Pep pleased City are back in title chase

LONDON • Pep Guardiola is optimistic that Manchester City are on course to challenge Liverpool again for the Premier League title, after temporarily climbing to fifth and within five points of the leaders with a routine 2-0 win over Newcastle on Saturday.

At a rain and windswept Etihad as Storm Bella swept into Manchester, it was plain sailing for the hosts as goals either side of half-time from Ilkay Gundogan and Ferran Torres extended their unbeaten run in all competitions to 10 games.

City's lack of goals has unusually been their undoing so far this season but despite again not hitting the free-flowing heights of previous years under Guardiola, an impressive defensive record is moving them back into contention.

An eighth clean sheet in 10 games never looked threatened against a Newcastle side lacking in intent or threat, with top scorer Callum Wilson left on the bench.

"There are weird results for everyone. This season is about being calm in the good and bad moments," said Guardiola, whose side scored more than once for just the third time in 12 league games this term. "I have the feeling we are getting better."

His options had been limited before kick-off, with Kyle Walker and Gabriel Jesus testing positive for the coronavirus along with two members of the City staff.

While their absence was not telling against the Magpies, it could be more keenly felt this week, as they travel to second-placed Everton today and Chelsea on Sunday in tough tests of their ability to reel in leaders Liverpool.

"We played at the tempo we have to play. We are a team that needs to make a lot of passes, not run so much and attack in the right moments. Today, our positional game was perfect," added Guardiola. "Unfortunately, we could not score more goals but it is a good result and three more points."

City threw away two points in their last home game, a 1-1 draw with West Brom, and even Kevin de Bruyne, their player of the year last season, has suffered from a lack of confidence in front of goal.

The Belgium midfielder has yet to score from open play this season but Joao Cancelo was an unlikely source of inspiration from right-back.

Since joining City last season, the Portugal international has been a bit-part player. But he did no harm to his chances of staking a claim for a first-team spot in the absence of Walker, after being involved in the build-up to both their two goals.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE