Guardiola loses his cool after another Manchester City red card

Pep Guardiola believes Manchester City are being harshly treated by officials and admits he has taken time to adapt to the style of football in the Premier League.

Guardiola was in a tetchy mood despite City’s 2-1 victory over Burnley on Monday as he vented his frustrations over the first half dismissal of Brazilian midfielder Fernandinho.

It was Fernandinho’s third red card in six weeks and City’s seventh in 30 games this season, but Guardiola reacted sarcastically to being questioned over whether his side had a disciplinary problem.

“Yes, from the team with the most ball possession. Yeah, yeah, yeah,” said Guardiola.

“We had a lot of disciplinary problems. Now we expect what the FA decide.

“We try to play football, don’t forget it. My teams always in my career try to play football. I cannot control the other circumstances.”

To compound Guardiola’s bad mood, he felt that Burnley’s goal from Ben Mee should have been disallowed for a foul on City goalkeeper Claudio Bravo as he issued another sarcastic reply to a question about Fernandinho’s red card.

“It is always our fault, it’s always City’s fault,” he snapped. “Yeah, yeah. I saw other games. All around the world, the Burnley goal on Claudio Bravo is a foul.

“Here, and all around the world, the rules say the goalkeeper in the six yard box cannot be touched. He goes here and the striker does this (slaps his arm).

“But I saw (Marteen) Stekelenburg Everton v Middlesbrough at the beginning of the season and it was the same, it was a goal.

“Okay, so I have to adapt and I have to understand there are special rules here in England. Now I learn, so now we’re going to play.

“I saw the foul for Claudio Bravo, that was definite.”

– Sarcastic –
Burnley manager Sean Dyche, whose side was undone by goals from Gael Clichy and substitute Sergio Aguero, believed that City should have finished the game with nine men after Bacary Sagna was booked for kicking out at George Boyd as the winger tried to retrieve the ball to speed up kick-off following the visitors’ goal.

“It’s a tough one but it’s a sending off because he swipes out at Boydie,” said Dyche.

“He was trying to get the ball back and go to the centre circle.

“The linesman was a long way from it and the referee was running back towards the centre so maybe the linesman saw enough to give a yellow but not enough to understand it’s a kick out.”

Fernandinho now faces a four-game suspension, starting with Friday’s FA Cup visit to West Ham, and with German international Ilkay Gundogan ruled out by long-term injury, City are short on numbers in midfield.

The City manager also seemed dissatisfied with his own supporters at the start of the second half, gesturing for them to give his team increased support as they sought a badly-needed victory.

“We need their support. These players deserve their support,” said Guardiola.

“We are going to try and play as best as possible but we need their support.”

Earlier, however, the City manager had been even more sarcastic and confrontational in an interview with a BBC reporter when asked whether he thought Fernandinho had deserved his red card.

“You’re the journalist not me. Ask the referee not me,” he said.

“We’ll accept. The team with more ball possession, we have always sendings-off.

“I have to understand the rules here in England. I know you are specialist and I have to understand that.”

Carlos Tevez leaves Boca for Shanghai Shenhua in Chinese Super League

Shanghai Shenhua have completed a deal to bring former Manchester United striker Carlos Tevez to the Chinese Super League (CSL), reportedly making him the highest-paid player in world football.

Shenhua, who are coached by former Chelsea and Tottenham midfielder Gus Poyet, made the announcement on Thursday, after the Argentina star arrived in Shanghai for a medical ahead of his unveiling.

Shanghai Shenhua paid an $11 million (£9m) transfer fee to get the striker, while The Associated Press reported that he will earn $40m (£32.5m) over two years -- equivalent to $385,000 (£315,000) per week.

The CSL side have always brought in big-name players from Europe, with ex-Chelsea forward Demba Ba, Obafemi Martins and former Inter Milan midfielder Fredy Guarin among the long list of recruits.

Having finished fourth in the CSL this year, Poyet made Tevez his priority signing, and is keen to add Paris Saint-Germain winger Angel Di Maria to his squad.

Tevez's old club Boca Juniors all but confirmed the big-money move when they issued a statement that read: "Good luck Carlitos, you will always be in our hearts."

This deal has further strengthened the CSL as a major powerhouse in world football, with Chelsea's Brazilian midfielder Oscar also taking his skills to China last week for a fee of £60 million.

