Man City click into gear as they chase cup glory

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MANCHESTER, United Kingdom, Jan 17, 2020 (BSS/AFP) – Pep Guardiola’s
Manchester City will not retain their Premier League title barring a
spectacular Liverpool implosion, but the form book suggests the Catalan could
still end up celebrating a trophy-laden season.

The defending league champions have won nine of their past 10 games in all
competitions, their only defeat since early December coming when they were
reduced to 10 men and lost 3-2 at Wolves.

The visit of Crystal Palace on Saturday is followed by a trip to face
Sheffield United before they take on Fulham at home in the fourth round of
the FA Cup and Manchester United in the second leg of their League Cup semi-
final.

City hold a 3-1 lead in that tie in a competition in which they have not
lost a game since October 2016, an extraordinary run that makes Guardiola’s
side overwhelming favourites to win the League Cup for a third consecutive
season.

Guardiola, whose side won a domestic treble last season, will be relishing
the return of influential centre-half Aymeric Laporte following a knee injury
he suffered at the end of August.

The French international’s absence has been a major factor in City’s
difficulties this season, although he has been making impressive strides in
first-team training.

An original prediction of a February return has been brought forward
slightly, with Laporte now tipped to be back before the end of the month,
possibly in the League Cup derby meeting with United on January 29.

The 25-year-old’s return would allow Brazilian Fernandinho to return to
his holding midfield role, bolstering City in two areas of the pitch. Even
more good news is on the horizon, with German international winger Leroy Sane
making a rapid recovery from a knee ligament injury that has sidelined him
since the first week in August.

– Sane return? –

The 24-year-old is in solo training but is expected to join first-team
sessions imminently and a return to competitive action next month is now a
realistic target.

“I think he is close,” said Guardiola last week. “I spoke with him two
days ago and he said to me he is training alone with the ball, he is doing
incredibly well.

“His knee looks really good so I don’t think it is going to take too much
time to come back to train with us. I think in the next few weeks he can come
back.”

The return of Laporte and Sane could be crucial as City prepare for the
return of the Champions League, which they have never won.

City face a two-legged last-16 tie against Real Madrid, with the first leg
taking place in Spain on February 26.

Guardiola, who was twice a European champion while in charge of Barcelona,
has constantly tried to downplay the importance of winning the trophy,
although the club’s owners have made no secret of their desire to win the
continent’s biggest club prize.

With a top-four finish in the Premier League all but guaranteed, Guardiola
can afford to rotate his squad in Premier League games and focus on the three
cup competitions still within his reach.

Raheem Sterling is one player who has benefited from being left out of the
starting line-up, keeping him fresh for more important tests to come.

And, after a slow start to his City career, Joao Cancelo has been trusted
in recent weeks to play games in defence, allowing Guardiola to ensure his
back line is not weakened by further injury and fatigue.