man city japan tour

Manchester City 5-3 Yokohama F Marinos: Decoding five key performances

Manchester City secured an eventful 5-3 victory over Yokohama F Marinos in Japan on Sunday, with Erling Haaland on the scoresheet twice in sweltering Tokyo heat.

Pep Guardiola made 10 changes at half-time of City’s first pre-season match, providing 45-minute glimpses of basically all of his players on this tour, other than Ederson , who stayed on the bench, Kevin De Bruyne , who is out injured, and Bernardo Silva , who had 30 second-half minutes before being replaced by Argentinean youngster Maximo Perrone .

So with almost everybody on show, whose performances stood out as particularly noteworthy?

Mateo Kovacic

Just after Yokohama scored their first goal of the night, City’s analysts looked over the replays and highlighted a midfielder pushing up way too far in trying to win the ball back, getting bypassed and making the whole thing a lot more difficult for those behind him (not that the defending was particularly great it must be said).

Advertisement

That midfielder was Kovacic, and given he had lost possession in the first place with an ambitious through ball attempt from the halfway line, it was hardly a glittering start to his City career, following his £25million move from Chelsea last month.

Funnily enough, realising when to press and when to drop off was something Rodri had to learn in his 2019-20 debut season at City, and although the Croatian was playing a different role here (as a more attacking midfielder compared to Rodri’s holding task) it is a good reminder of the adaptation that a lot of new players have to go through at the club.

But there was something else of note among those ill-fated contributions to the hosts’ first goal: that was Kovacic’s second through ball of the night, the first one coming from around 35 yards and angled in behind Julian Alvarez . That failed to find its target, too, but the very intention to play a pass like it surely bodes well.

Guardiola highlighted at the end of last season that his team missed “10 to 25” passes to Haaland in the campaign’s early stages, and it is still an area he wants to improve despite them going on to win the treble. Even top City players such as Ilkay Gundogan and Bernardo overlooked clear opportunities to play in Haaland last season — as did Phil Foden in the second half here — so it is good that they have somebody willing to try those passes.

It is a safe bet that they will become more accurate the more Kovacic finds his feet, too.

Mateo Kovacic will occupy Ilkay Gundogan's spaces but they are different players

Kalvin Phillips

It was a first half of ups and downs for Phillips, too. The City analysts had their hands on their heads when he miscontrolled a pass from goalkeeper Stefan Ortega ; then Phillips was gifted the ball in midfield from the Yokohama ’keeper, only to miscontrol it again and gift possession straight back. With a quick ball in behind, the home side added their second goal — although again the defending was not great either.

Soon after, Phillips hit a fine crossfield pass to get the ball rolling for City’s first goal and then he won the ball from the opposition goalkeeper to gift Alvarez the equaliser.

How do you rate that, especially after such a difficult debut season at the club?

Phillips: Guardiola's 'overweight' comments were 'hard to take'

Phillips’ recent documentary, highlighting his struggles in that first year at the Etihad, has helped win over some fans and plenty are pulling for him to belatedly make his mark.

Rodri’s far more assured performance after the break, even at this extremely early stage of the season, highlighted the task at hand for the England international, but stranger things have happened. It would not be simply another case of a City player coming good in their second season — Phillips has more ground to make up than Rodri, Jack Grealish , Bernardo and others did, due to his lack of minutes last season — but if he were to turn things around it would be very welcome news.

The City analysts were animated again when Foden was rampaging through the middle. That’s something we can expect to see a lot of in the coming season, as Guardiola plans to use the Englishman in the De Bruyne role, and there was a fantastic glimpse of that in the Champions League final when he pulled off a superb turn and dribble, only to end it with a tame shot.

There was a glimpse of that here, too, as Foden missed a one v one in the second half; and then, after a failed through ball, the analysts were gesturing in a way that suggested the final pass — or shot — needs to just be that little better. Again, it is early days, but if the official staff are taking it that seriously then they all will be.

There was another example of analyst annoyance a little later when Foden again turned and burst forward majestically but overlooked the pass to Haaland — exactly the kind of thing Guardiola wants to improve.

Unlike Kovacic and Phillips, Foden is a much more known quantity and the thought of him driving through the middle next season is an exciting thought, both for City and England . A little bit of extra sharpness in the final third would go a long, long way, because everything before that is breathtaking.