Jurgen Klopp jokes that Pep Guardiola was at Anfield to 'watch good football'

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola, center, and Sunderland Moyes in attendance at Liverpool's Tuesday match against Stoke City.

Jurgen Klopp jokingly suggested that Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola attended his Liverpool team's 4-1 win against Stoke City to "watch good football."

Asked in his post-match news conference about the Spaniard's attendance, Klopp said: "I respect them a lot, but I have not been to City's stadium this season or last to watch games. Maybe they want to watch good football."

Stoke  were the better side early on and went ahead through Jon Walters, but Adam Lallana and Roberto Firmino scored before half-time before Giannelli Imbula's own goal and Daniel Sturridge's first in the Premier League this season 56 seconds after coming off the bench wrapped things up.

The win puts Liverpool in second place in the Premier League -- one point ahead of their Saturday rivals Man City -- while both teams try to make up ground on table-toppers Chelsea during the busy festive season.

Klopp added: "We are already looking forward [to Man City]. It's a difficult game for both teams, but an exciting one. The best news for us is that it's at Anfield.

"They're an outstanding side, we are not too bad. It'll be a nice game.

"Whatever I say tonight, we cannot win it tonight. But maybe I could say a few things that make it more difficult for us. It's probably best I shut my mouth.''

Earlier in December, Klopp took his Liverpool side to watch Barcelona in action against Borussia Monchengladbach in Champions League group play.

Leicester to unveil Ndidi next week

Super Eagles’ defender, Wilfred Ndidi, will travel to England on January 1 ahead of his unveiling by English Premier League champs, Leicester City.

The former Nath Boys of Lagos star has already passed a medical examination held in Leicester on December 12, paving the way for him to join the Foxes.

“Ndidi will travel to Leicester on January 1, he will play his last game for Racing Genk today,” a top source close to Ndidi said yesterday.

“He will not have to do another medical, everything is completed,” the source added.

Leicester City pulled off a transfer coup when they lured Wilfred Ndidi to the King Power Stadium, with the likes of Manchester United, Hamburg and Wolfsburg also interested in his signature.

Jose Mourinho: Manchester United will see the best of Paul Pogba next season

Jose Mourinho has assured Manchester United fans that the best of Paul Pogba will be next season.

Pogba, 23, provided an assist in United's 3-1 Boxing Day defeat of Sunderland, his third of the Premier League campaign, a tally he has matched in top-flight goals this season. His improved statistics suggest the world's most expensive footballer seems to finally be settling into life at Old Trafford after the upheaval of last summer's switch from Juventus.

Mourinho, however, feels 2017-18 will be the season in which Pogba's talent truly flourishes. 

"The Premier League is very difficult. You play three, four years in Italy and you come to the Premier League and the world is completely different," Mourinho said. "He's doing well, he's doing more than well. His evolution is clear. So I can imagine that next season for Paul will be top."

Pogba came 14th in the Ballon d'Or vote for 2016, some way behind his France teammate Antoine Griezmann, who finished third, and winner Cristiano Ronaldo.

Very few of the players who finished ahead of him are not strikers, and Mourinho believes Pogba will only fulfil the ambition of winning the Ballon d'Or if footballers' contributions to their team are judged differently. 

"At the moment, if you're not a goal scorer, you cannot win the Ballon d'Or. But if the perception changes, then Paul can win it, because Paul is not a goal scorer. "

"Paul is a midfielder who will score more and more goals, because I think he has good conditions to score goals. Paul is a midfielder, in my opinion, the best, the best in the world. Obviously, he's young, he can still improve, he wants to improve, which is even better.

"He has an agent who, in my opinion, is great for the player, because he's not the typical agent who puts the player on the moon. He demands a lot from the player. He wants the player to be better and better all the time. So I think he has everything around him to be a great player."

Liverpool to allow Lucas Leiva to join Inter Milan in January - sources

Liverpool will not stand in the way of Inter Milan's interest in Lucas Leiva due to the Brazilian's loyal service to the club and the fact Joe Gomez is considered to be ready for the second half of the season, a source has told ESPN FC.

Lucas, 29, is being eyed up by the Serie A side, whose interest "could take a couple of forms" in regards to a loan move or a permanent deal, according to a source.

Liverpool's position on letting Lucas leave will be influenced by manager Jurgen Klopp seeing young defender Gomez as the "real deal" and fully fit after recently recovering from a 13-month layoff.

