KHARKIV, Ukraine — Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has suggested he will keep searching for a solution to his defensive crisis because Fernandinho and Nicolas Otamendi are too old to play every game.
Fernandinho slotted in for the 3-0 win over Shakhtar Donetsk after injuries to Aymeric Laporte and John Stones but Guardiola admitted afterwards he wants to try other options because the Brazilian and Otamendi have a combined age of 65.
– Dawson: Fernandinho soothes City’s backline for now
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Fernandinho stabilised Manchester City’s injury-stricken defence in a 3-0 win at Shakhtar Donetsk.
KHARKIV, Ukraine — And just like that, Manchester City are back on track.
In theory their trickiest Champions League trip negotiated at a canter, beating Shakhtar Donetsk 3-0. Plenty of the ball, plenty of goals and a clean sheet for a patched-up defence. On a chilly night in Ukraine, the Norwich horror show felt like a distant memory.
Pep Guardiola’s team have a habit of putting things right quickly, and the last time they lost a game — against Tottenham in the Champions League quarterfinals…
Marcus Rashford converted an early penalty to help a depleted Manchester United side fend off Leicester City at Old Trafford.
Alejandro Moreno feels the current version of Manchester United can only grind out wins and doesn’t intimidate other Premier League sides. Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is set to continue his policy of targeting British players next summer with Jadon Sancho and James Maddison, sources have told ESPN FC.
Solskjaer splashed nearly £150 million to bring Harry Maguire, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Daniel James to Old Trafford during the transfer window and he is planning to sign more domestic talent at the end of the season.
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Borussia Dortmund forward Sancho and Leicester midfielder…
Craig Burley and Steve Nicol have different opinions on the significance of Aymeric Laporte’s injury to the Premier League title race.
Craig Burley reveals who he thinks is the Premier League’s best goalkeeper between Alisson and Ederson.
Shaka Hislop presents his weekly power rankings and is given quite a bit of stick by the FC guys for how he ordered the top 10.
Craig Burley explains why Aymeric Laporte’s injury absence could have Man City regretting their decision not to bring in a center half this summer.
Vincent Kompany has said it was not a disappointment to miss his own testimonial through injury because he had already ensured a perfect Etihad Stadium send-off with his title-winning goal against Leicester.
The defender sat out his tribute game with a hamstring problem but said playing in front of the City supporters one last time could not have topped his 30-yard screamer in the penultimate game of last season.
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- Kompany gives up coaching duty at…
Although it’s early days, the ESPN FC panel talk Romelu Lukaku’s time at Inter and how he’s changed since his disappointing time at Manchester United.
After Michael Keane and Harry Maguire surrendered three goals against Kosovo, ESPN FC’s Craig Burley re-examines England’s centre-back partnership.
Manchester United or Newcastle United? Wembley or Anfield? Michael Owen is put on the spot in our latest edition of ‘You Have To Answer.’
Edwin van der Sar is not ruling out a return to the Premier League amid speculation he is on Manchester United’s wanted list as their new technical director.
The former United goalkeeper is currently chief executive at Ajax and although the 48-year-old insists he is happy at the Dutch giants, he admits he is open to moving on in the future.
“You never know,” said Van der Sar, who spent six years as a player at Old Trafford between 2005 and 2011. “At the moment Ajax is the principle thought where…
Craig Burley explains why Aymeric Laporte’s injury absence could have Man City regretting their decision not to bring in a center half this summer.
Shaka Hislop presents his weekly power rankings and is given quite a bit of stick by the FC guys for how he ordered the top 10.
Shaka Hislop’s famous power rankings are back, and of course the FC crew are baffled by some of his rankings, including Real Madrid at No. 6.
Alejandro Moreno and Ross Dyer rank Manchester City, Chelsea, Tottenham and Liverpool in terms of who got the hardest group draw in the UEFA Champions League.
Former Manchester City defender Vincent Kompany has been ruled out of his own testimonial after suffering a hamstring injury.
The Belgium defender, who left City to become player-manager at Anderlecht is back in Manchester for his testimonial on Wednesday, where he had to been due to play alongside former teammates in a clash against Premier League All-Star XI.
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- Kompany gives up coaching duty at Anderlecht
Kompany has been blighted by injuries…
Shaka Hislop presents his weekly power rankings and is given quite a bit of stick by the FC guys for how he ordered the top 10.
Craig Burley explains why Aymeric Laporte’s injury absence could have Man City regretting their decision not to bring in a center half this summer.
Former Netherlands international Giovanni van Bronckhorst is spending time at Manchester City but is not being lined up for a top job at the Etihad Stadium, sources have told ESPN FC.
Van Bronckhorst, capped 106 times, has been out of work since he quit Feyenoord in the summer and City have agreed to let the 44-year-old behind the scenes at the City Football Academy and other clubs within the City Football Group including New York City.
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He will have the…
Shaka Hislop presents his weekly power rankings and is given quite a bit of stick by the FC guys for how he ordered the top 10.
Craig Burley explains why Aymeric Laporte’s injury absence could have Man City regretting their decision not to bring in a center half this summer.
Former Netherlands international Giovanni van Bronckhorst is spending time at Manchester City but is not being lined up for a top job at the Etihad Stadium, sources have told ESPN FC.
Van Bronckhorst, capped 106 times, has been out of work since he quit Feyenoord in the summer and City have agreed to let the 44-year-old behind the scenes at the City Football Academy and other clubs within the City Football Group including New York City.
– ESPN Premier League fantasy: Sign up now!
He will have the…
Mark Ogden evaluates the current squad depth, who are the leaders within the team and what United are missing.
Steve Nicol explains how much blame should be placed on Ole Gunnar Solskjaer after winning only one league game in the last nine.
Craig Burley explains why Manchester United’s Europa League group is easier than either Arsenal’s or Wolves’. Manchester United defender Eric Bailly is targeting an early return from knee surgery, sources have told ESPN FC.
Bailly had an operation in July after damaging ligaments in his right knee during a preseason friendly with Tottenham in Shanghai.
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Manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer initially said Bailly would be ruled out for around five months and was not expected back until the end of December.
However, early treatment has gone well and there is hope his…
ESPN FC’s Steve Nicol presents his Saturday Premier League week four takeaways including best goal, biggest letdown and controversy.
Alejandro Moreno and Ross Dyer rank Manchester City, Chelsea, Tottenham and Liverpool in terms of who got the hardest group draw in the UEFA Champions League.
MANCHESTER, England — Manchester City could not afford to sign a centre-back this summer, according to Pep Guardiola.
The Premier League champions spent more than £120 million in the summer to add Rodri, Joao Cancelo and Angelino to the squad but are facing a defensive crisis if Aymeric Laporte is ruled out with a knee injury.
City tried to replace Vincent Kompany with Harry Maguire but were out-bid for the Leicester defender by Manchester United and Guardiola says the money was not available…