The chances are that City sign a right-winger over the next few weeks to replace Riyad Mahrez . That is certainly the intention if the Algerian completes his move to Saudi Arabian club Al Ahli .

But transfers are never certain and after a teenage Rico Lewis blazed a trail for City’s youngsters to make an unexpected surge into the first team with his pre-season performances last year, you never know if Bobb, who turned 20 just over a week ago, could fill a gap if needed.

The Norwegian winger is exactly what Guardiola wants from a wide man at this moment in time — more touches in tight spaces than fast bursts in behind; and he showed that after coming on at the break, dancing down the right, cutting inside and curling a fine cross to the far post that was Mahrez-esque.

He does have pace, too, and City’s wingers certainly can, or should, have that, but it’s about knowing what to do at the right time and Bobb certainly seems to have that. And having won City Under-23s’ player of the year award for two years in a row, with six goals and 17 assists last season, he has certainly done his bit in the youth ranks.

Joao Cancelo

Guardiola does not want Cancelo in the City squad for next season, but right now there is no alternative to getting on with it.

Cancelo almost losing an easy ball, getting it back and immediately pulling off a nutmeg, then firing off a shot, sums up how he has come to be known — compared to the almost mythical solidity of the defenders who contributed to City’s treble last season, he is a maverick.

He is more than that, of course, and he got a good assist for Haaland at the very end of the game but his stock has fallen among the fanbase and, it must be said, within the club too.

Guardiola’s praise for City’s ‘proper’ defenders after winning the Champions League final, while presumably not pointed, did highlight a major difference in the back line compared to the days when Cancelo and Oleksandr Zinchenko (a player who Guardiola dearly loves) were part of it.

The same cannot be said of Cancelo given the circumstances of his exit — Guardiola desperately wanted him gone in the winter transfer window after some extended sulking around the camp. It is hard to envisage any sort of redemption story.

“He is here,” Guardiola said on Saturday. “Joao has been so important for us in the past. He is back here and is part of the group. We will see what happens.”

How Cancelo’s relationship with Guardiola deteriorated and reached the point of no return

It was a perfunctory answer and although Cancelo got 45 minutes here in Tokyo, there is not a lot of appetite for him to get more pre-season game time. There have been reports that Saudi Arabian clubs rejected the chance to sign him when approached by his agent, Jorge Mendes, which, if true, significantly narrows his options.

At this point, it is hard to see City getting a good deal even for someone who is a top player, but if they can get any deal at all for Cancelo, they will be happy enough.

(Top photo: Koji Watanabe/Getty Images)

Get all-access to exclusive stories.

Subscribe to The Athletic for in-depth coverage of your favorite players, teams, leagues and clubs. Try a week on us.

Sam Lee is the Manchester City correspondent for The Athletic. The 2020-21 campaign will be his sixth following the club, having previously held other positions with Goal and the BBC, and freelancing in South America. Follow Sam on Twitter @ SamLee

4am kick-offs, Guardiola impact and Twitter - how Man City fans in Japan and Korea support a team they can't watch

Manchester City landed in Tokyo for the first leg of their three-game pre-season tour to Japan and South Korea, giving Blues fans a rare opportunity to see their idols.

• 06:00, 20 JUL 2023

Get the latest City team news, transfer stories, match updates and analysis delivered straight to your inbox - FREE

We have more newsletters

Gone are the days where pre-season fixtures for a club like Manchester City consist of meetings with local neighbours or visiting European teams.

These days a two-week tour of the USA, Asia or Australia is commonplace for Premier League clubs, enabling them to reach fans (and important commercial markets) that are off-limits during the regular season.

Pep Guardiola and his side will focus on the training pitch and the three friendlies they have scheduled in Tokyo and Seoul over the next fortnight, while City will take a huge travelling party of media and commercial staff to maximise all opportunities out in Japan and South Korea.

Some of those opportunities will give local fans the chance to engage with the newly-crowned treble winners, giving supporters based in Asia a rare chance to watch City in person - and at sociable hours for a change.