The 19-year-old has been building up his match fitness with Liverpool's under-23s side of late, and Klopp believes he will be ready for first-team action in the second half of the campaign.

A source said that Liverpool will look kindly on Inter's approach for Lucas due to the service he has given the Merseyside outfit since his arrival from Gremio in July 2007 and the opportunity presented to the player, given his age and the Italian side's standing in European football.

Lucas -- a defensive midfielder by trade -- turned down a big-money move to Turkey this summer as the Reds needed him to cover in the heart of the defence, while Gomez was still on the road to recovery.

Gomez, who joined Liverpool summer in the 2015 from Charlton Athletic, began his career at Anfield as a left-back, but is now considered to be a centre-half by Klopp and the rest of Liverpool's coaching staff.

Having already made one sacrifice for Liverpool this term, Liverpool will not stand in Lucas' way and all the indications point towards a deal being struck to benefit all parties.

Lucas is currently Liverpool's longest-serving player but has been limited to just six starts in all competitions this season.

Leicester make masked protest over Vardy ban

Jamie Vardy masks are left on the seats ahead of the English Premier League football match between Leicester City and Everton at King Power Stadium in Leicester, central England on December 26, 2016. Vardy will miss this afternoon's game after being sent off against Stoke.AFP/Paul Ellis

Leicester City’s owners distributed around 30,000 Jamie Vardy masks ahead of their game against Everton on Monday in protest at the England striker’s three-game suspension.
Vardy was banned by the Football Association after being sent off for a two-footed challenge on Mame Biram Diouf during champions Leicester’s recent 2-2 draw at Stoke City.
Leicester had an appeal against the punishment rejected, which Thai chairman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha described as “unfair”.
Pictures circulating on social media showed rows of Vardy masks placed on the blue seats at Leicester’s King Power Stadium ahead of their home game with Everton.
FA chairman Greg Clarke was due to attend the match.
Leicester go into the game 15th in the Premier League table, three points above the relegation zone.

Moyes: I’d have been Man Utd success if I’d signed these stars

David Moyes feels his Manchester United reign could have gone differently had the club landed some of the top targets they had been close to signing.

Moyes, who barely lasted 10 months at Old Trafford after replacing Sir Alex Ferguson in 2014,  has spoken about how the club have abandoned many of their great traditions.

“When I first went in my real target was Gareth Bale,” said Moyes, who takes his Sunderland side to Old Trafford on Boxing Day. “I felt all along that Gareth Bale was a Manchester United player.

“I fought right until the last minute. We actually offered a bigger deal than Real Madrid. But Gareth had his mind made up on going to Real Madrid. That was, in my mind, the player I really wanted to bring to Manchester United.

“The other one was Cesc Fabregas, who we thought we would get right up until the last minute.

“I remember when I first met Sir Alex and he always said there was a chance Ronaldo might come back.

“So that was the level we were targeting. I was not going out to bring in seven, eight players, because we had a squad which had just won the league.

“Toni Kroos was agreed to come in the summer. I had agreed it with Toni himself and his agent. Sometimes you don’t get deals done. Gareth Bale, we were probably behind all along, Real Madrid were well in for it.

“The Cesc one was disappointing. It was very close. And Toni Kroos came up in January – it was done.

“A lot of players come into Manchester United and have not necessarily made the difference. But I think that, given time and having got to this period, I would have hoped I would be working with a successful team now.”

Premier League harder than Spain's La Liga - Pedro

Chelsea forward Pedro believes the Blues' winning run is more impressive than any he managed while at Barcelona.

A club-record 11 straight victories has seen Chelsea surge six points clear at the top of the Premier League. Three more victories, starting with Bournemouth on Boxing Day, would see Antonio Conte's side match Arsenal's Premier League record of 14 successive wins.

And Pedro, who won five La Liga titles during his spell at the Nou Camp, believes it is harder to win games in England than in Spain.

"It's not new for me, but it's difficult in this league. It's different here," he told the Daily Telegraph. "At Barcelona, it's normal to win most of the games and sometimes it's too easy.

"But the Premier League is very competitive and strong, and for this reason, 11 wins is a significant achievement.

"The record is 14, no? Only three wins more, but that will be difficult. Bournemouth are a good team. It's a very good objective to get this record.

