The challenge Man City boss Gareth Taylor laid down to Chloe Kelly

straight to your inboxLiverpool must beat Manchester City on Sunday if they want to retain their Premier League title this season, according to Danny Murphy.The Reds go into tomorrow’s 16.30 kick-off seven points adrift of City, who also have a game in hand, following their 1-0 defeat by Brighton on Wednesday.Jurgen Klopp’s side appeared to have hit form with back-to-back 3-1 wins over Tottenham and West Ham breaking their five-match winless streak in the Premier League.However, Brighton’s

straight to your inboxPep Guardiola has explained that Manchester City's defensive record has been so good this season because of the amount of possession his side has in games.City struggled at the back last year following the departure of Vincent Kompany and their poor defensive record was a key factor in losing their Premier League crown to Liverpool.However, that's all changed this season with the Blues conceding just 13 times, by far the least in the league.City have conceded just once in

direct to your inboxManchester City's Lauren Hemp and Chloe Kelly are both nominated for January's Barclays FA Women's Super League player of the month award.They join Manchester United's Ella Toone and Chelsea's Melanie Leupolz and Fran Kirby on the shortlist.Manchester City scored 18 goals in their three games January - and Hemp and Kelly played a major role in that success.Hemp has just returned to the City squad after injury, and scored twice and provided an assist in her side’s 7-0 win over

straight to your inboxSeeing – and hearing – Ruben Dias in action has Gareth Barry harking back to his early days in the Manchester City dressing room.The former Blues midfielder was brought to the club in 2010 as an experienced 28-year-old who had played at a high level for Aston Villa for ten years, playing nearly 450 games.But it was a 23-year-old Vincent Kompany who startled Barry, whose own experience was a key reason City stumped up a bargain £12million for the England international.Both

straight to your inboxAs late as Saturday, Taylor Harwood-Bellis wasn't expecting to leave Manchester City on loan in the January transfer window. It had been made clear to a group of young Blues at the beginning of the month that they would all be staying with Pep Guardiola and his squad for the rest of the season because it was felt that their progression was best served staying in Manchester.

straight to your inboxPep Guardiola has labelled Manchester City captain Fernandinho as an 'authentic leader' and believes he is a great example for Rodri to follow in the defensive-midfield position. Despite suffering an injury setback at the start of the season, Fernandinho, 35, has enjoyed a brilliant return to form in recent weeks which may lead to his contract, which is set to expire in the summer, be extended once again.

straight to your inboxPep Guardiola has admitted that Manchester City star Bernardo Silva 'struggled' in the aftermath of his ban last season over an offensive tweet.Bernardo was suspended for one game in November, 2019, after he compared teammate Benjamin Mendy to a character on a packet of Conguitos chocolates in a social media post.

straight to your inboxThe manager of Udinese has confirmed that the Italian club are signing Manchester City winger Jayden Braaf. Despite being regarded as one of City's most talented youngsters, Braaf has hardly been involved at youth team level this season and has made just two appearances amid uncertainty on his future.

straight to your inboxChris Wilder says he doesn't have a clue how he will stop Manchester City when he takes his Sheffield United side to the Etihad in the Premier League on Saturday.City are on an 11 game winning run, while the Blades recorded just their second win of the season at Manchester United this week. They will have to put in another heroic performance to stop City, though, with Pep Guardiola's men in superb form recently which peaked with the 5-0 mauling of West Brom.

straight to your inboxAfter a series of brilliant performances, Manchester City midfielder Phil Foden has been awarded a big upgrade on FIFA 21.Every week or so, EA SPORTS release updates to their FIFA 21 player database, which is also described as a server update, with players sometimes given upgrades and downgrades depending on their real-life form.

straight to your inboxPep Guardiola suggested Eric Garcia could leave Manchester City this month after resigning himself to losing the centre-back.Garcia stunned his club last summer when he informed them that he no longer saw a future for himself at the Etihad and wished instead to return to former club Barcelona.

straight to your inboxAston Villa manager Dean Smith has been charged by the Football Association after he was sent off during their 2-0 defeat to Manchester City.Pep Guardiola 's side temporarily moved top of the Premier League table after beating Villa in a hard-fought match at the Etihad Stadium.

direct to your inboxAssistant manager Alan Mahon was disappointed as Manchester City Women exited the FA Women's Continental Tyres League Cup after an extra-time loss to Chelsea. Chelsea went in front just before the break through Melanie Leupolz but City equalised after when Chloe Kelly got on the scoresheet.

straight to your inboxA frustrated Dean Smith has explained what he had said to the fourth official and to Lee Mason to earn a red card in Aston Villa's defeat to Manchester City tonight. The visitors held out for almost 80 minutes at the Etihad before a sparkling but controversial goal from Bernardo Silva broke the deadlock, with Rodri coming back from an offside position to nick the ball off Tyrone Mings, who was adjudged to have started a new phase of play when he brought the ball down.

straight to your inboxPep Guardiola has told Aymeric Laporte what he needs to do to break up the partnership between John Stones and Ruben Dias. Laporte was sorely missed last season as Manchester City's title defence crumbled while he was out with a long-term injury, but the Frenchman has barely been used in recent months.

direct to your inboxPep Guardiola called upon an answer he has used before when asked how he will spend his 50th birthday today.The Manchester City boss saw his side produce a professional performance mixed with moments of individual quality on Saturday to beat Crystal Palace 4-0 and move up to second in the Premier League with a game in hand over leaders Manchester United.United had earlier drawn 0-0 with Liverpool, allowing City to move above Liverpool and to within two points of United with a