Manchester City Newsdesk Live: Kevin De Bruyne latest, Feyenoord build-up, more

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Man City Newsdesk Live: De Bruyne latest, Feyenoord build-up, more
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Join us LIVE throughout today for all of the latest Manchester City news and speculation, as well as full build-up to tonight's Champions League clash with Feyenoord.

City are one of the form teams in Europe right now and boast a 100% record in the competition so far. Another at the Etihad Stadium this evening - which would be their 17th in a row across all competitions - could be enough to secure top spot in Group F having already clinched qualification for the last 16.

We will bring you all of the build-up to the match as well as the breaking news and latest transfer speculation including rumours regarding the future of playmaker Kevin De Bruyne.

10.56pmAnd on that note, that's where we leave things today. Thanks for joining us!

10.31pmAMAZING MOMENT
Brahim Diaz has already reacted to his Champions League debut - before tonight the only previous first-team experience he had enjoyed at Man City was a brief EFL Cup cameo. Now he is rubbing shoulders with the big boys in arguably the greatest club competition on the planet.

10.29pmGUARDIOLA "HAPPY" WITH NARROW WIN
More from Guardiola on his side's narrow 1-0 win over Feyenoord at the Etihad Stadium, in addition to the debuts of both Phil Foden and Brahim Diaz.
"It was so difficult, so complicated to find the space. Sometimes it happens. The second half was much, much better. We had chances and we were able to win and we are top of the group. We are happy," he told BT Sport.
"We respect the competition, we respect Shakhtar and we respect Napoli. We have a lot of games, we will see what team we can play in the final game. Who knows what can happen.
"Today is a special day for all of the club, the academy have worked so hard for the last couple of years and we had Phil Foden and Brahim Diaz on in the end. They feel what it means to play in front of these fans. It depends on Phil now - he knows the club, he has to be calm, work every day. He knows that we trust him."

10.16pmGUARDIOLA EXPECTING DIFFICULT KNOCKOUT TIE
Manchester City look like one of the main teams to beat in this competition but, despite securing top spot in Group F, Guardiola is expecting a tough test in the last 16 having only just managed to scrape past Feyenoord this evening.
"A win is better than not. First half, we could do better. Sometimes it's difficult. When you win a lot of games and already qualified. It was a fantastic goal from Sterling and pass from Gundogan," he told reporters.
"We play to win the games and after, we will see. The draw for the last 16 doesn't matter. It will always be complicated (whoever we draw)."
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10.09pmGUARDIOLA PAYS TRIBUTE TO TEENAGE DUO
City's 1-0 win over Feyenoord this evening was perhaps most notable for Phil Foden (17) and Brahim Diaz (18) making their Champions League debuts for the club.
Pep has been talking up the teenage duo and suggested that they could be in store for more first-team action over the coming weeks...
"A big congratulations to the academy. The club should be so proud. 17, 18 years old and making appearances in the Champions League," he told reporters.
"Our squad is not too big. We will see what happened in the next games. Hopefully they can stay for a long time and help us."

9.54pmYAYA TOURE REACTION
Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure has also talked up the quality of Feyenoord's defensive performance after they held a usually free-scoring Man City for 88 minutes...
"I have a lot of experience in these type of situations. It was a difficult game, they defended really well. If we score in the first half the game can change," the Ivorian told reporters.

9.52pmSTERLING: 'WE CAN WIN UGLY'
Manchester City match-winner Raheem Sterling acknowledges that this wasn't their best performance of the season, but believes that it is important to win ugly when they have to.
"They kept really solid, we were slow on the ball. They dug in deep and stayed in the game as long as possible," he told reporters.
"It's always good to score but it's more important to win, even if it's ugly sometimes."

9.43pm

9.40pmMATCH REPORT!
Click here to see our on-the-whistle match report from tonight's game as Manchester City beat Feyenoord 1-0 to secure top spot in Group F.
It wasn't the greatest win of their incredible 17-match run, but they got the job done in the end courtesy of a late Raheem Sterling goal.

9.39pmMANCHESTER CITY FINISH TOP OF GROUP F!

9.39pmFULL TIME: Manchester City 1-0 Feyenoord

9.33pmGOAL! Manchester City 1-0 Feyenoord (Raheem Sterling)
Manchester City have left it late, but it looks like being a 17th consecutive win for Pep Guardiola's side, extending their club record run even further. Raheem Sterling has scored the goal which has surely given them all three points at the Etihad Stadium.

7.45pmKICKOFF!
We're underway at the Etihad Stadium! A reminder that you can follow live text coverage by clicking here.