"It's very different in Spain. Barca have many opportunities all the time to win matches, which in England is very difficult because the challenges are greater.''

Pedro struggled during his first campaign at Stamford Bridge, as the Blues could only manage a 10th-placed finish, but the Spain international is much more settled this season under Conte.

"Second is a disaster at Barcelona, so last season was a new situation for me," he added. "It was a difficult situation for everyone, for the club, the team and the coach. There were a lot of problems, but this season is different.

"I would love to win the Premier League because it's the strongest league in the world and I think that would be something really good for my career.''

Chinese transfer record broken five times in 2016 as Oscar arrives

Arsene Wenger had a front row seat the last time a major Asian nation sought to supercharge its football development with financial investment, when working with Nagoya Grampus Eight in the Japanese league in 1995, but recent events in China have left even Arsenal's veteran manager flummoxed.

"It's a surprise, it's a distortion," he said this week of Oscar's record-breaking £60 million move to Shanghai SIPG from Chelsea. "I think basically when you're a football player you want to combine the quality of the competition with the quality of your wages. But it is a surprise to me."

Big-name signings on inflated salaries were the hallmark of the J.League when Wenger worked there for a year before his move to Highbury. Backed by Toyota, the world's largest car manufacturer, Grampus Eight were among the clubs who benefitted, while Dunga, captain of Brazil's 1994 World Cup-winning squad, and midfielder Zinho were enticed to give up football in Europe and South America respectively to join the Japanese revolution.

Others were to follow as the influx of high quality foreign players and coaches prompted a raising of standards that now sees the nation at the pinnacle of the Asian game.

It is that model -- at least in part -- that the Chinese are seeking to replicate and it started when Guangzhou Evergrande paid €10m in 2011 to sign Dario Conca from Fluminense in Brazil and made him reportedly the third-highest paid player in world football.

The diminutive Argentinian, then the reigning Player of the Year in Brazil, helped drag the club out of the second division in 2011 and into the Chinese Super League, kick starting a run that has established Evergrande as China's dominant force.

Conca's success has been proof of concept, while club owners -- principally the country's enormously wealthy property developers -- are now seeking to play their role in delivering President Xi Jinpeng's desire for China to become a power within the world game. It seems money is no object and the likelihood is that Oscar's mega-move won't be the last transfer to make international news. Here are the biggest so far as the record has been broken five times in the space of a year.

Oscar: £60m

Signed for a new Asian record transfer fee, Oscar becomes the latest South American to trade Europe for China and in the process earns himself a reported £400,000-a-week. He will be expected to lead Shanghai SIPG to a first-ever Chinese Super League title.

Hulk: £46.1m

Signed from Zenit St Petersburg, Hulk joined Shanghai SIPG in the previous record-breaking transfer in June as the club sought to end Guangzhou Evergrande's dominance both in the domestic and continental game. Injured just 15 minutes into his first game, the Brazilian played a minor role for the club towards the end of last season.

Alex Teixeira: £38.4m

Alex Teixeira joined Jiangsu Suning in February ahead of last year's Chinese Super League in another then-record deal, choosing to move to China from Shakhtar Donetsk rather than join Liverpool. He helped Jiangsu to runners-up spots in the Chinese Super League and the Chinese FA Cup last year.

Jackson Martinez: £31m

Jackson Martinez traded Atletico Madrid for Guangzhou Evergrande last year in a headline-grabbing move just seven months after moving to Spain from FC Porto. But he has had a year to forget with injuries and poor form costing him his place in the Guangzhou line-up.

Ramires: £25m

Ramires' move to Jiangsu Suning was the precursor to Oscar's transfer to Shanghai SIPG as his transfer from Chelsea to the Chinese Super League set a new Asian record transfer fee at the time. That title would shift to Martinez and then on to Teixeira over the space of a remarkable 10 days.

Morgan Schneiderlin asks to leave Manchester United - Jose Mourinho

Jose Mourinho has confirmed that Morgan Schneiderlin has asked to leave Manchester United, with West Bromwich Albion leading the race to sign the midfielder after lodging a £13 million bid.

Schneiderlin, a £24m signing from Southampton in July 2015, has failed to start a Premier League game for United this season and has not appeared at all since making a substitute appearance against Arsenal at Old Trafford on Nov. 19.

Everton manager Ronald Koeman is also keen to sign Schneiderlin, having worked with the Frenchman at Southampton.

