Manchester City

  • Nmecha confirms he is turning his back o...

    Manchester City centre-forward Lukas Nmecha has turned his back on England to play international football for Germany. The 20-year-old was born in Hamburg but raised in England after his parents relocated while he was still very young. Nmecha has represented England at every yo...

    Nmecha confirms he is turning his back on England to play for Germany

    Manchester City centre-forward Lukas Nmecha has turned his back on England to play international football for Germany. The 20-year-old was born in Hamburg but raised in England after his parents relocated while he was still very young. Nmecha has represented England at every youth level between Under-16 and Under-21, but he made his debut for the Germany Under-21 side this week. The City starlet came on as a second-half substitute as Germany secured a 2-1 win over the Three Lions at Bournemouth's Vitality Stadium on Tuesday. Speaking after the match, Nmecha revealed he is switching allegiances permanently, after giving the issue a great deal of thought. He stated: "I chose Germany, where I was born, I've been thinking a long time about what I really want, that was the right decision, and it's final. "I learned 10 minutes before the game that I'm allowed to play, it was just pure joy, and the coach was happy with me."  Nmecha's international U-turn comes just four months after he scored a goal for England's U20 side in a 2-0 win over Germany, in a stunning 30-minute cameo which also included an assist. The attacker went on to explain why he has ultimately chosen to pledge his international future to Germany over England, crediting U21 coach Stefan Kuntz for talking him round. He also expressed his desire to earn a spot in Kuntz's squad for the European Under-21 Championship this summer, which are taking place in Italy and San Marino. "The coach was at my house and talked about the team spirit, he convinced me," Nmecha added. "I feel really good in this team and hopefully I will play in the European Championship and then I want to win there as well." At club level, Nmecha has spent the 2018-19 campaign on loan at Championship side Preston North End, but he is due to return to the Etihad Stadium this summer. The young attacker has contributed two goals and four assists in 33 matches for Preston, helping them to launch a play-off bid.

  • Liverpool are better than Man City, and ...

    Louis van Gaal says he believes Manchester City are better than Barcelona, but that Liverpool are better than both as the three sides chase the Champions League title this season. Liverpool currently lead the Premier League by two points over Manchester City, who maintain a game...

    Liverpool are better than Man City, and both are better than Barcelona – Van Gaal

    Louis van Gaal says he believes Manchester City are better than Barcelona, but that Liverpool are better than both as the three sides chase the Champions League title this season. Liverpool currently lead the Premier League by two points over Manchester City, who maintain a game in hand on their title rivals. The English duo are also still alive in the Champions League, with Liverpool having toppled Bayern Munich in their round of 16 clash while Manchester City took down Schalke with ease. And van Gaal says both are better than a team many see as the favourite to win the competition, Barcelona.  "People think Barcelona are the best but they are not. Manchester City and Liverpool are more of a team than Barcelona - and Liverpool are more of a team than City," he told BBC. "In my philosophy, the best team shall win but I hope for City because they play the best football." Van Gaal managed Barcelona from 1997-2000 before returning to the club for another stint from 2002-03. During his stay in Catalonia, van Gaal won La Liga twice, a Copa del Rey and a UEFA Super Cup. Barcelona are set to take on van Gaal's former club, Manchester United, in the next round as they are set to face off April 10 in England before the return leg in Spain six days later. Van Gaal's last managerial job was his stay with Manchester United, a frustrating tenure that ended in 2016 just days after van Gaal won the FA Cup. Despite not returning to the game since, van Gaal says he has had other offers, but he is also content with his legacy as it stands. "I have a philosophy. I was convinced of it and by winning trophies in four countries, I proved the philosophy worked," he says. "But my legacy is bigger than just my results. I am also a relations coach, not only with my players but everyone in a club. "It is not my image but I am very human in that way. At Manchester United there were more than 40 people in the performance department. The medical department, the fans. They all had a heart for the club. I went to work as an analyst at a game at Liverpool and the United fans were still shouting my name. "I am proud people still like me. That is what is most important in life."

  • Wales international Smith signs new long...

    Wales midfielder Matt Smith has signed a new long-term contract at Premier League champions Manchester City. The 19-year-old has agreed a new four-and-a-half-year deal after impressing with his progress this season while on loan at Twente. He's played 29 times this season for t...

    Wales international Smith signs new long-term Manchester City deal

    Wales midfielder Matt Smith has signed a new long-term contract at Premier League champions Manchester City. The 19-year-old has agreed a new four-and-a-half-year deal after impressing with his progress this season while on loan at Twente. He's played 29 times this season for the Dutch side, scoring two goals to help the side sit comfortably at the top of the Ereste Divisie. They hold an 11-point gap over closest challengers Sparta as they look to return to the Eredivisie at the first time of asking after suffering relegation last season. "Matthew was 18 when he arrived, but he plays like a very mature player," Twente's technical director Ted van Leeuwen said. "His impact has been very, very big." Along with playing an integral part of Twente's push for promotion, Smith has also been capped five times by Wales including in the nation's recent win over Slovakia. Ryan Giggs' side battled a 1-0 win over Slovakia and Smith himself played the full 90 minutes in the Group E Euro 2020 qualifier. He first made his international debut for Wales in a friendly 0–0 tie with Mexico back in May 2018 having represented them at U-17, U-19 and U-21 level previously. Smith was also the youngest player to be loaned out by City having joined the academy at the age of 14 from West Bromwich Albion. Unlike Jadon Sancho and Brahim Diaz, he's now opted to remain at the club for the foreseeable future with his preference to remain in England. "It's different in England in the Premier League, especially with the resources a lot of teams have," Smith said previously. "In some countries they want to buy young players to play them. It is nice to stay in England and play first-team football, but it's getting a lot harder now just because the levels of the leagues are getting higher." Wales' next international fixture is a Euro 2020 qualifier against Croatia on June 8 before another game against Hungary on June 11. However, Smith's attention now returns to club football in the Netherlands with Twente's next match scheduled for Den Bosch on March 29.

