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There he was on the finish, up in Josko Gvardiol’s face, man-handling the Manchester Metropolis defender in a type of animated, barely manic on-pitch debriefs now we have seen so many occasions over time.
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Pep Guardiola had fizzed with power on the touchline all through this sport and was nonetheless filled with it on the ultimate whistle as Gvardiol grew to become the newest recipient of one of many supervisor’s frenzied tactical shakedowns.
“Yeah we talked about Croatia for holidays,” the Metropolis supervisor mentioned in jest afterwards. “I’m going to go to see my dad for a number of days – 94 years outdated – and after go to Croatia and a few seashores. And that’s why I requested him, ‘The place do I’ve to go?’ Do you want the reply? It’s not true, nevertheless it doesn’t matter proper?”
It was certainly one of a number of jokes Guardiola cracked in his press convention after the sport however, for all of the occasional levity, the overall tone couldn’t have been extra severe or pointed.
Metropolis had simply produced a efficiency towards West Ham that to most observers was fairly spectacular and featured targets No 148 and 149 of Erling Haaland’s extraordinary tenure on the membership plus a minor basic for the second, choreographed by Rayan Cherki and completed by Tijjani Reijnders.
Erling Haaland scored twice towards West Ham – Reuters/Phil Noble
Tijjani Reijnders scored Man Metropolis’s second – PA/Martin Rickett
However Guardiola didn’t like loads of what he noticed – and he was not afraid to inform his gamers as a lot.
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It was particularly Metropolis’s positional play whereas in possession that bought Guardiola’s again up, a lot in order that the Catalan claimed his crew wouldn’t be in rivalry for a seventh Premier League title in 10 seasons come April had been it to not enhance over the approaching weeks and months.
In fact, all of it felt slightly performative, a means of making certain there isn’t any slip in requirements as Metropolis head into the busy festive interval having manoeuvred into the form of place that’s normally a springboard to raised issues through the second half of the season. A cushty house win was in all probability the opportune time to ship such a message.
However then once more with Guardiola, that pressure of nature perfectionist, you by no means fairly know. On the similar time, it’s laborious to imagine gamers wouldn’t be galvanised by a supervisor with this a lot starvation and ambition nonetheless, a decade into his masterpiece in Manchester.
If that is to be Guardiola’s final season on the Etihad Stadium – and the person himself insists there’ll – then he seems to be like a person hell-bent on going out with a bang.
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The might have been a distraction for his gamers however you wouldn’t have recognized it on the pitch, even when Guardiola noticed flaws the place others merely wouldn’t.
He had watched Metropolis throw away a 2-0 lead at house to Leeds a number of weeks earlier and felt this sport might simply have gone the identical means. That felt a considerably beneficiant appraisal of West Ham’s show and Nuno Espirito Santo, maybe slightly tellingly, regarded moderately shell-shocked by the point he turned up for his media duties.
Nuno Espirito Santo regarded a crushed man – PA/Jonathan Brady
West Ham did have possibilities within the second half by Mateus Fernandes, Freddie Potts, Jarrod Bowen notably and, late on, Crysenscio Summerville however they had been distinctly second finest for lengthy durations, notably within the opening 45 minutes earlier than they rallied after the restart.
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This was solely younger Oliver Scarles’ third begin of the season and the West Ham left-back is unlikely to neglect the reminiscence of Rayan Cherki any time quickly. The mercurial Metropolis ahead gave the 20-year-old – and West Ham’s left aspect – a torrid time in that first half and produced the second of the match together with his function for the second objective.
An beautiful shuffle of the ft noticed him wriggle away from Fernandes earlier than he drew in Scarles and Soungoutou Magassa and performed a stunning no-look cross in between the West Ham gamers for Haaland. Reijnders surged ahead to gather Haaland’s quick cross, spherical Maxiliman Kilman and fireplace into the roof of the online. “I’m frightened about how he’s now,” Espirito Santo mentioned of Scarles after the sport.
Oliver Scarles (left) endured a torrid afternoon – Getty Photographs/Molly Darlington
West Ham bought off to the worst attainable begin when Haaland scored 5 minutes in and he ought to have doubled his lead quickly after solely to ship a header from eight yards uncharacteristically extensive. “You’re only a s— Andy Carroll” went the mock chants from West Ham followers.
