Kompany: The clean sheet is what makes me sleep well at night
LONDON: Captain Vincent Kompany has scored in both of Manchester City’s Premier League games this season but the clean sheets the club kept during the two wins gave the central defender more pleasure.
Last season’s runners-up City won 3-0 at West Bromwich Albion in their league opener last week and Kompany headed in the second goal in the 79th minute on Sunday as his side defeated champions Chelsea by an identical margin.
“As a defender, it (his goal) isn’t what I take most pride in. I’m very happy with the two clean sheets so far,” the 29-yearold Belgian international said.
“If I can contribute up front then great but the clean sheet is what makes me sleep well at night.”
Sergio Aguero, who opened his account for the season on Sunday, has played down the significance of a five-point lead over Chelsea, who drew their first match 2-2 against Swansea City. “The first goal is always important as it allowed the team to be calm,” the 27-yearold Argetinian said.
“It was important to win because Chelsea are a difficult team, the last champions, but I don’t think the five point gap is that significant at this stage.”
Meanwhile, Everton’s impressive display in their 3-0 win over Southampton will be the standard the Merseyside club would seek to follow this season, goalkeeper Tim Howard has said.
Two excellent first-half goals by Belgian international Romelu Lukaku inspired Everton to an emphatic win at the St Mary’s in the Premier League on Saturday.
Everton had been criticised for their slow start in their lacklustre 2-2 draw to Premier League new boys Watford, but they responded strongly against the Saints.
“It feels great. We felt like we owed them one – we got it taken to us the last couple of times we went down there,” Howard said. “We put the emphasis this past week on coming out of the gates strong and we did that.”
Everton finished 11th last season, their lowest position since the 2003-04 season, and the 36-year-old American is keen to improve on that this season. “We hope we can achieve better than the last few seasons - that is the plan. Everyone is gunning for the same thing so we will have it all to do,” said the former Manchester United goalkeeper.
“But if we put in more performances like the one against Southampton and use that as the standard, then we will be okay.” – Reuters