Pep Guardiola’s side booked their spot in the EFL Cup final with a 2-0 win over Manchester United on Wednesday night, while Birmingham will enter the contest off the back of a 2-0 defeat to Blackburn Rovers in the Championship.
Browsing: Pep Guardiola
Two second half goals from John Stones and Fernandinho gave Pep Guardiola’s side victory in the match.
Pep Guardiola’s men had scored more than twice in a league game just once since their opening match of the season, but were 3-0 up by half-time thanks to goals from Ilkay Gundogan, Phil Foden and Kevin De Bruyne.
“Both personnel will now observe a period of self-isolation in accordance with Premier League and UK Government protocols on quarantine,” Manchester City said in a statement.
The 49-year-old Spaniard’s current five-year stay at City is his longest spell in charge of a club since he began his managerial career in 2008.
The news comes after Kyle Walker, Gabriel Jesus and two City staff members returned positive tests, missing the Boxing Day win over Newcastle.
The event at the Burj Khalifa, Dubai, saw trophies get handed out to recognise the best people in football for the year and the current entry from 2001 to 2020.
Messi was a mainstay of Guardiola’s Barca side that won 14 major titles and has been linked with a switch to City since the manager signed a new deal that will keep him at the Premier League club until the end of the 2022-23 season.
City, who have won the trophy for the last three seasons, went in front in the third minute with a header from Brazilian striker Gabriel Jesus.
City’s record goal scorer Sergio Aguero has yet to open his account in the Premier League this season, with injuries limiting his time on the pitch, while Gabriel Jesus has netted only twice.
The Citizens are eight points adrift of leaders Liverpool with a game in hand, while Southampton are four points better off in third after a superb start to the campaign.
Manchester United won last season’s Premier League fixture 2-0 but the Norwegian felt this was a more complete display
Pep Guardiola’s side, who thrashed Burnley 5-0 last week, could easily have won by a bigger scoreline on a comfortable afternoon at the Etihad Stadium.
And viewers on DStv Yanga and GOtv Jolli packages will be in for a massive treat, with two top-flight games from England – featuring Manchester City and Arsenal – available to them.
For the first time since January 2017, Spurs go into a showdown with Man City sitting above their opponents in the table, and victory would lift them to the very top until at least tonight.
“Manchester City are pleased to announce that Pep Guardiola has signed a new two-year deal with the club,” City said in a statement.
In the same vein, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp also hit out at the Premier League over their substitutes rule
The Spaniard thus ruled out a return to his former club FC Barcelona when his contract expires at the end of the season.
Manchester City took control of Group C with six points from two games, leading FC Porto and Olympiakos by three points while OM are bottom of the table after two defeats.
The Hammers have a dreadful record against this today’s opponents in recent times, but go into this game sitting above them in the table for the first time since March 2009.