Ian Cheeseman: Forever Blue

First up on Saturday was the early kick-off against Everton in the same some fans were cheekily calling El Cheatio.

Manchester City have 115 Premier League Charges hanging over them and Everton have already had ten points deducted for over spending. Personally I think both clubs are being treated unfairly. If Everton get relegated as a result of their punishment, they’ll suffer a huge drop in income, just as they prepare to move into a new stadium. Is that what FFP was created for; of course not.

On the field Everton knew that the odds were against them and so Sean Dyche, who’s never done well against Pep Guardiola’s City, set up his team to defend and disrupt. At every opportunity their players stayed down and wasted time. City had rotated their squad, resting Kevin De Bruyne, Kyle Walker and Bernardo Silva and they looked disjointed as a result. Maybe the 12.30 kickoff played a part too as the game plodded along until the trio joined the fray in the second half.

Goal machine Erling Haaland had been blunted by the tactics of the Toffees until then, but once he broke the deadlock a second quickly followed and City secured the three points that temporarily took them to the Premier League summit. Former City manager Brian Horton suggested to me during my Forever Blue podcast, which was recorded just after the Everton game that City could win another Treble this season. I must admit that comment took me aback because I’m used to fans, former players and managers erring on the side of auction, but when you think about it, there’s no reason to think it can’t happen.

Dreaming it and doing it are two different things though and the Blues will face Luton Town at Kenilworth Road in the FA Cup. A win there can’t be taken for granted and with Liverpool bouncing back from their defeat at Arsenal by sweeping Burnley aside, so the Premier League title race looks certain to go to the wire.

That brings us to the Champions League with City resuming at FC Copenhagen on Tuesday evening.

It was a game the Blues needed to win and ideally comfortably because the second leg of the tie is sandwiched between the Manchester derby and the trip to Liverpool.

The 3-1 win in the Danish capital was exactly what was required and was considerably better than the 4-3 win they handed out to United in the group stages. Once against Kevin De Bruyne was key to the success, scoring the first goal and assisting Bernardo Silva for the crucial second.

There were downsides, like the injuries to Jack Grealish & Bernardo Silva and the manner of the goal they conceded. Pep Guardiola’s team seems to concede one goal in every game and that might become an issue as they continue to progress in the Champions League but on the night it didn’t matter. Phil Foden dazzled again and added that vital goal with the last kick of the game.

Next up are Chelsea in the Premier League and then their game in hand against Brentford next Tuesday. City continue to impress and one thing’s for sure, It’s Great to be a Blue!