Academy investment is really paying off – Guardiola
Pep Guardiola says he is ‘excited’ to take his Manchester City team to Saudi Arabia for a midweek jaunt in the Club World Cup. As the winners of the Champions League, City enter Fifa’s club competition at the semi-final and need to win just two matches to lift the trophy.
In other years, this mini tournament would be a welcome break for the City squad and the chance to add to their impressive tally of silverware. Though they could still win a trophy, Guardiola’s men will be absent from the Premier League until December 27th meaning they could find themselves well off the pace in the title race.
That is due to their recent run of poor results which has seen the champions of England and Europe fall to fourth in the Premier League behind Arsenal, Liverpool and Aston Villa. They are already five points behind the Gunners, who are first, and could be as as many as 10 behind Liverpool by the time they next play.
First though they have a tournament to win and the Urawa Red Diamonds are their opponents. Can City advance into the Club World Cup final?
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Manchester City vs Urawa Red Diamonds live
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Man City 3-0 Urawa Reds
62 mins: Jack Grealish misses a golden opportunity to make it four! Gets into the box but takes too many touches as he tries to go round Nishikawa when he comes out to the penalty spot but the Japanese goalkeeper dives and manages to get a touch to take it away from the England international. Grealish needed to shoot earlier.
Luke Baker19 December 2023 19:24
GOAL! Man City 3-0 Urawa Reds (Silva 59’) ⚽
Now it’s 3-0 and things looking bad for Urawa. Nunes cuts in from the left and gets a shot on target. Decent save by Nishikawa who pushes the ball out to the edge of the box where Bernardo Silva picks it up and fires at goal.
An unfortunate deflection off Hoibraten, who scored the own goal earlier, and that helps take it beyond Nishikawa into the left corner. Silva almost looks too embarrassed to celebrate.
Luke Baker19 December 2023 19:19
Man City 2-0 Urawa Reds
57 mins: A couple of changes for the Red Diamonds as Ito and Okubo come off with Ogiwara and Schalk on in their places. Schalk was the man who scored the winner from the bench in the 1-0 quarter-final win over Club Leon. Another goal here would be some scalp.
Luke Baker19 December 2023 19:17
CHANCE! Man City 2-0 Urawa Reds
56 mins: Nunes has to score there! Great play by Grealish to get down the outside, stands up a lovely cross to Nunes six yards out who head the ball down but somehow wide of the post! Bad miss.
Luke Baker19 December 2023 19:16
Man City 2-0 Urawa Reds
54 mins: It really was a nice goal by City. HArd to see a way back for Urawa now.
Luke Baker19 December 2023 19:13
GOAL! Man City 2-0 Urawa Reds (Kovacic 52’) ⚽
Game, set and match City. And a lovely finish by Mateo Kovacic.
Superb run by the central midfielder who splits the centre-backs and the ball slid through to him is perfect. He takes it in his stride, good second touch and lifts it over the goalkeeper as he rushes out. A first Man City goal for Kovacic and it was a classy one.
Luke Baker19 December 2023 19:11
Man City 1-0 Urawa Reds
50 mins: City would love a second goal for a variety of reasons but one is that it would allow Guardiola to make a few changes, should he so desire. Patient build-up so far but no breakthrough in this second half.
Luke Baker19 December 2023 19:09
Man City 1-0 Urawa Reds
47 mins: Slight heart-in-mouth moment as Kyle Walker loses the ball in defence and Kante looks interested in the box but Ederson quickly off his line to tidy things up. Walker looks slightly sheepish.
Luke Baker19 December 2023 19:06
KICK-OFF! Man City 1-0 Urawa Reds
Back underway in Saudi Arabia. Hard to see Urawa getting back into this but you never know.
Luke Baker19 December 2023 19:05
WATCH: Hoibraten own goal puts City ahead
Here’s how Man City went ahead as Marius Hoibraten turned Matheus Nunes’s cross into his own net. Harsh on the doughty Japanese side
Luke Baker19 December 2023 19:00