But with the transfer window due to open on Jan. 1, United manager Mourinho has said that he is willing to sell the player following talks between the pair.

"He is a great professional, a fantastic boy, very honest and open," Mourinho said. "He opened his heart to me a couple of times and my answer is simple.

"If he was playing regularly with me, I have the right to say no way. But if he is not playing, I have no right to say you are going nowhere.

"My answer was that, if the offer is right and the board thinks it's a good offer in relation to quality of a very good player like Morgan, I wouldn't stop him going."

Schneiderlin is not expected to figure in the matchday squad for Monday's home game against Southampton, with Memphis Depay, another Everton target, also likely to miss out.

Meanwhile, West Brom manager Tony Pulis confirmed the club had made bids for several players but declined to discuss names.

"We have made bids for four or five players, we won't talk about them today. We will talk about them if we get them." he said.

"I don't want to go into it specifically, doing deals and business with people you should deal directly with them. Once they are done you can talk about them more openly. That's the way I prefer to conduct my business.

"We'll be spending a bit of money left over from the previous window, then moving on from there. They are very keen to keep the club running financially positively. They feel they can if they manage it properly."

Chelsea announce £60 million Oscar transfer to Shanghai SIPG

Oscar will complete his move from Chelsea to Shanghai SIPG in January, the Premier League leaders have announced.

The deal will see Oscar, 25, massively increase his £90,000-a-week wages at Stamford Bridge and become the Blues' record sale at £60 million, according to ESPN FC sources, eclipsing the £50m fee received from Paris Saint-Germain for David Luiz in the summer of 2014.

The fee will be the fourth-largest ever paid to a Premier League club. The current world record is the £85m Real Madrid paid to Tottenham Hotspur for Gareth Bale in 2013, exceeding the £80m Manchester United charged the Spanish giants for Cristiano Ronaldo four years earlier. Liverpool sold Luis Suarez to Barcelona in 2014 for £65m.

Chelsea said in a statement on their official website: "We thank Oscar for his wonderful service and wish him the very best of luck for the future."

Oscar joined Chelsea from Brazilian club Internacional for £25m in the summer of 2012 and made 203 appearances in all competitions for the Blues, scoring 38 goals and winning the Premier League, Europa League and League Cup during four-and-a-half seasons at Stamford Bridge.

But the Brazil international had not started a Premier League match since September and increasingly became viewed as surplus to requirements following head coach Antonio Conte's successful switch to a 3-4-3 formation.

He told the Chinese club's official website: "I'm very happy to sign for SIPG. This is an important day for me to join my new family in China. Thanks to everybody as SIPG and I cannot wait to meet you at the club and to win new titles."

Last week a source close to Oscar told ESPN FC that the player was weighing up a lucrative offer from Shanghai SIPG, who are coached by former Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas and also boast fellow Brazilians Hulk and Elkeson. 

And speaking after Chelsea's 1-0 win over Crystal Palace on Saturday, teammate Willian confirmed to ESPN Brasil that Oscar had said goodbye to the rest of the Blues squad as he prepared to complete the move.

"He's a good friend and a great player," Willian said of Oscar. "I wish him and his family all the best. A footballer's career can be quick, and when an offer like this comes in you have to think of your family. You want to be prepared for when you have to stop playing."

Pulis confirms Baggies bid for Man United outcast

West Brom’s head coach Tony Pulis has confirmed the club have made an offer for out-of-favour Man United midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin.

The French international has not featured at all for the Red Devils since mid-November and it is believed that the Baggies have placed a bid in the region of £18million for the ex-Saints midfielder.

“I don’t want to say anymore other than confirm our bid. We have to be fair to Manchester United and the player,” said a cautious Pulis in his press conference ahead of the trip to Arsenal on Boxing Day.

West Brom are facing strong competition from Everton to land the 27-year-old, with former Southampton boss reportedly keen to link up with the midfielder once again.

Goodbye Mikel! Coach confirms midfielder's Chelsea exit

John Obi Mikel is almost certain to leave Chelsea after falling down the pecking order.

