Pep Guardiola refused to blame Erling Haaland for wasting chances after Manchester City were held to a frustrating 1-1 draw by Chelsea on Saturday.
The normally prolific Haaland spurned a number of opportunities, including one glaring free header from six yards out, as the champions were held in a compelling Premier League clash at the Etihad Stadium.
City ultimately needed an 83rd-minute equaliser from Rodri to rescue a point after their former forward Raheem Sterling had put the Londoners on course for an unexpected win with a 43rd-minute effort.
City manager Guardiola said: “It’s good to have nine shots and next time he’s going to score.
“I was a football player for 11 years and scored 11 goals. What stats! One goal a season. I’m not a proper man to give advice to strikers.
“We create the chances; he had the chances and next time he’s going to score. I don’t blame him. It’s football, it’s human beings.”
Haaland looked frustrated at the end of the game and pushed away a TV camera, but it has been a difficult week for the Norway international after the death of his grandmother.
The result left City four points off the top of the table in third place, after title rivals Liverpool and Arsenal won earlier in the day.
City dominated the second half, but Guardiola felt they paid the price for a poor first-half display.
Guardiola said: “As a team and a group, the first half was not like we are.
“The demands are so high because no-one is going to give it to us, we have to do everything. We are Man City, so we have to do it for ourselves all the time.
“We had to improve the first half and the second half was unbelievable, how we played and how we made transitions.
“In general, it was really good after we conceded from Raheem but when we play teams with composure and prestige of Chelsea you have to perform at your best for 95 minutes.”
Chelsea’s season has been one of inconsistency, but manager Mauricio Pochettino felt they showed their true character against strong opposition.
Pochettino said: “We tried to prepare, all the coaching staff, to make the plan for the game but football is always a game that belongs to the players and today the execution and the performance was from them. They showed character.
“It was a really important game for us to keep the momentum to realise we are in a good way and improving.
“Still we are not at the level of Man City but that is our aim.
“We need to live this type of game to improve and to create the spirit we need. We show in every single game we want to be competitive.”
Significant progress: Ricketts says JFF has cleared up over JA$300 million in debt owed to Jamaican Government since 2017
President of the Jamaica Football Federation, Michael Ricketts, says the body has cleared over JA$300 million in debt they owed to the Jamaican Government since he took office for the first time seven years ago.
Ricketts had defeated Stewart Stephenson to complete the JFF’s 2015-19 term after the death of then-president Captain Horace Burrell in 2017 before being re-elected for his first full term in 2019.
“We have made significant progress as it relates to our fiscal management. So far, we are in a far better position now than when we were when we got into office,” Ricketts told Sportsmax.tv last week at the unveiling of the Reggae Boyz squad for their upcoming CONCACAF Nations League fixtures against Nicaragua and Honduras.
“When we got into office I think we were indebted to the Government to the tune of over $400 million. When we took over, we we’re very intent on getting that figure down. We have cut that to $90 million and certainly, we are on track to make that $0 by the end of the year,” he added.
Ricketts also noted that, for the first time in over a decade, the JFF has been issued a tax compliance certificate.
When asked about the steps taken to achieve this fiscal improvement, Ricketts gave credit to the federations finance committee as well as General Secretary, Dennis Chung and Technical Committee Chairman, Rudolph Speid.
“I must commend our finance committee. They’ve been very strong. We’ve gotten support, of course, from our parent organizations, more so FIFA, CONCACAF and CFU. We’ve had sponsors on board like Adidas who have given us major support both financially and from an equipment standpoint,” he said.
“We have been doing very well. We have a Gen Sec in Dennis Chung who is an accountant. Rudolph Speid, our Technical Committee Chairman, is an accountant so these gentlemen have been very integral in the process of our fiscal management,” Ricketts added.
Kane fit to play for England in Nations League
Bayern Munich confirmed Harry Kane did not suffer a serious injury against Eintracht Frankfurt and will be available for England in the international break.
Kane, who has already netted 10 goals in nine appearances for Bayern in all competitions this season, was substituted in the 72nd minute of their 3-3 draw with a suspected thigh injury.
The England captain was assessed by the Football Association's (FA) doctors on Monday, with the German side announcing no "structural injury" was found.
Kane, who made his 100th appearance for England during their last match against Finland, will be available for the return leg in Helsinki, and their match against Greece at Wembley prior to that.
While the striker has been given the all-clear for international action, Dayot Upamecano and Mathys Tel have both withdrawn from their respective France squads.
Upamecano scored against Frankfurt but was subsequently taken off in the second half after also sustaining a thigh problem, while Tel is suffering with a shoulder injury.
'We are lucky to have him' - Guardiola admits Ederson exit was close
Pep Guardiola admitted that Ederson came close to leaving Manchester City in the transfer window but stayed because a fee could not be agreed.
The Brazilian was linked with a move to the Saudi Pro League in the off-season, with both Al-Nassr and Al-Ittihad both reportedly interested in his signature.
Since joining the club in June 2017, Ederson has kept 113 clean sheets in 257 Premier League appearances, more than any other goalkeeper in the competition since his debut.
He has won 15 major trophies with City, including six Premier Leagues, two FA Cups and a Champions League title, as well as the UEFA Super Cup and Club World Cup.
Ederson has played in all seven of City's Premier League matches so far this season, keeping just one clean sheet and conceding eight goals from an expected goals on target (xGoT) of 8.54.
Guardiola is delighted that he was able to keep hold of Ederson, who continues to play a pivotal role in the team.
"He is an important figure with our team," Guardiola told the club's website.
"We are lucky to have him, and I hope he is happy. Eddy knows us really well and what we have to do.
"He knew from day one that I didn't want him to leave. The truth is the offer didn't come. The real offer.
"They make an offer but the keeper, who won four Premier Leagues in a row, he has a value and a price. Otherwise, he cannot leave.
“If the offer did come, maybe he should not be here. This is the truth.
"Ederson is so strong, but when he changed his mind, in one second he said he is here, and he is going to do his best."
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