Manchester, England.
Manchester City returned to Premier League activity after the international break due to the FIFA date and won 1-3 on their visit to West Ham to maintain the lead for another week after the fifth day of the championship.
The Londoners took the lead in the first half with a goal from James Ward-Prowse (36), but City came back after the break with goals from the young Belgian Jéremy Doku (46), the Portuguese Bernardo Silva (76) and the Norwegian Erling Haaland (86), which added his seventh goal in five championship games.
With this victory, Pep Guardiola’s team reaches the full 15 points. Before the game, the Spanish coach left a few sentences that have given a lot to talk about in England, especially what he said about one of the signings that the English team made in the summer market.
Guardiola appreciated that Kyle Walker has decided to renew for City: “It is really very important, like renewing Nathan Ake, Bernardo Silva and Rico Lewis. Kyle is an important player for us. His colleagues asked him not to leave. His mind is there. There are few players I have seen with genetics like him.”
The Catalan coach then referred to Matheus Nunes, a Portuguese midfielder who arrived at Manchester City from Wolverhampton in exchange for 62 million euros. He admitted that he must improve his decision-making before he is ready for a major role at the Etihad Stadium.
“Matheus Nunes can play as a holding midfielder, attacking midfielder and winger with his physique. He has to improve the first contact, the first touch. Still there he does not have sufficient quality.”
Of course, Pep bought him with Kevin de Bruyne: “He can play as an attacking midfielder, like De Bruyne, but Kevin is incomparable: his energy, his balls in the last games as a winger. Quality is very difficult to find.”
Matheus Nunes is a Brazilian nationalized Portuguese, he plays as a midfielder and in principle he would play the role of pivot, that is, defending and removing from the lower zone. This position was highly sought after in the market, leaving record transfers such as Declan Rice to Arsenal for 121 million euros or Moisés Caicedo to Chelsea for 133 million.
After those words, Pep Guardiola gave Matheus Nunes his debut in the match against West Ham, sending him onto the field in the 67th minute instead of Phil Foden.
The Citizens coach praised Julián Álvarez after the victory, the Argentine provided two assists. “Gundogan left and, unfortunately, with Kevin De Bruyne’s injury, Julián has his opportunity and he is taking advantage of it. He is now almost indisputable.” Guardiola explained that the FIFA dates were bad for him: “We had doubts because he came from Bolivia with jet lag, he was very tired before yesterday. But he felt better and we talked to him last night and he told us that he felt good.”
“He is learning a lot to move in spaces, he is a threat with goals and assists… The work ethic! “We are delighted that the club brought him in last year,” he concluded.
2023-09-18 00:43:31
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