Sam Lee

Our writers break down the action from Anfield as Salah again proves crucial for Liverpool and City's poor run continues.

City's dreadful recent run shows the extent of what this side have achieved - as Guardiola's gesture to the Anfield crowd reminded us

Pep Guardiola says that John Stones is “not close” to a Manchester City return due to a foot problem. Stones has started three Premier League matches this season having been eased back into the team after being a key player with England at the European Championship in the summer. The 30-year-old was withdrawn at half-time of City’s 4-0 defeat against Tottenham 10 days ago and Guardiola suggests he could be set for another extended spell out of the side. “He’s not close, no,” the manager said at a press conference. “Still, he is injured – he has an injury to his feet. I...

Pep Guardiola has dismissed the idea that he has fallen out with Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne. The Belgium international has not started a game since the middle of September as a result of a groin problem that, the 33-year-old says, meant that he could not kick a ball without experiencing pain until less than a fortnight ago. De Bruyne did not come on until the 79th minute against Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday as he continues his recovery, prompting Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher to suggest that “something isn’t right between” the midfielder and Guardiola. In...

Sam Lee breaks down City's defeat in Turin which leaves them facing a two-legged playoff in the new format.

Injuries have left the Premier League champions a shadow of their usual selves and things may not improve any time soon

Manchester City have announced club-record revenues of £715million in their latest annual accounts, alongside profits of £73.8m. City’s revenue has grown £2.3m since last year, while their profit is down slightly on the £80.4m they posted from the club’s treble-winning campaign, which was boosted significantly by prize money from winning the Champions League. The report also highlights that City have made £405m in player sales over the past five years. That includes £139m for the current period — up until June 30 2024 — an increase on the £121.7m from the previous year. This,...

Pep Guardiola says that Manchester City will have just three fit defenders for Sunday’s game against Manchester United, and admits he does not yet know who will make up his backline. City are missing Rico Lewis through suspension as well as John Stones, who suffered a foot injury during the defeat against Tottenham in November, and Nathan Ake and Manuel Akanji, who went off injured during the victory against Nottingham Forest last week. Guardiola says that Akanji and Ake picked up those injuries as a result of playing through pain earlier in City’s run of just one victory in 10 matches,...

Why the ferocity of a game against their rivals might be just the thing to jolt Guardiola's team out of its slump

The club's dire run of form has seen Guardiola question his own ability - but he has shown plenty of defiance too