We have Sky Sports’ verdict on Sergio Aguero’s chance of winning the PFA Player pf the Year this season, plus Spurs’ ‘secret weapon’ for the Champions League quarter-final first leg and why several clubs are willing the Blues to win the FA Cup.
Plenty to go at.
Let’s start with Sky Sports who are using the break to look at possible PFA Player of the Year candidates.
City fans have become used to seeing our players overlooked for this award and despite three titles in seven years, no Blue has ever won the prize.
We’ve seen Kun ignored continually, David Silva bypassed and last season, Kevin De Bruyne missed out.
So, the question is: why will this campaign be any different?
Sky believe Sergio is in the running – as he should be – as they argue: “Aguero is one of the leading contenders for the PFA Player of the Year award. Would the Manchester City striker be a deserving winner?
“Aguero‘s brilliance is somewhat taken for granted in the Premier League. Despite reaching the 30-goal mark in four separate seasons with Manchester City, and despite being among the top 10 scorers in Premier League history, he has only been named in the PFA Team of the Year once and has never won a Player of the Year award.
“Could this be the year that changes? Aguero seemed to be facing an uncertain future at City last season, but he has transformed his game to suit Pep Guardiola‘s style and remains as clinical as ever in front of goal, too.
“The Argentine has led their title charge from the front. His contentious winner in City’s FA Cup quarter-final win over Swansea was his 28th goal of the campaign in all competitions.”
Moving on and Tottenham are hoping that the first leg of the Champions League last eight tie will be played at their new stadium to give them an edge over City.
The North London side need to have a number of successful events before the game is confirmed and will host Crystal Palace in early April – if all goes well as expected, the Blues will be the first Champions League opposition a few days later.
Football London quote the Spurs boss as saying that could be a massive fillip for his side.
They write: “Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino has sent a strong warning to Manchester City ahead of next month’s Champions League quarter-final.
“The Lilywhites’ reward for a 4-0 aggregate win over Bundesliga outfit Borussia Dortmund at the round of 16 stage is a two-legged tie against their Premier League rivals with a place in the semi-final up for grabs.
“The Argentine has also allowed himself to dream of a Champions League final appearance, where he’d love to face a Barcelona side who he expects to have too much for Manchester United in the quarter-final.
‘Any of the four English teams would have preferred not to face another of the Premier, but the draw is what it is, he said, (via Mundo Deportivo).
‘The City is a team that has the obligation to win, but not only since the arrival of Pep with [Roberto] Mancini and with [Manuel] Pellegrini also.
‘And we are going to compete with the incentive of launching our new stadium against them and playing against 62,000 people who are going to transmit a special energy.
‘Playing the final against Barça? Where do I have to sign?’ he added.
‘He has players of the highest level, Leo Messi, who is a genius, the best in the world, and Valverde is doing a great job, although there are teams like City or Juventus that are also going to have options, because they are also built to win these types of competitions.
‘It is a team that, in recent years, is built to win big things, of course, they have quality, although it seems to me that Barcelona is a step or a step above.’
Now, onto why the Blues have some unlikely fans in regards to winning the FA Cup.
The Evening Standard take up the slack…
“Premier League giants are facing summer fixture chaos if Manchester City don’t win the FA Cup.
“City are already destined for the Premier League top four to secure their place in the Champions League next season, and their win in the EFL Cup means sixth place is also guaranteed a Europa League spot.
“If City don’t win the FA Cup, the winners will come from outside the top six with Wolves, Watford and Brighton also remaining in the draw.
“That would mean whoever loses out in the race for the top six and finishes sixth would enter the Europa League at the second qualifying round, rather than at the group stage.
“As a result, either Arsenal, Manchester United, Chelsea or Tottenham would have to start their season as early as July 25, when the qualifying fixtures take place.
“The only way this could be avoided is if the sixth place team win either the Europa League or Champions League to therefore secure a spot in the Champions League group stage.
“Four major clubs have already been booked in for summer pre-season tours, which could be severely disrupted if they have to play a Europa League qualifier.
“It would be a major blow for whichever club is affected, given overseas tours have become lucrative business for the Premier League big boys in recent years.”
Told you there was plenty to go at!
More of the same tomorrow…