ALSO READ: City pre-season tour squad in full as Mahrez left out with £30m sale agreed

City take on Yokohama and Bayern Munich in Tokyo, before flying to Seoul to face Atletico Madrid. All games kick off between 7pm and 8pm in the local time zones, making a welcome departure from the usual overnight hours they are used to when it comes to watching the Blues.

A normal Saturday 3pm kick-off begins at 11pm for Japanese and Korean supporters, with a Saturday evening kick-off starting at 1.30am on a Sunday. For midweek evening games in the UK, it would mean waking up at 4am to catch a Champions League game.

"Unfortunately, we can't watch every game as a group," says Taira Hosoya of the Tokyo Official Supporters' Club.

"Lunchtime kickoff in the UK is an easy time to watch in Japan [12.30pm in the UK is 8.30pm in Tokyo], so I sometimes watch it with a group. Whether it was against Arsenal last season for the top spot or the Champions League final, we gathered regardless of time!"

Despite the obvious time zone differences, City are well supported in the two countries. The Tokyo Supporters' Club has over 60 dedicated members along with other Japanese branches, and the Seoul Branch has almost 200 members - with a waiting list of more than 700.

Serkin Kim, Vice Chair of the Seoul OSC says: "We watch the game through a Korean broadcaster, SPOTV. We don't always watch the game together, but about 100 people gather once we get together. We rent a large cafe to install seats and watch the game on the big screen.

"There are more than 100 people who want to watch the game together, but it is rather a problem because there is not enough space to accommodate that many people. OSC Seoul had 187 members in the 22-23 season, and is currently accepting applications for membership in the upcoming 23-24 season, with more than 700 applicants.

"We estimate about 20,000 Cityzens in Korea. The number of new fans has increased through winning the Premier League three times in a row, and I think Korean football fans' interest in City has increased more than ever. In addition, City jersey sales in Korea are known to be second in Asia."

Tapping into the Asian market is something City have been keen to do. They last toured China and Japan in 2019, have taken the Premier League trophy to the region and they have a number of commercial partnerships with companies in Japan and Korea. In the last year, Japanese beer brand Asahi has sponsored the Tunnel Club at the Etihad and are the new training shirt sponsors for the coming season.

That, along with City's success and style of play over the last decade, has seen the Blues become a popular team to support in Asia - with fans in Japan and Korea doing more than most to keep track of the team given the distance from Manchester.

"I have followed City from 2009. The manager at the time was Mark Hughes," says Kazuma Yuasa of the Tokyo OSC. "Due to the time difference, I can't watch every game, but I always check the results. When I started supporting, there were no citizens around. But now there are many.

"I have been to seer City before, but there are many fans in Japan who have never been to England. The first game I saw in 2011 was against Bolton Wanderers at Reebok Stadium. I've watched them over 10 times since then. Of course, when City came to Japan last time, I went to see the game."

Shogo Kanno explained how supporting City in Japan is often an online experience, with an effort made to socialise for big games and lunchtime kick-offs in the UK

He said: "Almost all supporters watch games online because a lot of games are held in midnight in JST. However, we watch some games, Manchester derby, big games and games held in the evening in a pub with other supporters. I and the supporters club sometimes held those watch parties.

"We watch games on distribution apps like DANZ, SPOTV. In addition, a lot of supporters get and share information on SNS. Twitter is the most popular platform in Japan to communicate with other supporters.

"These days, City is getting more popular and famous in Japan, and young people especially focus on this club as champions and a developed club. Japanese people like attacking football in addition, Pep’s Barcelona was really popular. Therefore, after Pep became our manager, City became one of the most popular foreign clubs in Japan.

"All supporters feel really happy. Some young supporters don’t have money to go to Manchester, and seniors don’t have time to go there. This tour is an important opportunity to watch the greatest football games and to feel royalty."

It's not only Guardiola's side who are generating support in Japan, as City Women are also piquing the interest of some fans after signing Japanese international Yui Hasagawa last summer. Hasagawa will help Japan at the upcoming Women's World Cup, adding to the Blues connection in the country.

"The Japanese women national team won the World Cup [in 2011]. Furthermore, in recent years, Japanese women professional football clubs are established, so some people focus on women’s football," Shogo says. "Hasegawa is known as one of the greatest Japanese players, and Cityzens in Japan are happy because a Japanese player is in their favourite team."

