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Pep Guardiola Vows To Care For Manchester City Players ‘Like A Father And Mother’ Amid Grueling Fixture Schedule

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has opened up about the challenges of managing his squad through a packed fixture list, saying he has to “take care” of his players like “a father and mother takes care of their sons.”

In just one week, City secured victories over Manchester United and Napoli before conceding a stoppage-time equaliser in a 1-1 draw at Arsenal on Sunday.


Injury Concerns And Squad Management

City travel to League One side Huddersfield Town in the third round of the Carabao Cup on Wednesday while grappling with a growing injury list:

  • Erling Haaland will not travel due to a back issue sustained against Arsenal, but Guardiola expects him to be fit for the Premier League clash with Burnley on Saturday.

  • Abdukodir Khusanov left the pitch at half-time at the Emirates Stadium, while Rayan Cherki and Omar Marmoush remain sidelined.

  • Rayan Ait-Nouri’s return from injury is still uncertain.

  • Midfielder Kalvin Phillips is unlikely to feature, as he is in London “to become a father for a second time.”


Guardiola On Team Spirit And Tactics

Despite City’s challenges, Guardiola praised the team’s spirit and growth:

“First comes the spirit we have shown this week, and you have to take care of this like a father and mother takes care of their sons,” he said.

“Since I started as a manager from the second team at Barcelona until now, I always asked for one thing — I want the players to give everything on the pitch. Last season we didn’t do it in some moments, and this season, especially from the USA and since United, we started to recover many things that defined our team for many years.”

Guardiola’s tactics against Arsenal drew criticism after he reverted to a 5-5-0 formation, resulting in just 33% possession, the lowest he has overseen in 601 top-flight matches.

Despite that, the City boss remained upbeat:

“I’m really proud, satisfied. We recovered many things that we missed last season. We had an incredible spirit. Of course we cannot sustain all season to play the way we did, and we don’t want to, but I give incredible power to the opponents.”

He added that earning a draw against a strong Arsenal side was still a positive:

“I want to learn to celebrate when we draw a game in the way that we did away against Arsenal, who are a big contender and reached the semi-final of the Champions League. I want to celebrate that point.”


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Roy Keane Blasts ‘Frightened’ Manchester United After West Ham Draw

Roy Keane reacting angrily during a football analysis session

Manchester United thought they had the job wrapped up at Old Trafford… until they didn’t.

Diogo Dalot’s tidy finish just before the hour mark looked like the moment that would push the Red Devils to a much-needed victory. But in classic 2025 Manchester United fashion, control slipped, intensity dipped, and West Ham pounced.

And of course—when things go wrong—Roy Keane is never far from the verbal action.


“They Weren’t Nasty Enough!” – Keane Fires Shots

After the 1-1 draw, Keane wasted zero time calling out what he sees as the real issue at United: timidity.

According to him, United “took their foot off the gas” right after scoring. Against a team in the bottom three, he expected more authority, more aggression, and definitely more hunger.

Instead, what he saw was a team “almost frightened” of finishing the job.

He slammed the players for hiding when pressure kicked in, criticized their lack of killer instinct, and even called out the relaxed body language during substitutions.

In typical Keane fashion, the message was simple:
United should never be this soft.


Amorim Also Frustrated: “The Game Was Ours To Win”

Manager Ruben Amorim didn’t sugarcoat anything either.

While he didn’t go full-Keane, he admitted:

  • United lost control after scoring

  • They failed to win second balls

  • They should have killed the match earlier

  • The inconsistency is becoming a real problem

For a team chasing European places, three draws in five games simply isn’t good enough.


West Ham Deserved Their Point

To be fair, West Ham didn’t just sit back and wait. They fought, pressed, countered, and eventually got their reward when Soungoutou Magassa slotted home the 83rd-minute equaliser.

United had late chances, but the story of their season resurfaced again:
moments created, moments wasted.


Where Do United Go From Here?

Sitting eighth on the table, United’s inconsistency continues to be their biggest opponent. Keane believes the team lacks bite. Amorim believes the team lacks control.

Fans believe the team lacks… well, everything except drama.

What’s clear is this: until United find their identity and intensity, nights like this will keep happening.


