Pep Guardiola hopes Manchester City can replicate the dominance they showed against Leeds when they face Real Madrid on Tuesday.
Aside from a frantic final five minutes, the Premier League leaders were in a different class to the relegation-threatened Yorkshire side at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday.
They eased ahead with two Ilkay Gundogan goals in the opening half-hour and could have scored several more – with Gundogan missing a penalty and Erling Haaland twice hitting the woodwork among their better chances – before an 85th-minute Rodrigo strike left them hanging on for a 2-1 win.
Their next challenge is a lot tougher, as they face holders Real in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final at the Bernabeu, but Guardiola feels his side are in good shape.
The City manager said: “I would love to play on Tuesday the way we played Saturday. We played really good.
“They played a back six, so you have to read the spaces and pick the right moments to attack.
“Erling had two, three or four chances to score. He played an exceptional game, all of them did.
“Before 2-1 and that situation, it was really good.”
Guardiola made seven changes for the game with Jack Grealish, Rodri, Ruben Dias, John Stones and Bernardo Silva along those to get a rest.
That should ensure he can again freshen the team up in Madrid but Guardiola insists it is not a case of prioritising the Champions League now they look to be in command of the domestic title race.
He said: “I didn’t rotate the team because I was thinking in Madrid. I rotated because some players told me they are so tired.
“I take the Premier League so seriously. In October, November, December you can drop points but now if you drop points the damage is huge.
“I would be naive to prioritise.”
Treble-chasing City are unbeaten in 20 matches – 17 of which they have won – and are approaching what could be a glorious end of the season in fine form.
Guardiola said: “We have to still be focused but the moment we beat Arsenal, destiny was in our hands.
“We have done it against Fulham, West Ham and Leeds. After Madrid we have five days to recover well and go to Goodison Park and win the game.
“Every time we win we are closer to doing something exceptional.”
Guardiola was clearly annoyed when Gundogan missed from the spot on Saturday. Regular penalty-taker Haaland deferred to the German to allow him to complete a hat-trick but, by hitting the post, he failed to put the result beyond doubt before Leeds scored.
The City boss felt Haaland should have taken it and did not acknowledge Gundogan after substituting him, but he calmed down after the final whistle.
Guardiola retains high regard for the 32-year-old and would like to see him recommit after his contract expires at the end of the season.
He said: “It is not necessary for him to score two goals to know how I like this player and how I would like to work with him in the future.
“He is so intelligent, so clever, so competitive. He is one of the best players I have trained in my career. Top class.”
Everton 1-0 Brentford: Toffees join Bees in ensuring Premier League status
Everton made mathematically certain of remaining in the Premier League on Saturday as Idrissa Gueye's goal handed them a 1-0 home win over Brentford, who are also safe after Luton Town's earlier loss to Wolves.
Luton's 2-1 defeat at Molineux meant Brentford's slim fears of relegation were behind them before kick-off, while Everton knew a third straight victory would also secure their place in the top flight for next season.
The Toffees' old wastefulness was on show in the first half, but Gueye powered home 15 minutes into the second period to hand them a third Goodison Park triumph in the space of six days.
The result saw Sean Dyche's men climb above their visitors to go 15th in the table, one place and point clear of Brentford, who can also plan ahead for 2024-25 in the top flight after pulling clear of danger.
Everton were without Dominic Calvert-Lewin through illness and Beto due to the head injury he suffered against Nottingham Forest. Their absences were felt when the first chance fell their way after six minutes, Youssef Chermiti failing to get a touch on McNeil's tempting cross.
Mathias Jensen had Brentford's first sight of goal 20 minutes in following good work from Vitaly Janelt, but in-form defender Jarrad Branthwaite denied him with a huge block.
The best opportunity of a low-key opening period, though, fell to Abdoulaye Doucoure, who sent an awkward volley spinning well wide after finding space on the stroke of half-time.
Brentford should have gone ahead within five minutes of the restart, but Jordan Pickford brilliantly smothered Ivan Toney's shot when his England team-mate looked destined to tap home at the far post.
McNeil then rattled the crossbar from range as Everton turned up the pressure, and they made the breakthrough on the hour.