Former Nigeria coach Samson Siasia has confirmed John Obi Mikel will soon quit Chelsea because he is not part of the plans of manager Antonio Conte.
Siasia was Nigeria coach at the last Olympic Games in Brazil and worked closely with Mikel, who was the captain of the side and both men have had a working relationship of over 10 years, dating back to the U20s in 2005.
Speaking on Mikel’s current at Stamford Bridge, Siasia revealed that the midfielder already told him he has no future at the club under Conte.
“He is ready to quit Chelsea because he said this man (Antonio Conte) does not have anything for him and that was what he told me before he came down to the Olympics,” Siasia revealed.
“That was why they bought (N’Gola) Kante.
“It will be better for him to leave now because he has done very well after 11 years at Chelsea, not even Didier Drogba did not last that long there.
“He already has a British passport and two girls, he has done very well and will now leave.”
Mikel is yet to feature in a competitive game for Chelsea this season, and with his contract up next summer, there have been reports he will leave the club after 11 years, with other reports claiming he could leave as early as next month.
He has already been linked with several top clubs across Europe and beyond.

City, Chelsea fined over Etihad Fracas - the blues punished more

Chelsea and Manchester City have been slammed with heavy fines by the Football Association in England after their players clashed on the field during their Premier League meeting earlier this month.

The Citizens have been directed to cough out £35,000 while Chelsea  on their part have been fined a whooping £100,000, following an incident that was sparked by Sergio Aguero's knee-high challenge on David Luiz in the closing stages of the Blues' 3-1 victory on December 3.

Nigerian youngster, Kelechi Iheanacho was also involved as tensions flared after the horror foul and Fernandinho joined Aguero in being shown a straight-red card for grabbing Cesc Fabregas by the throat and pushing him over the advertising hoardings.

Chelsea feared that they would potentially by hit by a points deduction, with this their fifth charge in the space of 19 months, but that does not appear to be the case with a hefty fine - more than double that of City's -  being the only punishment they have been given.

Kane is destined to wear Man Utd's no.9 jersey

Liverpool legend Jamie Redknapp believes that Tottenham forward Harry Kane is destined to wear the number nine jersey at Manchester United in the nearest feature.

The 23-year-old finished as topscorer in the premier league last season with 25 goals and after a spell on the sidelines due to injury at the start of the current campaign, he has resumed what he knows best with seven goals from 10 matches.

However, the England forward has failed to register a goal against Manchester United in six matches including last Sunday where Spurs lost 1-0 away at Old Trafford but Redknaap is convinced that Kane will in the nearest future play for the Red Devils.

“He is a player in a few years you could see wearing a number nine shirt for United, or any other top team.”

Tottenham have lost just twice in 15 matches this season and are currently placed fifth with 27 points, three above Manchester United in sixth position.

The statistics suggest that Pep Guardiola has never faced a greater challenge than with Manchester City in the Premier League

The statistics suggest that Pep Guardiola has never faced a greater challenge than with Manchester City in the Premier League

"I hear a lot of times about the intensity of the Premier League, when none of you have been in La Liga or the Bundesliga to know how it is," Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola said after the 1-1 draw with Everton in October.

The former Barcelona and Bayern Munich manager continually insists that City is not the hardest job he has ever had in football. But that draw with Everton was near the start of a run that has seen his side pick up just 12 points from their past nine games to leave them trailing leaders Chelsea by seven points.

Since Champions League progression was secured with a 1-1 draw at Borussia Monchengladbach last month, City have pieced together a scrappy 2-1 win at newly promoted Burnley, been beaten 3-1 at home by Chelsea and been embarrassed 4-2 at Leicester City, who had won just one of their nine previous matches.

Here are some statistics to suggest that Guardiola never had it as tough in his previous jobs, despite his insistence that his time in Spain and Germany was just as hard.

Worse start to a season

Guardiola has never had a worse start to a league campaign. City have taken 30 points from their first 15 games. His previous worst tally at this stage was in his final season at Barcelona, when he had 34 points. Never in his previous seven seasons of management had his side lost three games after just 15 games. On four occasions his team had lost once; three times they were still unbeaten.

Coming from behind

In five of his previous seven seasons of management, Guardiola's side were top of the table at this stage and were destined to remain there for the rest of the season. In 2009-10, Barcelona led after 15 matches but were briefly knocked off the top by Manuel Pellegrini's Real Madrid before going on to win the title. Two seasons later, Jose Mourinho's Madrid won La Liga -- the only time Guardiola has not finished top. He has never been lower than second at this stage.