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Haaland scored his second with simply over 20 minutes remaining after Kyle Walker-Peters and Jean-Clair Todibo had made a hash of attempting to clear Savinho’s cross and the house crowd nearly thought he had claimed his hat-trick – and a hundred and fiftieth objective for the membership – in stoppage time, solely to steer a shot narrowly extensive of the far publish.
Even that won’t have spared Metropolis’s gamers a rebuke from their supervisor, although. Guardiola has his requirements and isn’t going to permit anybody to drop under them.
Guardiola sends warning to Metropolis gamers
Guardiola felt Bernardo Silva ought to have performed higher – Reuters/Phil Noble
An uncompromising Guardiola has warned his gamers they won’t problem for the Premier League title except they enhance.
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Regardless of an eighth successive house league win, Guardiola was nonetheless sad and, in an impassioned tackle, instructed his gamers that their positional play must get higher if they’re severe about successful a seventh title in 10 seasons.
“The best way we play with the ball now we have to enhance, in any other case it won’t be sufficient to reach in March, April to be contenders to win the title,” the Metropolis supervisor mentioned.
“I wish to be trustworthy with myself. I mentioned to the gamers, ‘So Merry Christmas for everybody’. But it surely won’t be sufficient if we don’t enhance.
“Defensively we’re enhancing. We’re visualising it with the ball. However the best way you assault is determined by how the opponents defend and it’s important to be in the appropriate spots and positions to be extra fluid, and we weren’t.
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“Don’t misunderstand me, I’m delighted, completely happy and these guys are prime, they comply with us and provides their life.
“But when they wish to attain the following step, in the event that they [opponents] play in a diamond like at present or 5 on the again or 4, there are areas in several methods and it’s important to be in the appropriate spots. The positional sport will outline the crew. Immediately it was not good.”
Metropolis allowed a 2-0 lead at house to Leeds to slide final month, earlier than Phil Foden scored a winner in stoppage time, and Guardiola mentioned he feared the sport towards West Ham might have gone the identical means.
“The Leeds sport was 2-0 like at present. It’s fairly related. If that they had scored to make it 2-1, West Ham would have made it 2-2. Belief me. I’m not a magician to know the longer term nevertheless it might have occurred as a result of we weren’t in the appropriate locations. And now we have to return again to play the best way we outlined that crew for a few years.”
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Guardiola mentioned Metropolis had recovered the “spirit and aggression” that was lacking final season and believes they will end on prime, as long as they do what he asks.
“We might be there, in the event that they comply with me,” he mentioned. “We might be there however now we have to enhance. I do know the extent in Europe, within the Premier League, I do know Arsenal and the opposite groups and the way powerful they’re.
“It’s not sufficient. The spirit is there. Final season we didn’t have the spirit or aggression or starvation – all of the attributes they want.
“It’s not in regards to the highlights and the way good the actions are, there’s something that comes from inside and we recovered that because the Membership World Cup.”
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Metropolis’s captain Bernardo Silva additionally got here in for a uncommon critique from Guardiola. “Bernie is my weak point. He’s prime, however at present Bernie needed to play higher. Immediately I’m not proud of Bernie,” he mentioned. “He’s my weak point, my favorite one, however at present I’m not proud of him. He is aware of precisely what we have to play higher. He’s dependable, can play in 5 positions and that’s extraordinary, however at present he didn’t play good.”
Guardiola additionally burdened that it is going to be essential to get midfield sentry Rodri again to full health, plus different injured gamers together with Jeremy Doku, Mateo Kovacic and Rayan Ait-Nouri. Omar Marmoush can also be lacking because of the Egypt ahead’s involvement within the Africa Cup of Nations.
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05:28pm
How issues stand earlier than Arsenal face Everton later tonight
05:23pm
Former Man Metropolis participant Shaun Wright-Phillips reacts
“They didn’t need to do a lot to be 3-0 up. West Ham made it very simple for them, however the possibilities they did make, they took. After that, they had been toying with West Ham, who weren’t aggressive or attempting to trigger them any issues. Metropolis might have gone up by the gears in the event that they wanted to.”
05:10pm
A goalscoring machine
04:57pm
FT: Brighton 0 Sunderland 0
This match is assured to be final on Match of the Day. Nothing extra to say about this sport.