For fans in Japan and Korea, having City play in those countries will be 'irreplaceable', offering supporters the chance to see their heroes in person.

"For us, Manchester City is the football club you see on TV," Taira explains. "Being able to watch two matches on the tour in Japan is like a dream come true. There is no doubt that it will be an irreplaceable time for us.

"I hope that this tour will be a good memory for the players and staff who come to Japan. City supporters from all over Japan gather in Tokyo for this tour. I hope that the circle of City supporters will expand and that we will be able to support City even more from Japan."

Serkin Kim agrees, emphasising the difficulties in watching City games from South Korea.

"It takes at least 14 hours from Korea to Manchester. It actually costs quite a lot of time as well as travel expenses," he says. "Our hearts always crave the Etihad Stadium, but the real conditions are not easy. It is a rare opportunity that fans can see three big trophies and a squad in Korea right after achieving the Treble.

"It's a literally an 'historic moment'. It is the first time in 47 years that City has come to Korea since 1976. At that time, our hero Colin Bell stepped on Korean soil.

"I think it is very meaningful that we can see the first 'Big Year' in the club history in Korea and squad players who will play in Korea. With OSC Seoul members, the Seoul World Cup Stadium will be cheering as if it were an Etihad Stadium."

For these supporters, the tour is worth far more than all of the commercial opportunities on offer to City. With the chance to build on the treble success and encourage a new generation of City fans in Asia, the 2023 tour could have a lasting impact over the next two weeks.

Get your 48-page City pre-season special

The Manchester Evening News are producing a special 48-page 2023/24 season preview to look at what the new campaign could hold for Manchester City.

Our 48-page 2023/24 campaign preview guides you through the main talking points and analysis as the Blues go for an unprecedented fourth consecutive Premier League title. The Champions of Europe will compete for seven trophies this time around.

Our extensive preview brings together expert insight and knowledge from the Manchester Evening News writers as Guardiola looks to create more history at the Etihad Stadium.

Make sure to get your hands on the popular special bumper preview for just £3 before stock runs out by clicking here.

• Manchester City FC
• Manchester City FC pre-season tour
• Most Recent

• United Kingdom
• Deutschland
• United States
• México y EUA

Man City pre-season 2023/24: Fixtures and schedule

• Full dates and fixtures for Manchester City's pre-season tour
• Pep Guardiola will be taking his treble winners to Japan and South Korea

By James Cormack | Jul 24, 2023, 3:03 PM GMT+1

Manchester City produced a gargantuan effort in the 2022/23 season to run out winners in the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League in a historic treble.

The arrival of superstar forward Erling Haaland forced Pep Guardiola into a rethink and it took the Catalan coach almost three-quarters of the season to discover his optimal formula. Nevertheless, these minor but meaningful tweaks propelled the Citizens to the second European treble in the history of English football.

The 2023/24 campaign could be yet another special one for the club. Here's everything you need to know about the pre-season plans Guardiola has devised to replicate last term's success.

READ THE LATEST MAN CITY NEWS, TRANSFER RUMOURS & GOSSIP

Where are man city going for 2023/24 pre-season.

For the first time since 2019, City 's pre-season will take the reigning Premier League champions to Japan. Guardiola's side arrive in Asia on the 30th anniversary of the formation of the J League - the professional men's top flight in Japan.

City will play two games in Japan's national stadium before jetting to South Korea to complete their tour of Asia. The freshly-crowned Champions League winners will be up against Atletico Madrid in Seoul's World Cup Stadium which hosted the semi-final between Germany and South Korea in 2002.

Somewhat worryingly, with less than a month to go before these friendlies, no tickets are available as City's official website warns: "Date and location of the fixture subject to change." No kick-off times have been confirmed.

Man City pre-season 2023/24 confirmed schedule

All times BST.

City are keeping it in the family to kick off their pre-season tour. While Guardiola's side are the crown jewel in the sprawling City Football Group multi-club project , Yokohama F. Marinos have hardly besmirched the brand. The reigning top-flight champions are right in the mix to defend their crown.

The Marinos took a 2-0 lead in the first half through Anderson Lopes and Ken Matsubara and City only woke up shortly before half time when John Stones and Julian Alvarez struck in quick succession.

