City suffered an almighty scare at The Liberty Stadium, and we’ll begin with The Guardian’s summary of the match – plus Potter’s view.
They write: “As Guardiola hopped down the touchline, his players gradually upped the ante.
“The arrival of Sterling and Agüero heightened the anxiety rippling through the Swansea defence and when Roberts failed to clear Walker’s cross, Bernardo Silva found the top corner.
“Sterling should have levelled but spooned over before falling under pressure from Carter-Vickers, with the referee Andre Marriner pointing to the spot.
“Agüero’s penalty was hardly perfect but City had completed the comeback. And then came the winner.
“Moments after a sublime double save by Nordfeldt to deny Agüero, the Argentinian nodded in at the back post.
‘Manchester City almost play a different sport to what we play,’ Potter said. ‘They are relentless with their quality.’
The Sun, meanwhile, label the Blues ‘serial winners’ as they report: “Walking through a storm might be a problem for Jurgen Klopp, but Pep Guardiola is refusing to be blown off course in his pursuit of perfection.
“The Manchester City boss watched his serial winners survive a Swansea storm to keep their quadruple ambitions alive by the skin of their teeth.
“Bernardo Silva and Sergio Aguero helped Man City to a stunning comeback at Swansea
“Just hours after the Welsh Rugby team had completed the Grand Slam at the nearby Millennium Stadium, City remain firmly on course for a grand slam of their own.
“The Premier League leaders and Champions League favourites looked to be dead and buried when they trailed 2-0 at half-time.
“Yet there is no such a thing as a lost cause for a team of City’s extraordinary resources, particularly when you have the luxury of Sergio Aguero and Raheem Sterling on your bench.”
Moving on to European matters and BBC and BT pundit Chris Sutton claims City were the team nobody wanted in Friday’s Champions League draw.
HITC report: “There are still some major teams left in the final eight, and Sutton explained how disappointed Spurs will be having drawn the Premier League champions in the quarters, when speaking during an appearance on BT Sport this afternoon:
‘I think if you’re Spurs, you’re absolutely devastated.’
“He then responded when asked whether City was the worst possible draw for Tottenham:
‘Yes, absolutely. The one team you don’t want is Man City.’
“Tottenham have two weeks before they play again - a trip to Liverpool on March 31st, before they play host to Brighton and Hove Albion a week later, and then its the big one against City in the Champions League.
“Spurs play the first-leg at home, and if Mauricio Pochettino’s side are to have any chance of progressing though to the semi-finals of the competition, they will need to take a healthy lead to the Etihad eight days later.”
Finally, if the Champions League dream were to come true – and Spurs and either Ajax or Juventus represent sizeable hurdles for that to come true – not to mention whoever the finalists are from the other side of the draw – one City player is already planning ahead.
The Mirror take up the story…
“City have been installed as favourites after the quarter-final draw paired them with Premier League rivals Tottenham.
“Should they win that tie, they will face Juventus of Italy or Dutch side Ajax — who ended Real Madrid’s bid to win four Champions Leagues in a row — in the last four.
“Gabriel Jesus said: ‘If we win the Champions League, then I think I will have to get a new tattoo because it is such a big competition.
‘The tattoos I have now are about my life – and football is my life, so, of course, I would like something to remind me of the Champions League.
“I have won the Premier League in England and I won the Brazilian championship with Palmeiras.
‘I didn’t get tattoos for those – but I have a tattoo for winning the gold medal for Brazil at the Olympics in Rio and I think one for the Champions League would be good
‘I’d be happy to one day run out of skin because I want to win all the titles. That’s why I say football is my life.’
Tatts you lot for today! More of the same tomorrow morning…