04:56pm
FT: Bournemouth 1 Burnley 1
Could possibly be a valuable level for the away aspect of their battle to remain up. Bournemouth won’t be completely happy to concede so late.
04:55pm
FT: Wolves 0 Brentford 2
Extra ache for Wolves. A missed penalty. 10 defeats in a row. A uncommon away win for the guests.
Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Jorgen Strand Larsen was dejected after the match – PA/Nick Potts
04:54pm
FT: Man Metropolis 3 West Ham 0
Frustration for Haaland as he can’t take the possibility to make it 4. Moments later, the whistle blows and the three factors are confirmed.
04:49pm
89mins: Bournemouth 1 Burnley 1 GOAL
Tremendous-sub Broja. Nook is whipped in and the striker meets it to go previous Petrovic.
04:48pm
87mins: Wolves 0 Brentford 2 MISSED PENALTY
Oh pricey. Kelleher brings down Doherty and the referee factors to the spot. Strand Larsen steps as much as take it and his effort is nicely saved by Kelleher.
04:42pm
82mins: Wolves 0 Brentford 2 GOAL
Lewis-Potter performs a one-two with Damsgaard, the extensive man breaks into the field and slides in to complete previous Sa.
04:33pm
69mins: Man Metropolis 3 West Ham 0 GOAL
A calamity within the West Ham and that man Haaland is there once more to make them pay.
Erling Haaland celebrates scoring his second and Metropolis’s third objective – Getty Photographs/Darren Staples
04:32pm
67mins: Bournemouth 1 Burnley 0 GOAL
Semenyo reacts quickest to a mistake by Laurent and whips a shot into the underside nook. Ruthless from one of many gamers of the season.
04:23pm
63mins: Wolves 0 Brentford 1 GOAL
Impasse damaged at Molineux! Krecji makes a mistake in defence and the ball falls to Lewis-Potter, who composes himself and fires previous Sa.
04:21pm
‘Metropolis have dropped a few gears’
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It’s been drastically improved from West Ham in the beginning of this second half. Potts, Fernandes and Bowen have all had first rate possibilities. Metropolis have dropped a few gears.
04:16pm
53mins: Man Metropolis 2 West Ham 0
One other scare from the guests after Bowen anticipates a nasty backpass. He cuts it out and rounds Donnarumma, however the angle is just too tight for him to attain.
04:10pm
51mins: Brighton 0 Sunderland 0
What a save. Alderete with a robust header which Verbruggen suggestions onto the crossbar and away from a nook.
Sunderland pushing for that objective to interrupt the impasse.
04:07pm
48mins: Man Metropolis 2 West Ham 0
Some early intent from the guests. Bowen assessments Donnarumma with a shot, then Fernandes shoots over.
04:05pm
Second half
We’re again underway in our 4 video games. Let’s hope for extra targets.
03:54pm
HALF TIME
The whistle blows across the grounds. Because it stands, Metropolis are going some extent away from Arsenal on the prime of the desk.
Manchester Metropolis’s Erling Haaland celebrates scoring – Reuters/Andrew Boyers
03:48pm
‘Exhibition stuff from Metropolis’
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It’s been exhibition stuff from Metropolis and no yet another so than Rayan Cherki. Poor Ollie Scarles could have nightmares about him. The younger West Ham left again hasn’t bought previous half-time in his earlier two begins this season and he’ll do nicely to return out for the second half.
It’s been a bruising expertise for the 20-year-old up towards Cherki. Metropolis’s second was a minor basic. The footwork from Cherki to shuffle previous Fernandes within the first occasion was a delight after which he slipped a close to blind cross between Scarles and Magassa – who’s attempting to assist the left again out however getting bypassed himself – into Haaland.
Haaland, in flip, performs it to the onrushing Reijnders, who fires into the roof of the online. The gulf at school and every little thing in between right here is scary.
03:46pm
44mins: Bournemouth 0 Burnley 0
Nothing given on the Vitality. Play continues.
03:44pm
42mins: Bournemouth 0 Burnley 0
Anthony places the ball within the internet however the flag goes up for offside. There’s a VAR examine for a penalty too…
03:40pm
38mins: Man Metropolis 2 West Ham 0 GOAL
Recreation over. Reijnders grabs his third objective of the season as he fires previous Areola.