Gueye fired into the top-left corner after Brentford failed to clear following a goalmouth scramble, with the goal confirmed by VAR amid questions about a subjective offside.
Keane Lewis-Potter worked Pickford from the edge of the box, but that was as close as Thomas Frank's men came to an equaliser, and Everton almost had a second when James Garner's free-kick struck the bar in stoppage time.
Everton rescue act complete
When Everton welcomed Burnley to Goodison Park on April 6th, they remained in severe danger of seeing a chastening campaign end in relegation.
However, a run of four wins in five games – the most memorable being Wednesday's 2-0 triumph over Merseyside rivals Liverpool – has dragged the Toffees clear and ensured there will be no repeat of last year, when they remained at the highest level by the skin of the teeth on a nervy final day.
Having earned their first win of the campaign against Brentford back in September, Everton have also done the double over the Bees for just the second time, previously beating them home and away in the second tier back in 1952-53.
Toney struggles continue
While Brentford had enjoyed a resurgence of their own prior to Saturday's game, beating Sheffield United 2-0 and Luton 5-1 in their last two matches, both of those victories came without injured striker Toney.
He returned to the Bees' lineup here but was uncharacteristically quiet, failing to beat Pickford when presented with the visitors' best chance shortly after half-time.
Toney has now failed to score in his last eight Premier League matches, his longest ever run without a goal in the competition. With Ollie Watkins and Dominic Solanke in fine form as Gareth Southgate prepares to name his England squad for Euro 2024, his barren spell has come at a poor time.
‘Too many draws have cost us’ – De Zerbi
Roberto De Zerbi has highlighted too many draws as Brighton’s problem this season while looking ahead to their trip to Bournemouth on Sunday.
The Seagulls suffered a heavy 4-0 defeat to title-hopefuls Manchester City on Thursday, extending their winless run to five games.
Despite sitting in 12th, Brighton still have an outside chance of getting a European place next season, though they would have to win all five of their remaining matches against teams above them in the table.
Asked how his side will approach a tough fixture list at the end of the season, De Zerbi said: “It’s not a good thing we’re playing teams above us. We should be better. Chelsea and Bournemouth are very close with us, and we have the chance to win the game and fight to reach the highest position we can.
“We’ve had too many draws. For sure we can lose 11 games in this moment, but we could win more games. Sometimes I think what I could do better to win more games, but it’s tough because we drew a lot, shooting a lot of times on goal without scoring, especially at home.”
Sporting CP boss Amorim apologises for holding West Ham talks
Sporting CP coach Ruben Amorim has publicly apologised for holding talks with West Ham, who view the 39-year-old as a contender to replace David Moyes at the end of the season.
This week, widespread reports said Amorim had travelled to London for talks with the West Ham hierarchy, as they weigh up their options ahead of Moyes' contract expiring in June.
Moyes delivered the Europa Conference League trophy to the London Stadium last season but has long struggled to win over sections of the Hammers' fanbase, and a poor run of form has seen their hopes of European qualification fade in recent weeks.
Amorim, who led Sporting to the Primeira Liga crown in 2020-21 and looks likely to oversee another title triumph this term, has also been linked with Chelsea and Liverpool in the past.
He was roundly criticised for making the trip to London while still under contract, and on Saturday he admitted the visit was a mistake.
"So, let's get the elephant out of the room and I'll talk about it once," Amorim said in a press conference to preview Sunday's trip to Porto.
"The first thing is to say that the club was aware of my trip. It's important and changes the context.
"Then, let's talk about the 'cloak of secrecy' that surrounded the trip... I 'secretly' parked the car outside, secretly walked past 15 people and took photographs, then got on a plane behind the club's back.
"It didn't happen in secret or without permission. Obviously my trip was a mistake, the timing was completely wrong, it didn't seem right at the time.
"It was wrong, especially when I'm so demanding with my players and always the first to say that each one's actions can overpower the team. I have removed players from the squad for much less.
"It was my mistake, I have to accept it and live with it. It didn't seem so bad at the time but thinking about it later, it's very clear.
"Now it's time to move on. I apologise to the Sporting fans, the staff and, mainly, to my players for the mistake I made."
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