sport news JACK GAUGHAN: City's response to their Premier League charge will likely be ... trends now

sport news JACK GAUGHAN: City's response to their Premier League charge will likely be ... trends now
sport news JACK GAUGHAN: City's response to their Premier League charge will likely be ... trends now

sport news JACK GAUGHAN: City's response to their Premier League charge will likely be ... trends now

JACK GAUGHAN: The bulk of Man City's response to their Premier League charge will likely be left to Pep Guardiola. AGAIN. Just as it was with UEFA's sanctions and Barry Bennell's horrific crimes

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Erling Haaland's top had just been swirling above his head and Manchester City leapfrogged Arsenal at the Premier League's summit. Fulham were beaten by an injury-time penalty, City a man light for over an hour after Joao Cancelo's sending off.

On Bonfire Night, the champions looked ready to explode on a run that would skewer the rest. Pep Guardiola walked into the dressing room and gave one of those famed rousing speeches

He told his players that they had produced one of the finest displays of his tenure. Those present described the scenes as 'emotional' and felt it was a season-defining moment. Guardiola went on to sign a new contract.

But what defines this latest title defence came in the space of 16 hours, through Sunday into Monday morning. Horrible at Tottenham – slow, ponderous, gifting the winner – and then that thunderbolt of a statement, dropped on the Premier League's website without prior warning.

If this plays out like the litany of controversies surrounding City in recent years then Guardiola will be thrust forward. There was a strong, and slightly terse, club statement within two hours on Monday and they will robustly defend their position with confidence of vindication. But if their reaction to the UEFA charges in 2020 is anything to go by, we will not hear much from the boardroom.

Erling Haaland swung his top around his after he helped Manchester City leapfrog Arsenal at the Premier League's summit in November 2022

Erling Haaland swung his top around his after he helped Manchester City leapfrog Arsenal at the Premier League's summit in November 2022

The Premier League champions looked ready to explode on a run that would skewer the rest

 The Premier League champions looked ready to explode on a run that would skewer the rest

Pep Guardiola walked into the dressing room and gave one of those famed rousing speeches before signing a new deal with Man City - committing his future until 2025

Pep Guardiola walked into the dressing room and gave one of those famed rousing speeches before signing a new deal with Man City - committing his future until 2025 

Then, chief executive Ferran Soriano – who rarely ever talks unless abroad or at a business conference – gave a short club-produced interview, several days after they were banned from European competition and hours ahead of Guardiola's first outing since the news. As for the others, chairman Khaldoon Al-Mubarak does an end-of-season address with the club's website. Sheikh Mansour is never seen.

So the bulk will likely be

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