LONDON • Pep Guardiola is not prepared to entertain any "fantasy" talk of an unprecedented quadruple despite Manchester City being the only English team still in the hunt for four trophies.
His men have booked their place in the League Cup final, where they will meet Chelsea on Feb 24, while they sit four points behind leaders Liverpool in the race for the Premier League title.
They will also return to Champions League action next month with a favourable last-16 draw against German Bundesliga side Schalke.
Today, City play Burnley at the Etihad Stadium in the FA Cup fourth round - the only domestic competition Guardiola has yet to win since taking over in 2016.
But, while their impressive form over the first half of the campaign has City supporters dreaming of success on a level yet to be achieved in English football, the manager was in no mood to entertain such prospects at his pre-match press conference yesterday.
The Spaniard told reporters: "We are able to try to win tomorrow. That is all I can assure you. Anything else is fantasy.
"Always we try to have a strong team. The fact it is against a Premier League (team) like Burnley, we are going to play with the best team to win the game, we believe."
4
Average goals per game Manchester City have netted in their last seven FA Cup matches in the third and fourth rounds.
ENGLISH FA CUP 4TH RD
SELECTED FIXTURES
YESTERDAY
Arsenal v Man United, Late kick-offTODAY
Accrington v Derby, Ch111, 8.30pm
Man City v Burnley, Ch111, 11pm
Newcastle v Watford, Ch112, 11pm
Shrewsbury v Wolves, Ch113, 11pm
Millwall v Everton, Ch111, tomorrow, 1.30amTOMORROW
Crystal Palace v Tottenham, Ch111, 11.55pm
Chelsea v Sheffield Wednesday, Ch111, Monday, 2am
All on Singtel TV
The 48-year-old, whose side were stunned by Wigan in the fifth round of the FA Cup last season, will not be taking any risks against Sean Dyche's men.
Despite fielding a host of youth-team players, including Philippe Sandler, Eric Garcia and Ian Poveda, in their midweek League Cup win over Burton Albion, Guardiola categorically ruled against using them for the second successive game.
Revealing "tomorrow, there will be no players from the academy", he said: "They have to be prepared just in case.
"But we now have everyone fit except Vinny (Kompany), everyone can play."
One senior player who did feature at the Pirelli Stadium was defender Benjamin Mendy, who came off the bench after two months out with a knee injury, and Guardiola confirmed that he was in line to play against the Clarets.
He also responded to the imminent sacking of his former player at Barcelona, Thierry Henry, who has been suspended by Monaco after a dismal three-month spell in charge of the French Ligue One club, claiming it was "not my business".
Guardiola added: "I don't understand it, but I'm not there when people take decisions.
"I know him well and I'm so sorry for him. He is an exceptional person."
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
MAN CITY V BURNLEY
Singtel TV Ch111, 11pm
UK Rescuers Launch Bid To Recover Body From Emiliano Sala's Plane British crash investigators on Tuesday launched an underwater operation to recover a body from the wreckage of the plane
UK rescuers attempting to recover body from Sala's plane
Buchanan goal hands Canada slender 1-0 win over Cameroon
In handball, the goalkeeper is the only player in the team who is allowed to stay in the 6-meter zone throughout the whole competition. A goalkeeper is allowed to save the ball with all parts of his body, including two hands, trunks, two legs and so on, only within the defending 6-meter zone.
USMNT has five goalkeepers on roster. D.C. United's Bill
Chelsea boss Sarri demands more from Hazard. he's more an individual player than a leader," said Sarri on Wednesday. In an interview with France Football, this week Hazard again raised
Chelsea Boss Sarri Demands More From Hazard - Channels Television
The last encounter between Home United and Young Lions was a feisty affair that ended on a sour note. Will there be more of the same when they clash this Wednesday in the SPL? Having let slip two
Shawal strikes for Geylang to make it seven SPL defeats for
Football; Barca superstar claims record 5th Golden Shoe. Lionel Messi collected a record fifth Golden Shoe award on Tuesday for finishing last season as the top goalscorer in Europe.
Messi claims record 5th Golden Shoe | The Guardian Nigeria
Lionel Messi scores La Liga-clinching goal for Barcelona off the bench in win over Levante The league crown once again resides at Camp Nou. by Roger Gonzalez
Football: 'Stratospheric' Messi scores 400th La Liga goal in
The Norwegian Town Where the Sun Doesn't Rise - The Atlantic
PSG miss chance to wrap up French title after goal-line howler with Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting's incredible miss from on the goal-line costing his team dear. Troubled PSG throw away lead
Clockwatch + La Liga | The Guardian
Their title credentials will face a stiff examination in December, when they take on Manchester United and Arsenal in successive games. As for the new boys, they face a tough Boxing Day
Spokeo | People Search
Pack sizes vary, most packs have 6 or 7 members, although some may include as many as 15 wolves. The size depends on many variables including the current numbers of the wolf population, the abundance of food, and social factors within the wolf pack. Within each pack is an elaborate hierarchy.
adaptations - Gray Wolf
graywolves.weebly.com/adaptations.html
The Gray Wolf has many adaptations that help it survive. It has teeth and claws for hunting. The fur of the gray wolf is a great insulator and it can keep out moisture. The hearing and their sense of smell are a lot better than humans have. The fleshy paws they have are better for traction in the winter.
Wolves and moose on Isle Royale - Wikipedia
PARIS (AFP) - Paris Saint-Germain's Brazilian captain Thiago Silva has been granted French citizenship, he announced on Twitter on Friday (March 15). The 34-year-old's decision means PSG have an extra space in their squad for a non-EU player. Silva has played 274 games since joining the reigning Ligue 1 champions in 2012 and has 77 caps for Brazil.
PSG captain Thiago Silva receives French citizenship
Football: Messi torments Liverpool with 600th Barca goal in 3
LONDON • Newport County manager Michael Flynn believes his side can conjure up the biggest shock in the history of the FA Cup when they host Premier League champions Manchester City in the fifth
Newport manager believes shock City victory possible
0 comments:
Post a Comment