Erling Haaland got his first goal early in the second half before Rodri added another. Kenta Inoue's 86th minute effort threatened to set up a grandstand finish but Haaland extinguished that threat with his second.

Bayern Munich aren't owned by the same consortium as City but represent familiar foes all the same. Just three months prior to July's friendly, City dismantled Bayern with a 3-0 victory in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final. Thomas Tuchel's stance that his side didn't deserve to lose was not widely held.

City wrap up their Asian sojourn in Seoul against Atletico Madrid on 30 July, one week before facing Arsenal in the Community Shield at Wembley Stadium. Long before Gunners manager Mikel Arteta would help coordinate City's training sessions, Atletico boss Diego Simeone came to watch Guardiola at work.

Simeone quizzed his future rival on every aspect of his style of play. Guardiola remembered: "We talked and he says: 'I don't feel it, I don't like it.' That's when I said: 'Wow, this motherf***** will be good.'"

How to watch Man City pre-season 2023/24

Man City for TV is part of the premium CITY+ subscription package that grants members access to selected pre-season games.

The subscription costs £2.99 a month.

City's Asia Tour 2023: All the key dates you need

Men's Team

City’s last five pre-season tours

Our trip will see us play fixtures against Japanese champions Yokohama F. Marinos, German giants Bayern Munich and Spanish side Atletico Madrid.

It forms the bulk of our preparations for Pep Guardiola ‘s eighth season in charge at the Etihad Stadium, with his side setting out to defend our Treble as well as competing in the UEFA Super Cup and Club World Cup for the first time.

HOW TO FOLLOW CITY’S 2023 ASIA TOUR

There’s more than just fixtures too, with opportunities to hear from Guardiola and his players, as well as daily training sessions.

Our City on Tour Daily programme will keep you up to date with everything happening behind the scenes too. Available every evening other than on match days, it’s the perfect way to get close to your Treble winners.

We’ll also confirm the travelling squad first on mancity.com and our official app.

Make sure you’re ready for everything to come over the next couple of weeks with our handy guide..

Saturday 22 July

Guardiola and a player will speak to international media in the New Japan National Stadium before the team train in front of the cameras.

That will all be part of our Pitchside Live programme, with our expert pundits ready to deliver their verdict on the upcoming season and our legends in Japan and South Korea giving you a taste of life on tour.

The first show has City fans Big Steve and Steve McInerney joining Mike Minay in the studio in Manchester while FG will be pitchside in Tokyo with Joleon Lescott and Shaun Wright-Phillips.

That’s expected to begin around 09:00 (UK). As always, the press conferences and training sessions will also be available to watch once they have finished.

Sunday 23 July

Yokohama F. Marinos v City | 11:00 (UK)

It’s our first game since last month’s historic Champions League final victory. We’ll face our CFG sister club and the current champions of Japan in front of a bumper crowd in Japan’s national stadium.

It’s our first meeting with F. Marinos since 2019, when Kevin   De Bruyne  was one of the scorers in a 3-1 win.

The only way to see it if you’re based in the UK is via CITY+ or Recast.

Watchable through our official website or app, CITY+ is available via an annual subscription of £34.99 a year, saving you £24 on our monthly offering.

SUBSCRIBE TO CITY+

Choose monthly and pay £4.99 a month with the option to cancel anytime.

Official Cityzens and Season Ticket Members can subscribe annually for £30 a year, a saving of £29.

Alternatively, you can join us on Recast for a flexible, pay-per-view option on all the same exciting content found on CITY+.

Simply follow our official channel and pay for the matches, documentaries, full-match replays and vodcasts you want to see.

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT RECAST

City’s previous matches in Japan

Tuesday 25 july.

It’s another Pitchside Live programme, including a Guardiola press conference and open training session.

Mike Minay, Steve McInerney and Big Steve return in Manchester while FG, Joleon Lescott and Shaun Wright-Phillips will give their thoughts from Tokyo.

The boss will field questions on City’s ongoing preparations and what he expects from Wednesday’s meeting with his former club Bayern Munich.

Again, that’s expected to begin around 09:00 (UK). As always, the press conferences and training sessions will also be available to watch once they have finished.

