him to miss several games last season, his incredible speed makes him a crucial cog in Postecoglou’s system.

The Dutchman set a new sprint speed record of 37.38km/h last season, and while he’s more than just his speed, it’s this unique skill for a centre-back that allows the manager to play such a high defensive line, safe in the knowledge that the former Wolfsburg ace will be there to clean up any mistakes.

Overall, while both players fill very different roles in the Spurs’ team, both are deserving of their current wages, which is unfortunately not something that can be said for one of their teammates.

Fraser Forster's salary at Spurs

So, the player in question is not a first-team regular but is, in fact, backup goalkeeper Fraser Forster.

The Englishman joined the club on a free transfer in June 2022, and since then, he has featured about as regularly as you’d expect a second-choice keeper to, making 22 appearances across all competitions in the two years since.

However, as demonstrated in the game against Coventry last week, the former Southampton ace is clearly not up to the level required to fill in for Guglielmo Vicario.

He gave away the ball early on when trying to play out from the back, looked generally uncomfortable throughout the game and received a warranted 3/10 rating from Spurs writer Alasdair Gold.

Moreover, aside from Stefan Ortega at Manchester City, the Englishman is the highest paid backup keeper among the ‘big six’, as the Lilywhites are paying the 36-year-old a considerable salary of £75k-per-week, which seems outrageous from the outside.

Ultimately, while Forster may be good enough for a lower-level Premier League side, he is no longer good enough for Tottenham, and Postecoglou should look to move him on and replace him as soon as possible.

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Pep Guardiola admitted that Manchester City are no longer in the Premier League title race despite beating Leicester City on Sunday.

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Man City beat Leicester 2-0Second win in 14 matchesGuardiola makes admissionFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The reigning English champions ensured that, despite their nightmare run in the past couple of months, they ended 2024 on a high as they beat Leicester City 2-0 at King Power Stadium on Sunday courtesy of goals from Savinho and Erling Haaland. This was the club's second win in their last 14 outings across all competitions.

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Despite finally getting back to winning ways, manager Guardiola admitted that his team can no longer win the Premier League this season as he suggested his players are unable to compete for the full 90 minutes. He also claimed that the defeat in the Manchester derby had broken the team mentally.

WHAT PEP GUARDIOLA SAID

Speaking to after the match, the ex-Barcelona boss said: "So many days without winning when we are used to it. It's a relief. The performance was not our best, Leicester were good. Happy for the result for the players, their commitment to be here.

"We can not sustain for 90 minutes, today we proved that again. Commitment and physicality. Clear our minds now by getting results. We are far away from winning the Premier League. We accept there's already no chance of that but we have other things to fight for. FA Cup, top four and winning games helps."

He added: "They were better than us in the second half. We can not sustain the aggression and pressing. We just can't right now. This is just one game. The game against Manchester United hurt us a lot in terms of confidence.

"That game killed us. That game was mentally a struggle then tough games against Aston Villa and Everton. It is what it is, we have to hunt for wins and that's life. Most of the players proved again they are ready to fight."

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR MANCHESTER CITY?

The Cityzens will be back in action in 2025 as they take on West Ham in a Premier League clash on January 4.