Clean sheets

"After four minutes 2-0 against a team, it was complicated," Guardiola said after the humbling 4-2 defeat to Leicester on Saturday. His side have kept just two clean sheets this season, which is in stark contrast to his times at Barca and Bayern. His previous worst record for clean sheets from the first 15 games was in his first season at the Nou Camp, when Barca didn't concede in seven of their opening matches. In his second season at Bayern, they managed 12 clean sheets from their first 15 games; indeed they only conceded 18 goals that entire season -- one fewer than City have let in already this campaign.

Winning record

Guardiola's winning record in the Premier League stands at 53.33 percent, which is way down on his 76.32 percent average with Barcelona and 80.39 percent with Bayern. But it's not just in the Premier League where he is having problems. City's fourth-round exit from the EFL Cup was only the second time he had exited a cup competition before the semifinals as a manager -- the previous time was the defeat to Sevilla in the Copa del Rey round of 16 in 2010. In the Champions League, it was the first time a Guardiola side had not finished top of their group and just the second time they won only three of their six group games.

Discipline problems

Players being sent off and suspended has been a bigger problem at the Etihad than at any other time in Guardiola's managerial career. City have had five players sent off this season in all competitions, while Sergio Aguero was also given a retrospective red card for an elbow on West Ham defender Winston Reid. In his entire three years at Bayern, they only picked up seven red cards; while his worst season for discipline at Barcelona, in 2008-09, they had seven players sent off from 62 games. Guardiola can also ill afford to have Aguero banned for seven games. Before he began his latest suspension against Leicester, he had scored exactly a third of City's Premier League goals: 10 of 30.

Goalkeeping concerns

Much has been made of the decision to sign Claudio Bravo for his footballing skills, but his goalkeeping is not what Guardiola is used to. The Chile international has conceded 21 goals this season and made just 35 saves, giving him a save percentage of 62.5 percent. At Bayern, Germany keeper Manuel Neuer averaged a save percentage of 79.6 in his final season; his worst season, in 2014-15, included an average of 74.4 percent. Even in Guardiola's final season at the Camp Nou, when Victor Valdes conceded 39 goals, his save percentage was 67.8.

Goal ratio

"In all those three games, we were much, much better than our opponents. Now we have to talk and analyse, and it is a problem in the box, but we will improve," Guardiola said after the 1-1 draw with Middlesbrough on Nov. 5 -- a third successive home draw at the Etihad. The statistics concur they have a problem, with City creating 296 chances this season for their 52 goals, at an average of a goal every 5.7 chances. That's worse than any season, apart from his last with Bayern -- 6.3 chances per goal -- but he at least had the consolation of seeing his side creating more chances than any other campaign and scoring 122 goals

Toure insists he doesn't drink after £54k fine

Manchester City midifelder Yaya Toure insists he has ‘always refused alcohol’ after being fined £54,000 and banned from driving for 18 months.
The Ivorian was pulled over in East London last month after playing in his side's 2-1 win over Burnley and was charged by police with driving under the influence.
The 33-year-old who pleaded guilty to drink driving at Barkingside magistrates court today said on his Facebook page: "Over the last two weeks there has been some confusion as to why I was charged with drink driving, as it is well known that I am a Muslim and do not drink.
"I have always refused alcohol. Anyone who knows me or follows football will have seen me refuse champagne for Man of the Match performances because of my commitment to my religion.
"The matter has now been resolved in court on Monday. As I was above the permitted limit when tested on the night, I decided not to challenge the charge.
"However, it was important to me that I told the court that I had not intentionally consumed alcohol. The judge in his sentencing remarks accepted that I had not been intentionally drinking.
"Drink driving is a serious crime and even though I was not intentionally consuming alcohol I accept the ban and fine and I would like to apologise for this situation.
"I would also like to thank my family, the management and staff at Manchester City, my legal team and the fans for the support they have given me during this difficult time."
Toure has been Manchester City’s star midfielder since he moved from Barcelona in 2010, winning the Premier League title with the club twice. But he fell out with City boss Pep Guardiola this seasonhis agent Dimitri Seluk's crimes, which has left Toure kicking his heels.

Gabi: Atletico Madrid suffering toughest spell under Diego Simeone

Atletico Madrid captain Gabi said the team were going through their worst spell under Diego Simeone after Monday's 3-0 defeat at Villarreal.

Atleti have now lost four of their last six La Liga games to fall 12 points behind leaders Real Madrid.