Wednesday 26 July

Bayern Munich v City | 11:30 (UK)

Viewers in the UK and Germany can watch us face the Bundesliga title holders on CITY+ and Recast, with a full pre-match show and post-match reaction.

It’s our first meeting with the Bavarian club since a comprehensive victory in the two-legged Champions League quarter-final in April.

Rodrigo , Bernardo Silva and Erling Haaland got the goals in a 3-0 home win before we completed the job with a 1-1 draw in Munich.

The two sides are expected to draw a big crowd, again at the New Japan National Stadium in Tokyo.

Make sure you’re subscribed to CITY+ or following us on Recast to watch the game.

City’s previous matches in South Korea

Saturday 29 july.

A third and final Pitchside Live programme of the tour, with the boss and a player to speak to the media before facing Atletico Madrid the following day.

Our studio show will start at approximately 09:00 (UK) with our guests giving their expert opinion on the tour so far and what City fans can expect on Sunday.

As always, the press conferences and training sessions will also be available to watch once they have finished

Sunday 30 July

City v Atletico Madrid | 12:00 (UK)

The final match of our 2023 pre-season tour will be available to view on CITY+ and Recast globally, excluding South Korea.

The match will be played in Seoul’s World Cup Stadium, which was built for the 2022 World Cup jointly hosted by Japan and South Korea.

We last played Diego Simeone’s team at the quarter-final stage of the 2021/22 Champions League when Kevin De Bruyne scored the only goal across 180 minutes of action.

WATCH OUR ASIA TOUR MATCHES ON CITY+ OR RECAST

CITY+ and Recast will exclusively show all pre-season tour games live in the UK.

The meeting with Yokohama F. Marinos on 23 July is available only for viewers in the UK, while fans in the UK and Germany can watch our Bayern Munich clash on 26 July.

We face Atletico Madrid on 30 July, with fans all over the world (except South Korea) able to watch the action.

CITY+ is also where you will find the entire catalogue of City Studios documentaries and vodcasts.

Watchable through our official website or app*, CITY+ is available via an annual subscription of £34.99 a year, saving you £24 on our monthly offering.

*Tour matches will not be available to watch on our TV app due to regional restrictions

More like this

• Rodrigo expecting stern Forest test

FG meets Josko Gvardiol

• Training: Final preparations for Forest clash
• Pep: It’s a dream to be fighting for the Premier League again
• Nottingham Forest v City: Kick-off time, team news and TV info
• City return to USA for 2024/25 pre-season tour

Choose Language

Choose your website language, or follow us on social media in your language

Mancity.com

Your browser is outdated

Please upgrade to a more modern version to fully experience JapanToday site and for security reasons

• Real estate
• Classifieds

Man City in title groove as Arsenal face Spurs test

Manchester City are in ominous form as the champions chase a fourth successive Premier League crown.

Leaders Arsenal face a stern test of their title credentials in the north London derby at top four hopefuls Tottenham, while Sheffield United are on the brink of relegation.

AFP Sport looks at three talking points ahead of this weekend's action:

'Frightening' Man City make statement

Phil Foden issued a warning to Manchester City's title rivals after the champions' "frightening" attack inspired a vital 4-0 demolition of Brighton.

Pep Guardiola's side could not afford to slip up at the Amex Stadium on Thursday as they try to overhaul Arsenal in the title race.

And City rose to the challenge as Kevin De Bruyne's header put them in front before Foden netted twice in the first half.

Julian Alvarez added the fourth after the break to end his goal drought as second placed City climbed within one point of Arsenal.

City have a game in hand over both Arsenal and third placed Liverpool, who are two points adrift of Guardiola's men after their damaging loss at Everton on Wednesday.

The Etihad Stadium club will be champions yet again if they win their last five games, starting at Nottingham Forest on Sunday.

"In the first half it was frightening the way we attacked," said Foden, while De Bruyne added: "I trust my team obviously, all respect to Arsenal and Liverpool because they are amazing."

Arsenal must win at bitter rivals Tottenham for a second consecutive season to keep City at bay, while Liverpool take their spluttering challenge to West Ham.

Villa aim to cement top four place

With Tottenham facing a tricky task against Arsenal, Aston Villa have a golden opportunity to cement their grip on fourth place when they host troubled Chelsea.