03:37pm
32mins: Wolves 0 Brentford 0
03:33pm
32mins: Brighton 0 Sunderland 0
In the meanwhile, Sunderland look very snug and most certainly to attain. Brighton up to now, haven’t turned up!
Sunderland’s Daniel Ballard in motion with Brighton & Hove Albion’s Yasin Ayari – Reuters/Toby Melville
03:29pm
28mins: Bournemouth 0 Burnley 0
Semenyo trying harmful on the Vitality. He whips in a stunning ball into the field however none of his team-mates can get a contact.
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Burnley have had one contact in Bournemouth’s field.
03:27pm
25mins: Wolves 0 Brentford 0
Finest probability of the sport so nicely. Hwang finds Moller Wolfe, who beats a few gamers and shoots. The ball deflects off Collins making the save even tougher for Kelleher however the Brentford keeper makes a advantageous cease.
03:24pm
19mins: Bournemouth 0 Burnley 0
Semenyo lays it off to Kluivert, who shoots extensive. Dwelling aspect starting to take management.
03:18pm
‘Gallows humour abounding from the away finish’
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Fifteen minutes in and gallows humour abounding from the away finish. “We’ve gained the ball” sing the West Ham followers. Earlier, when Haaland missed a header from eight yards, most contained in the stadium would have banked on him scoring, the West Ham trustworthy replied with playful chants of “You’re only a s— Andy Carroll”.
Manchester Metropolis’s Erling Haaland misses an opportunity to attain with a header – Reuters/Andrew Boyers
03:17pm
17mins: Brighton 0 Sunderland 0
The away aspect are a lot modified however you wouldn’t know that early on on the Amex. They’ve been extra vigorous and the house followers are a bit disgruntled.
03:16pm
15mins: Wolves 0 Brentford 0
No possibilities at Molineux. Dwelling aspect are absorbing the strain however the guests are but to create a significant probability.
03:10pm
‘This might find yourself being an extended day for West Ham’
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This might find yourself being an extended day for West Ham in the event that they’re not cautious. 1-0 down after 5 minutes and it’s nearly pointless telling you the goalscorer as you’ll all have guessed appropriately anyway. Clue: he’s Nordic, large, wears the No 9 jersey and has lately began doing a robotic dance in celebration, which bought an airing right here too.
03:09pm
7mins: Bournemouth 0 Burnley 0
Good alternative for Brooks to check Dubravka however his effort drifts simply extensive. Ought to have carried out higher.
03:06pm
5mins: Man Metropolis 1 West Ham 0 GOAL
Reduce-back from Foden to Haaland, Areola makes a great save however from the rebound, the Norwegian fires in together with his proper foot.
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Ominous begin.
03:00pm
Right here we go!
We’re underway within the 3pm kick offs!
02:52pm
Wolves fireplace chairman Jeff Shi with homeowners deeply sad with abysmal season
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Wolverhampton Wanderers have taken drastic motion amid their abysmal season by firing government chairman Jeff Shi.
With the membership backside of the Premier League and heading for seemingly inevitable relegation, have dismissed Shi after nearly a decade of service with the choice made by Guo Guangchang, the chairman of membership homeowners Fosun.
Guangchang is predicated in China and understood to be deeply sad with the membership’s trajectory. He feels pressing change is required so the departure of Shi was considered inevitable.
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Shi has been a goal for pissed off followers over a prolonged interval, following the gross sales of many star gamers, poor choices, a succession of managers and an absence of communication. Final week, he appeared on native radio and drew additional criticism for a poorly articulated interview.
02:35pm
Nuno calls for a whole show from West Ham gamers
Nuno Espirito Santo acknowledges his relegation-threatened West Ham aspect are in a “tough place” as they search to snap a five-match winless run at Manchester Metropolis.
The Hammers have surrendered leads of their final two matches and sit seventeenth within the Premier League desk, three factors from security forward of a frightening journey to the Etihad.
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Following Sunday’s 3-2 loss at house to Aston Villa, Nuno has picked up 10 factors from 11 video games since changing Graham Potter as head coach in September
“We’ve been doing very nice, good issues all through the video games, however lacking some elements of closing the video games down,” he mentioned. “When it comes to efficiency, I feel we’re performing nicely. I feel the boys did a very good match towards Villa.