The defeat at El Madrigal equalled the team's worst result since Simeone took charge in December 2011, and they now have their lowest points total after 15 games under the Argentine -- 10 fewer than at this stage last season.

Speaking on Cadena Ser's El Larguero radio show after the game, Gabi said: "It is the most difficult [run], for sure.

"We have had five years of total success, but we need to show that we are a real team.

"Mentally we have to clear our heads, to return to be being this ambitious team which is motivated to win, as soon as possible.

"The only way out of difficult situations is to work hard and be together."

Atletico are now sixth in the table and Gabi said challenging for the title "is going to be very difficult now for sure."

He added: "We should not think about such long-term objectives now. Our objective is to win our next game, to beat Las Palmas [on Saturday].

"Keeping clean sheets used to be our strength. We have to work together more than ever to defend better and take our chances in attack."

Atletico missed chances against Villarreal, with Koke hitting a post at 0-0 and Antoine Griezmann failing with an opportunity at 1-0.

"We're annoyed after the result, which was not what we deserved, but it was a heavy defeat and we're leaving Villarreal hurting," Gabi added.

"We are not having luck in front of goal. We hope this changes as soon as possible.

"All we can do is keep working to turn this situation around. It's clear that criticism will come now, but we must all be together.

"Now we must be more united than ever, not worry about the criticism or look outside."

Cristiano Ronaldo: I'd win more awards if I were in the same team with Messi

Cristiano Ronaldo has told France Football he believes he might have won the Ballon d'Or more times than Lionel Messi if they had played in the same team but described his rival as "a great player."

Barcelona forward Messi, 29, came second to Ronaldo, 31, in the 2016 vote, but has five Ballons d'Or to the Real Madrid man's four.

Portugal captain Ronaldo polled a massive 745 points -- over 400 more than Messi -- in this year's poll, which canvassed a handpicked panel of journalists worldwide.

On whether he would have claimed the award more times had they played in the same side, Ronaldo said: "It's a difficult question. I don't know.

"It would be interesting to see both of us in the same team. I think great players should play together. So if we were in the same team, I think I would have more than him, but he wouldn't be far off.

"Everyone knows Messi is a great player. He's won five Ballons d'Or."

He said he was hopeful he would draw level with the Argentina star's tally in 2017, saying: "I'm going to try. I'll be in the fight, as always, but my objective now is to win the Club World Cup, an important trophy.

"After that, to win La Liga. It's a title that Real wants to win. And if possible, the Champions League again and the Copa del Rey. I always want to win everything."

Though Madrid missed out on the league title despite his 35 goals in 36 league games, Ronaldo won the Champions League as well as Euro 2016 with Portugal.

Ronaldo, 31, also said he is planning on reducing the demands on his body, having played at least 30 league games for Madrid in each of the last six seasons, even if his ambitions remain high.

"It's a totally normal thing. Not only for me," he said. "With age, every human loses something but gains something else.

"I always look at how to be at my best physically and in my game. I think of all that, not only for this season but for the next as well. For example, to manage the matches, in the sense of not playing everything.

"You have to be intelligent. To train as well as possible, to have a more personalised preseason. And to think a little more about the end of the sesaon, not only the start. It's not a sprint, but a marathon. You have to use your head. Not only me, but also those around me. There are a lot of people who advise me at Real among those who look after me directly. I'm going to learn.

"You have to do it, and accept reality, which is that I am 31. It's not easy, because I feel really good, but I see that the recovery after games is not exactly the same. It's a little slower, particularly when I have put in very intense effort every three days.

"It's impossible to always be at your best, even for a youngster. If I look after myself, I think I can have a very long career."

The former Manchester United man, who scored 12 goals in 17 competitive appearances for Madrid this season, did acknowledge he would also be happy to change position if he were no longer able to be as effective on the pitch as he is in his current role.

"Why not? It's an idea to think about," he said. "I'm ready and I accept things change. It's not a problem.

"I don't just have the ambition of winning the Ballon d'Or. The main thing is to play football, to train in the rain, the cold. When I no longer feel that desire to play and to train, I'll stop. In life, everything has a beginning and an end. Even more so in football.

"I know that there will come a time when I can no longer score 50 goals a season, nor win the Ballon d'Or or even be nominated. It's a normal process. In two or three years, I don't know if I'll still be nominated. But I hope so."