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Manchester United Left Shocked As Late West Ham Goal Snatches Dramatic Draw At Old Trafford

Manchester United Rue Missed Chances As West Ham Strike Late

Manchester United fans were left frustrated once again as a late goal from Soungoutou Magassa denied the Red Devils all three points in a tense 1-1 draw at Old Trafford.
What looked like a routine victory slipped away in the 83rd minute, leaving United stuck in eighth place and still searching for consistency.


How The Match Unfolded

West Ham almost stunned the home crowd early when Aaron Wan-Bissaka accidentally set up Mateus Fernandes, whose shot was only kept out thanks to a Casemiro deflection.

United responded with waves of pressure:

  • Areola pulled off a superb save from Bryan Mbeumo

  • Wan-Bissaka, Todibo, and Bruno Fernandes all came close

  • Chaos in the West Ham box had fans on their feet

Despite United’s dominance, Jarrod Bowen kept the visitors dangerous, but new signing Senne Lammens was sharp to stop him.


United Looked In Control… Until They Weren’t

The second half opened with the same energy — Mbeumo kept asking questions of the West Ham defence, but Potts and Souček threw themselves into crucial blocks.

Eventually, the breakthrough arrived.

A loose ball from Casemiro fell to Diogo Dalot, who stayed composed and placed it beautifully into the bottom corner. Old Trafford erupted.
It felt like the game was finally in United’s hands.

But West Ham had other ideas.


Magassa’s First Goal Stuns Old Trafford

The Hammers pushed back with urgency, forcing United into panicked clearances.
Mazraoui even had to clear Bowen’s clever flick off the line to keep the lead alive.

Then the moment came.

In the 83rd minute, Soungoutou Magassa pounced — smashing home his first-ever goal for West Ham and shocking the home crowd.
Just like that… 1-1.
All United’s hard work undone in seconds.

Late chances for Mohamadou Kanté and Bruno Fernandes went begging, sealing another frustrating night for the Red Devils.

West Ham remain in the relegation zone, but this point might prove massive.
United, meanwhile, now have three draws in their last five games and still look far from convincing.


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Manchester United Cannot Afford To Let Joshua Zirkzee Leave In January Despite Inconsistency

Joshua Zirkzee’s rollercoaster journey at Manchester United continues, and the Dutch striker remains one of the most unpredictable — yet potentially game-changing — players in the squad. While inconsistency has frustrated fans and coaches alike, his ability to produce magical moments from nothing makes him far too valuable to let slip away during the January transfer window.

December 2024 set the tone for Zirkzee’s United story: a two-goal performance against Everton followed by humiliation against Newcastle, where he was substituted after just 33 minutes to the audible mockery of his own supporters. Fast forward a year, and Zirkzee’s status is still complex. He had not started a match until late November, prompting whispers among fans that his future at the club could be limited.

But when called upon, Zirkzee has the ability to turn matches on their head. Against Crystal Palace, he transformed a dull performance into a hero’s moment, scoring a brilliant goal and assisting in the winning play. Fans in the away end at Selhurst Park even chanted his name to the tune of Daft Punk’s “One More Time” — a reminder of how quickly perceptions can change.

Zirkzee’s career at United has often followed this pattern. After being jeered at Newcastle, he bounced back with a winning penalty against Arsenal in the FA Cup and scored in crucial Europa League away games against Real Sociedad and Lyon. He became a cult figure among supporters despite limited opportunities.

Yet, his role remains precarious. Following injuries and the arrival of £200 million worth of new attacking talent, Zirkzee has struggled to secure consistent playing time. Reports of frustration and interest from other clubs have surfaced, with Everton, West Ham, and several Italian teams, including Roma, monitoring his situation.

However, selling Zirkzee in January carries high risk and low reward. Interest from Roma is loan-based with conditions tied to Champions League qualification — a deal that provides United little certainty or immediate benefit. His flashes of brilliance, coupled with his potential to be a difference-maker in key moments, suggest that Manchester United should think twice before allowing him to depart.

In a squad with an already-packed attacking roster, Zirkzee’s unpredictability might just be exactly what United needs to turn tight games in their favor. For a player capable of producing moments of magic out of nothing, letting him go in January would be a gamble United cannot afford to take.


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