Villa are six points clear of fifth placed Tottenham, who have two games in hand in the battle to qualify for next season's Champions League.

A win for Unai Emery's men on Saturday evening and a loss for Tottenham would take Villa within touching distance of a first European Cup campaign since 1982-83.

The prospect of plundering a Chelsea defence breached five times by Arsenal on Tuesday will be all the incentive Villa striker Ollie Watkins needs to extend his hot streak.

Watkins has 19 league goals this term -- behind only joint top-scorers Erling Haaland and Cole Palmer -- and is also the top-flight's leading assist provider with 12.

"I appreciate him and his progress. His commitment to do the work we always need has been fantastic, more than scoring goals, more than assists," Emery said.

Blades face the chop

Sheffield United travel to Newcastle with the grim prospect of relegation hanging over them after a disastrous season.

With just three league victories, Chris Wilder's bottom of the table team are 10 points from safety with four games left.

They are almost certain to return to the Championship just 12 months after winning promotion, with their crumbling defence at the root of their impending demise.

Beaten 4-2 at Manchester United on Wednesday, the Blades have conceded 92 goals in 34 league games, surpassing Derby's previous record of 89 in a 38-game top-flight season.

Their fate will be sealed if they lose at Newcastle on Saturday or if fourth bottom Nottingham Forest match their result against Manchester City on Sunday.

Asked if he believes his club can bounce back next season, Wilder said: "It's going to be hard. We have to make big decisions. We have to get it right."

Aston Villa v Chelsea, Everton v Brentford, Fulham v Crystal Palace, Manchester United v Burnley, Newcastle v Sheffield United, West Ham v Liverpool, Wolves v Luton

Bournemouth v Brighton, Nottingham Forest v Manchester City, Tottenham v Arsenal

Teach English in Japan

Join the leaders of English Education for Children in Japan!

6 Comments Login to comment

Jimizo Apr. 27 10:51 am JST

The Premier League said the charges against Man City will be ‘resolved in the near future’.

Not sure exactly when that is supposed to be but I get the feeling this one could drag out for quite a while.

wallace Apr. 27 01:48 pm JST

West Ham vs Liverpool after a run of very poor performances from the Liverpool players. Deeaft in the FA Cup by Man U. That hurt. Defeat in the Europa by Atalanta. That hurt. Defeat by Palace and then Everton in the derby. We played so well during the season but collapsed on the home run.

Not excited about today's game but I will watch.

wallace Apr. 27 02:02 pm JST

Arne Slot is set to become Liverpool's next manager after a compensation deal worth up to £9.4m was agreed with Feyenoord.

Jimizo Apr. 27 02:20 pm JST

Arne Slot is set to become Liverpool's next manager after a compensation deal worth up to £9.4m was agreed with Feyenoord

A lot to do this summer. Brilliant players probably past their peak like VVD and Salah and some maybe not up the required level like Nunez. A few Liverpool mates have been saying Robertson’s form has gone off a cliff. Some good youngsters there though.

wallace Apr. 27 02:44 pm JST

Arne has a Slot to do to rebuild the team. Sell off the older players and the ones not up to standard. Bring on the young .

The Kloop era was exciting intense and football magic. Heavy Metal footie.

wallace Apr. 27 11:23 pm JST

The West Ham vs Liverpool ended 2-2. A point apiece. Liverpool will probably finish third.

Login to leave a comment

Facebook users.

Use your Facebook account to login or register with JapanToday. By doing so, you will also receive an email inviting you to receive our news alerts.

Login with your JapanToday account

Articles, offers & useful resources.

A mix of what's trending on our other sites

Daisen White Resort

GaijinPot Travel

A Guide to Hakuba Ski Resorts

How to Watch The 2020 Tokyo Olympics in Japan in 2021

GaijinPot Blog

Badminton Clubs and Tournaments in Japan

Urban Oasis: How to Enjoy a Swimming Pool in Japan

Over The Finish Line: Marathon Running in Japan

Kicking Off: An Introduction to Japan’s American Football League

Practicing Martial Arts in Japan Without Knowing Japanese

Japan’s X League: An American Football Game Day Experience in Japan

Explore Sumo and Edo Culture on a Sumida River Walking Tour

5 Popular Hobbies to Try in Japan