The sight of Pep Guardiola marching onto the pitch after the final whistle to lecture Leroy Sane said it all: the Manchester City manager wants more. This comfortable victory, earned through two sublime David Silva goals, was not enough in a campaign in which City can break all kinds of Premier League records. And, with the Champions League draw on Friday, still achieve even greater things.
City will be in Abu Dhabi when that draw takes place, as they enjoy a break before resuming their campaign against Everton at the end of this month. Win that and it means that they can claim the title in their next fixture – which just happens to be against Manchester United at home on April 7. The countdown is on.
Guardiola said that City will “come back stronger” from the Middle East and it sounded like a threat as much as a promise. Just how much stronger can this dazzling City side be? Stoke are no mugs under Paul Lambert and, as they should, they fought for their lives as they desperately try and beat relegation. But they did not even register a shot on target.
Interestingly, Guardiola chose to highlight the fact that this result meant City had achieved the double over Stoke for the first time since 1999-2000, and it shone a light on the fact that such records and achievements really do matter to him.
Guardiola does not want to just win this league but to achieve new landmarks in doing so. Already City have earned 81 points, the first team to achieve that after 30 games, and the highest-ever points total in the Premier League - Chelsea’s 95 under Jose Mourinho in 2004-05 - is in Guardiola’s sights. City can top 100 points and, with 85 goals already, can beat the record of 103 achieved by Carlo Ancelotti’s Chelsea in 2009-10. A double century - 100 points; 100 goals - is possible.
Manchester City beat Stoke City on Monday evening to go 16 points clear at the top of the Premier League.
The visitors ran out 2-0 victors courtesy of a brilliant brace from David Silva, who tormented the Stoke defence throughout the game at the Bet365 stadium.
Silva first latched onto the end of a wonderfully worked move up the pitch and fired past Jack Butland. Then he met a lofted through ball to volley home and wrap up the victory.
If you are using the MailOnline app and are unable to see the runner, click this link to follow it on our mobile site
STOKE-ON-TRENT, KOMPAS.com - David Silva menjadi bintang kemenangan Manchester City atas Stoke City pada pertandingan pekan ke-30 Premier League - kasta teratas Liga Inggris - di Stadion Bet365, Senin (12/3/2018) atau Selasa dini hari WIB.
Manchester City menang 2-0 pada laga versus Stoke City. David Silva memborong dua gol kemenangan timnya yang dicetak pada menit ke-10 dan ke-50.
Kemenangan ini membuat Man City kian kokoh di puncak klasemen. Mereka mengumpulkan 81 poin dari 30 laga atau unggul 16 angka atas Manchester United yang berad di posisi kedua.
(Baca juga: Stoke City Vs Manchester City - Memori Performa Terbaik The Citizens bersama Pep Guardiola )
Manchester City memang pantas menang atas Stoke City. Statistik membuktikan bahwa pasukan Pep Guardiola itu amat mendominasi permainan.
Mereka memiliki 76 persen penguasaan bola. Hal itu dikonversi dengan keungulan menciptakan peluang.
Bermain tanpa Sergio Aguero, tim tamu memiliki 17 peluang dengan enam tembakan di antaranya tepat sasaran. Bandingkan dengan tuan rumah yang cuma punya tiga peluang tanpa satu pun tepat sasaran.
(Baca Juga: Akhirnya, Petr Cech Gagalkan Penalti Setelah 7 Tahun! )
Manchester City berhasil unggul cepat pada menit ke-10. Memanfaatkan umpan Raheem Sterling, David Silva menyontek bola di antara dua kawalan pemain bertahan Stoke City untuk menaklukkan Jack Butland.
Gol cepat juga terjadi pada babak kedua. Lima menit babak kedua berjalan, Silva untuk kali kedua menaklukkan Butland seusai melakukan kerja sama 1-2 dengan Gabriel Jesus.
Stoke City 0 - 2 Manchester City (David Silva 10', 50')
Stoke City: 1-Jack Butland, 15-Bruno Martins Indi, 21-Konstantinos Stafylidis, 6-Kurt Zouma, 2- Moritz Bauer, 20-Geoff Cameron (32-Ramadan Shobhi 88'), 4-Joe Allen, 27-Badou N'Diaye, 22-Xherdan Shaqiri, 10-Eric Choupo-Moting, 11-Jese Rodriguez (25-Peter Crouch 63')
Manchester City: 31-Ederson Moraes, 4-Vincent Kompany, 30-Nicolas Otamendi, 2-Kyle Walker, 35-Oleksandr Zinchenko, 25-Fernadinho, 21-David Silva, 17-Kevin De Bruyne, 7-Raheem Sterling (20-Bernardo Silva 85'), 19-Leroy Sane, 33-Gabriel Jesus (8-Ilkay Guendogan 90+1')
ES Football Newsletter Enter your email address Please enter an email address Email address is invalid Email address is invalid Email address is invalid Email cannot be used. Try another or register with your social account
David Silva struck twice as Manchester City ttook another stride towards their seemingly inevitable coronation as Premier League champions with a 2-0 victory at Stoke.
Silva found the net early in each half as Pep Guardiola's men enjoyed a comfortable night at the bet365 Stadium to re-establish a 16-point lead at the top of the table.
The result leaves City needing only a maximum of three wins from eight remaining games to take the title, but two would suffice if one of them comes against second-placed Manchester United.
That means there is a possibility City could complete the job in the derby against rivals United on April 7, if they beat Everton in their next game on March 31.
City were without top scorer Sergio Aguero but his absence mattered little as they barely needed to get out of second gear against the relegation-threatened Potters.
Stoke did begin aggressively in the hope of suffocating City but the visitors soon stretched them by playing a few longer passes.
Within 10 minutes City had broken through after Gabriel Jesus released the fit-again Raheem Sterling down the right. Sterling picked out Silva in front of goal and the Spaniard flicked home.
Stoke went for long spells without touching the ball but they created a chance out of nothing as Xherdan Shaqiri nutmegged Oleksandr Zinchenko. The Swiss pulled the ball back for Badou Ndiaye but his shot was deflected wide by Fernandinho.
Kyle Walker then almost managed to lob his own keeper after getting an awkward touch under pressure from Jese following a long clearance from Jack Butland, but Ederson scrambled back to palm over.
Aside from that, Stoke were chasing the ball. City went close to a second when Kevin De Bruyne whipped in a dangerous free-kick but Jesus failed to make contact. Fernandinho also forced a good save from Butland from the edge of the area. Leroy Sane volleyed wide from a De Bruyne cross.
Stoke managed to reach the break without further damage but City doubled their lead within five minutes of the restart.
Silva drove City forward, found Jesus on the edge of the box and then watched the Brazilian's bouncing return pass superbly to fire home as Butland rushed out to meet him.
Sterling then jinked through the Stoke box before being denied by the feet of Butland, who also saved from Fernandinho. Sane curled another effort narrowly wide.
Stoke made a mess of a drop-ball situation in the latter stages and Sterling went through on goal but Ndiaye just did enough to put him off as he attempted to round Butland. Ndiaye then turned to complain, perhaps suggesting City had been unsporting, and Moss had to becalm increasing tension.
Bruno Martins Indi did volley over but the hosts offered little else as City eased to victory.
