DON’T DARE TO DOUBT US
Pep hits back at City’s critics af ter they demolish Watford
PEP GUARDIOLA poured scorn on those who had doubted the hunger and will of his Manchester City side after his players bounced back from their shock defeat by Norwich City last Saturday by demolishing Watford.
City, who also beat Watford 6-0 in the FA Cup final last May and have scored 33 goals against them in their last seven meetings, came within i nches of equalling the record Premier League win, Manchester United’s 9-0 thrashing of Ipswich Town in 1995, when Kevin De Bruyne dragged a late chance wide.
Still smarting from the critical reaction to City’s 3- 2 defeat at Carrow Road, Guardiola accused some former players of lacking respect for a team who have won the title for the past two seasons.
‘I said after Norwich that, if you doubt us, it is your problem, not mine,’ he said. ‘It can happen that you lose one game. If you analyse what these guys have done in the last two seasons, it is your problem, not mine. At Norwich, we conceded four shots on target and we had 15 or 20.
‘ Maybe you believe the team cannot lose games. Everyone can lose. They are human beings and making mistakes. What we have to do is play the way we have played these two seasons.
‘Pundits, former players, they lost games and made mistakes and say t hese things without respect for all players doing their best.’
THIS is what happens when you stir Manchester City. This is what happens when you poke them and prod them and question their hunger and make Liverpool favourites to win the title. This is what happens when you suggest that the absence of Aymeric Laporte for the next five months will cost them dearly. They come back the next week and wipe you off the face of the earth.
Beaten by Norwich City last weekend and coming into this match five points behind Jurgen Klopp’s side after five games, City tore mercilessly into Watford at The Etihad. They came within a few inches of equalling the record Premier League v i c t o r y, Manchester United’s 9-0 demolition of Ipswich Town in 1995.
No wonder the Watford manager, Quique Sanchez Flores, looked like a mourner at a funeral as he sat on the bench, all in black. When he was asked afterwards if he had a message for the travelling fans, his answer was simple and to the point. ‘Sorry,’ he kept saying. ‘Sorry.’
City won 8-0 but it should have been more. City won 8-0 and Sergio Aguero had an off day. City won 8-0 and he missed a hat-trick of chances which he would normally have gobbled up. City won 8-0 and Aguero hit the post, Riyad Mahrez hit the bar, Kevin de Bruyne missed a late sitter, Ben Foster made a magnificent save. It was a turkey shoot.
De Bruyne was magnificent. Hampered by injuries last season, here he was in his pomp again. He made four assists and scored the eighth and best goal of the lot, an unstoppable drive five minutes from t i me. David S i l v a was untouchable, too. And as for City’s crisis at the back, Fernandinho looked unflappable.
Amidst it all, spare a thought for Watford’s Guadaloupe midfielder Dimitri Foulquier, who endured the Premier League debut from Hell. He had nine touches and watched his team concede five goals in the first 18 minutes before he was substituted in the 34th minute.
The City manager, Pep Guardiola, was clearly still smarting from the reaction to the Norwich defeat. He said he was surprised anyone had doubted his team after what they achieved in the past two seasons.
City had destroyed Watford 6-0 in the FA Cup final in May and now they went two better. They have scored 33 times in the last seven meetings before the clubs.
David Silva had led City out on to the pitch carrying his son, Mateo, in his arms. He had barely had time to put him down when he opened the scoring. De Bruyne started the move, feeding the ball to Walker.
When it was worked back to him, the Belgium midfielder swung in a delicious cross and Silva sidefooted it in from a few yards out. De Bruyne was playing magisterially in the centre of midfield.
After six minutes, he skipped away from a tackle in the centre circle and played a clever ball into the path of Mahrez. Mahrez poked it away from Ben Foster, who brought him down even though the ball was heading into touch.
Aguero dispatched the penalty nervelessly. It was his 100th league goal at the Etihad.
Five minutes later, City were further ahead. Mahrez set off on a brilliant run from deep and evaded two challenges before Abdoulaye Doucoure chopped him down on the edge of the area. Mahrez took the free kick himself. It might have been going in anyway but when it hit Tom Cleverley in the face and ricocheted in the opposite direction, Foster had no chance.
Next, De Bruyne delivered an outswinger from the right, Nicolas Otamendi r ose above Adrian Mariappa and flicked it on. A chasm opened in the middle of the Watford area and Bernardo Silva danced in before stooping to head the ball past Foster.
City made it to five faster than any Premier League team ever has before when a piece of quick thinking undid Watford again after 18 minutes. As David Silva stood over a free kick, Aguero spun away from his marker, Silva found him with the perfect pass and Aguero drilled the ball across the area for Otamendi to slide it in at the back post.
Then, mercifully, there was a hiatus. It is worth mentioning that amid the carnage, Watford did fashion a chance of their own after four minutes when Gerard Deulofeu jinked past a clumsy challenge from Otamendi only for Ederson to push his chip wide with his finger tips.
City’s best move of the game did not lead to a goal. A minute before half time, Rodri spread a magnificent cross-field ball to Bernardo Silva on the right hand touchline. He killed it with his first touch and laid it back to De Bruyne. De Bruyne crossed it first time to the back post where Aguero rose to power in a header.
It looked like a certain goal but somehow Foster clawed it out. On another day, it was the kind of save
that might be mentioned in dispatches as a contender for save of the season.
Three minutes after the break, City resumed scoring. Given a burst of energy by replacement left back Angelino, they profited from some ragged agged Watford defending.
Will Hughes headed d an attempted clearance straight to David Silva who somehow squeezed the ball through to Bernardo Silva. He eased past one defender, let the ball ll bounce and then en hooked it past Foster. ter. It was the 11th time Ci City hd had scored six or more goals in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era.
City went 7-0 up after an hour. De Bruyne, again, was the provider. Bernardo Silva, again, was the scorer when he miskicked but the ball fell kindly for him and he rammed his second effort past Foster. The Portuguese forward put his head in his hands. He looked embarrassed. He wasn’t the only one starting to feel sorry for Watford.
Not De Bruyne though. Aguero missed two more good chances but there was no let up in the beauty of De Bruyne’s play. Midway through the second half, he caressed a cross with his left foot to the back post where Mahrez was waiting. Mahrez headed it back across goal. It beat Foster but cannoned off the crossba crossbar and away to safety. De Bruyne saved the bes best for last. Six minut utes from the end, he r received the ball on t the edge of the Watf ord box, stepped i nside his marker a and lashed an unstopp pable, rising drive pa past Foster. P Perhaps in the end, De Bruy Bruyne took pity on those he was persecuting by spari ing them h the h ignominy of being classed with that Ipswich side as the most hapless losers of the Premier League era. In the dying minutes, with only Foster to beat, he dragged the ball wide. Small mercies.