YOU can’t win ’em all Pep.
Manchester City’s 29 match unbeaten record – stretching back 227 days – finally came to an end in freezing Ukraine.
But if you’re going to lose a game then this was the time to do it – in a dead rubber with their place in the last 16 long since guaranteed. And what’s more he was able to give most of his stars the night off ahead of Sunday’s Manchester derby. Shakhtar booked their place in the knock-out stages – with boss Paulo Fonseca promising he would carry out his post match media duties wearing a Zorro mask if they got through. Meanwhile his opposite number could not mask his own disappointment as his 100th game as a boss in his favourite competition ended in defeat. Yet he will soon get over it. His team clinched their place in the last 16 five weeks ago and their win over Feyenoord three weeks later secured top spot.
And while City travelled over here with a virtually full squad, he made a raft of changes to the team who beat West Ham at the weekend. The Manchester derby at Old Trafford is looming on Sunday and most of his main men will have put their feet up last night. Even so, his starting line up was worth upwards of £280 million – while it also included two of their academy players – Phil Foden and Tosin Adarabioyo. Shakhtar needed to avoid defeat to book their own passage through – with Napoli waiting to pounce if they slipped up.
And it was clear the Ukrainians had more riding on this game from the off. Fernandinho – captaining City against his old club – made a superb block to deny Facundo Ferreyra after a pull back from Taras Stepanenko. But before the half hour mark the home side were ahead as Marlos made his way through the visitors before laying the ball out to Bernard. There did not look much on for the Brazilian international on the left side of the box but he curled a super shot which looped over Ederson into the top corner.
City have kept a clean sheet only once in their last 14 away games in this competition – against Feyenoord in September. Within a couple of minutes Bernard could have added a second as he got on the end of a flowing move but was denied by his countryman in City’s goal.
However the normally confident Ederson was caught in two minds as he dashed out to challenge Ismaily as he chased a ball over the top. He got there but seemed to pull out of the challenge – allowing the defender to roll the ball into the empty net. It was way back in late April – 29 matches ago – that City last tasted defeat in a competitive game – but that record was surely coming to an end. They did have their moments – with Foden threading a super pass through to Gabriel Jesus but Andriy Pyatov got down well to thwart him.
The usual intensity had been missing from City in the opening half and no doubt Guardiola had some strong words at half-time. They could have got back in it soon after the re-start as Bernardo SIlva crossed for Leroy Sane but his shot was well saved. Fernandinho also planted a header wide when he should have done better after more good work from Bernardo. But it was noticeable that Guardiola chose to take off Sane and Fernandinho – two of the players most likely to start against United. City tried to get back into it with Yaya Toure curling a shot narrowly over and sub Sergio Aguero dallying too long when you would have expected him to score. City did attempt to stage another late show when Aguero put away a penalty after Jesus was bundled to the ground but there wasn’t enough time on the clock to force an equaliser.
From The Sun
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