  • 'Real Madrid should sign Sterling over H...

    Real Madrid should be targeting Manchester City forward Raheem Sterling over Chelsea star Eden Hazard, says former England striker Chris Sutton. The Blancos are reported to be casting admiring glances in the direction of the Premier League as they piece together plans for an ela...

    'Real Madrid should sign Sterling over Hazard' - Man City star billed as 'world class' by ex-England striker

    Real Madrid should be targeting Manchester City forward Raheem Sterling over Chelsea star Eden Hazard, says former England striker Chris Sutton. The Blancos are reported to be casting admiring glances in the direction of the Premier League as they piece together plans for an elaborate summer recruitment drive. With Zinedine Zidane back at the helm, those at the Santiago Bernabeu are expected to spend big in the next transfer window. Belgium international Hazard has long been linked with a switch to Spain and has hinted at making a move in the recent past. Sutton, though, believes Madrid need to be turning their sights to Manchester, with Sterling having shown this season – with 25 goals for club and country – that he is now part of the global elite. The ex-England frontman told the Daily Mail after seeing the in-form winger add to his hat-trick against the Czech Republic by netting again in a 5-1 Euro 2020 qualification win over Montenegro: “You have to say that Raheem Sterling is now world class. “If you were Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane, surely you would want to buy him over Eden Hazard? “Is there anything Sterling cannot do? His weight of pass is superb, his movement off the ball is lethal and he has become deadly in front of goal.  “What defender in the world would want to face Sterling in this form? It doesn’t matter if you take him on or back off — either way he will destroy you. “He is still just 24 and improving year on year. His wonderful performances for England in the last two games have confirmed that he can thrive on the international stage. “Sterling is one of the hottest properties in world football. If I was Real Madrid, I’d be making him my No. 1 target.” City tied Sterling to fresh terms back in November, with a new contract set to keep him at the Etihad Stadium until 2023. There is little chance of Pep Guardiola agreeing to part with a player that he has helped to thrive, with the 24-year-old proving to be a key figure in an ongoing quadruple bid by the Blues.

  • Liverpool will drop points but prevail i...

    Liverpool will drop points between now and the end of the season, says John Aldridge, but they are still being backed to emerge victorious in a final day Premier League title battle with Manchester City. It has been suggested that the Reds will need to be faultless from this poi...

    Liverpool will drop points but prevail in final day title battle with Man City - Aldridge

    Liverpool will drop points between now and the end of the season, says John Aldridge, but they are still being backed to emerge victorious in a final day Premier League title battle with Manchester City. It has been suggested that the Reds will need to be faultless from this point in order to land a first top-flight crown in 29 years. With reigning champions City still chasing down a possible quadruple, there are considered to be few chinks in their armour. Aldridge, though, believes that Pep Guardiola’s side will stumble at some point during a hectic run-in, allowing Jurgen Klopp’s troops to do likewise. The former Reds striker told the Irish Independent: “Using recent form as a gauge, Pep Guardiola’s reigning champions appear to be firm favourites to win the title, but Liverpool’s return to the top of the table after their tense win at Fulham last Sunday was a timely reminder that Klopp’s men are not going to give up on this title race easily. “However, an unconvincing Liverpool do not look like a team ready to win every game between now and the end of a season that will be decided over a frantic 44-day period that starts next Saturday. “But on the plus side, City’s uncertain performance at Swansea in the FA Cup last weekend highlighted vulnerabilities in their line-up and if they do go 2-0 down against Premier League opposition away from home, they probably won’t come back in the manner they did against the Championship outfit. “The big question hovering over all of this is: Are Liverpool good enough to take advantage if City stumble? “I believe we can do that, however, I suspect we are in for a few more twists and turns before the Premier League trophy is handed over on May 12.” Aldridge added on a race that he expects to go down to the wire before delivering an emotional success for those on Merseyside: “I believe the Premier League title race will be decided on the final day of the season – with Liverpool one or two points clear of City before kick-off. “City will travel to Brighton on the last Sunday of the campaign and you would certainly expect them to win, while Liverpool have a home game against a Wolves side that may well have their minds on the club’s first appearance in an FA Cup final since 1960. “If this scenario becomes a reality, Liverpool fans can expect to be celebrating wildly at 5pm on Sunday May 12. “Yes, I’m predicting Liverpool will be crowned champions for the first time since 1990.” That is a bold call, but the Reds top the table at present with only seven games remaining. City are only two points off the pace with a game in hand, and both title challengers have Champions League quarter-finals to come – with the Blues also through to the last four of the FA Cup.

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