“We had been punished by particulars and errors and it’s as much as us to right these. We’re in a tough place and need to maintain our efficiency all through all the sport. We have to work on eradicating these oscillations from the video games and Saturday is one other alternative to try this.”
02:25pm
Hurzeler praises Sunderland
Sunderland are three factors above Brighton within the desk and Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler has been impressed with their return to top-flight soccer.
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“Large signings, undoubtedly they made the squad very sturdy. They’ve loads of maturity on the pitch and so they perceive methods to win Premier League video games,” he mentioned.
“They’ve a robust togetherness, they battle collectively, dash collectively, look very compact. Excessive strain very man-orientated and low strain very compact, tough to attain targets towards them and on prime of that they’re good at set items, lengthy throw-ins, free-kicks and good in transition so a giant problem for us.”
02:17pm
Brentford’s Andrews in a reflective temper
Keith Andrews says he’ll proceed to try for enchancment as he mirrored on his first half-season answerable for Brentford.
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Andrews, who changed Thomas Frank in the summertime after the latter’s transfer to Tottenham, has hauled the Bees as much as fifteenth within the Premier League desk forward of the journey to Wolves.
However regardless of a comparatively stable marketing campaign, Andrews is aware of there’s loads of room for enchancment as he targets one other top-half end.
“I’ll by no means be fully completely happy, I all the time attempt to push and try, and I’ve been very understanding round right here about the place we’re and the place we wish to go to,” Andrews mentioned in his press convention.
“We’re all the time eager to progress and try to be pretty much as good as we may be, and in the primary we’ve carried out that.”
02:03pm
Sunderland XI
02:02pm
Brighton XI
01:59pm
Burnley XI
01:57pm
Bournemouth XI
01:56pm
Brentford XI
01:55pm
Wolves XI
01:50pm
West Ham XI
01:49pm
Man Metropolis XI
01:36pm
Can Man Metropolis go prime and pile strain on Arsenal?
Good day and welcome to protection from the Premier League. Our focus might be on Manchester Metropolis, who can transfer to the highest of the desk with a win over West Ham.
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Metropolis are unbeaten of their final six video games throughout all competitions with Erling Haaland, Phil Foden and Rayan Cherki all in type.
Guardiola mentioned: “I’m excited as a result of there’s a margin to enhance – and that’s what I like. There’s a margin to enhance, to do it higher. That’s the finest that may occur.
“Within the Champions League we’re fourth with two video games left, within the Premier League we’re (up) there and (now we have) the Carabao Cup semi-final. That’s what motivated me to get up early this morning.
“I’ve to visualise the crew being higher. Once we’re extra stable, creating extra possibilities and conceding much less – and successful video games, successful video games, successful video games. That’s the enterprise. That’s the important purpose.
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“The second I really feel that it’s carried out and with the gamers I can’t squeeze extra – or I can’t visualise how we might do higher – then I’ll go house. Nonetheless I’ve the sensation.”
Burnley boss Scott Parker has insisted the strain of the membership’s plight and the worry of failure will proceed to drive him as he makes an attempt to maintain it within the Premier League.
Parker’s aspect head for Bournemouth sitting only one place off the foot of the desk and having misplaced every of their final seven video games.
Requested if he feels the strain of the state of affairs, a defiant Parker instructed a press convention: “After all. I really feel the strain each time I’m sat on this place, I’ve felt the strain each time I’ve walked out on the soccer pitch for 20 years of my profession.
“There’s no-one will ever, no proprietor, no fan, your self asking me the query or the man who’s requested you to ask the query to me, that may put extra strain on me than I placed on myself.
“I’m a winner, I’m a fighter and all through my profession and all through my life, that’s precisely what I’ve been, and there’s all the time been strain. That’s simply the best way it’s.
“However that strain is one thing you be taught to cope with, and likewise it’s that strain and that worry at occasions – as a result of little question at occasions there’s worry – that drives, completely drives.”
This weekend’s league video games additionally mark the primary since ⁠the exodus of gamers to the Africa Cup of Nations.
Sunderland, who head to Brighton & Hove Albion, are the toughest hit, with six gamers on worldwide responsibility. Sunderland proceed to defy expectations, sitting ​eighth within the standings, whereas Brighton are three factors behind them in tenth.
Backside aspect Wolverhampton Wanderers proceed to chase their first win of the season once they host Brentford.