7.32pm

6.57pmLIVE MATCH COMMENTARY! At this point allow us to point you in the direction of our dedicated live commentary for tonight's game - there, you'll be in the capable hands of Dan Lewis with full build-up and minute-by-minute updates of all the action from the Etihad.

6.46pmTEAM NEWS ALERT! Here's how our Dutch visitors will line up this evening... Starting XI: Jones; Diks, Tapia, Van Beek, Haps; Amrabat, Toornstra, Vilhena; Berghuis, Larsson; Boetius Subs: Vermeer, St. Juste, Nelom, Nieuwkoop, Jorgensen, Basacikoglu, Kramer

6.41pmDEBUTS FOR FODEN, DIAZ? Youngsters Phil Foden and Brahim Diaz are not named in Pep's starting XI but do get spots on the bench ahead of potential debuts tonight.

6.39pmTEAM NEWS DEBRIEF! Pep makes seven changes from the side that started the win over Leicester City in the Premier League at the weekend. Bernardo Silva and Sergio Aguero are back in the fold alongside Raheem Sterling up front, with Gabriel Jesus dropping to the bench and Leroy Sane missing out. Aguero has the skipper's armband tonight. Fernandinho and Silva are also among the substitutes, with central powerhouse Kevin De Bruyne keeping his spot in midfield, where he is joined by Yaya Toure and Ilkay Gundogan. The loss of John Stones to injury means a recall for Nicolas Otamendi at centre-back alongside Eliaquim Mangala, in for Kompany. Danilo replaces Fabian Delph at left-back, with Kyle Walker retaining his place on the right and Ederson - as ever - between the posts.

6.32pmTEAM NEWS ALERT! The Man City team is in... Starting XI: Ederson; Walker, Mangala, Otamendi, Danilo; Gundogan, Yaya Toure, De Bruyne; Bernardo, Sterling, Aguero (C) Subs: Bravo, Foden, Delph, Silva, Fernandinho, Diaz, G Jesus

4.37pmASENSIO GIVES MADRID 'ULTIMATUM' Reported City target Marco Asensio is said to have given Real Madrid an "ultimatum" over his game time if they wish him to snub Premier League interest. The 21-year-old produced some fine displays at the start of season but has only been handed four La Liga starts by Zinedine Zidane this term but still has four goals to his name, more than both Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema, who have one apiece. According to Diario Gol, Zidane does not have enough faith to start the youngster every week but still wants him to commit to a deal. The Spaniard, meanwhile, is willing to move to get regular game time and would reportedly relish the chance to work under Pep Guardiola at City. Asensio's hands may be tied, however, as he committed to a new long-term contract over the summer keeping him at the Bernabeu until 2023. A reminder for those who need it:

4.15pmRONALDINHO BACKS BRIGHT FUTURE FOR GABRIEL JESUS
You know you are doing well when two-time Ballon d'Or winner Ronaldinho has praise for you, and the Brazilian legend is the latest to heap praise on Manchester City starlet Gabriel Jesus.
Jesus has been forced to share the striking role with Sergio Aguero during his City career so far, but Ronaldinho is confident that his compatriot will still make a major impact for Pep Guardiola's side.
Ronaldinho has also had some kind words for Guardiola himself, backing the Spaniard to replicate his success at Barcelona during his time in charge at the Etihad Stadium.
"I believe so. As a player, he was already playing with a very technical mind, so he was playing as a coach, thinking about everything like a coach. So he has a deep ­knowledge of football," Ronaldinho is quoted as saying by the Mirror.
"Wherever he goes, he understands much more than a normal coach. He ­understands the feeling on the field. I had the ­opportunity to play with the biggest coach in my career – that was Frank Rijkaard. But Guardiola's style of ­arranging the team, passing the ball and the beautiful game that everybody likes to watch, means it would be a pleasure for any player to have the ­honour to play for him."
On Jesus, Ronaldinho added: "I totally believe he will have a big part to play for City going forward. I love his style of playing. I truly believe that at City he will make a difference."
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3.50pmMAN CITY 'CHASING BARCELONA YOUNGSTER' City have been linked with a move for promising Barcelona left-back Mateu Jaume. The claims come from Italy's Tuttosport, who say that Pep Guardiola's side have made an approach for the 17-year-old after he impressed for Spain in the recent under-17s World Cup in India. Bayern Munich made a move for the youngster in the summer but although that deal collapsed at the last moment, the Bundesliga outfit are still said to be hopeful of convincing him that his future lies in Germany. Italian champions Juventus are also in the running.

2.42pmFODEN, DIAZ ABSENT FROM UNDER-19 SQUAD
Manchester City's Under-19 side are in action against their Feyenoord counterparts today, and the notable team news is that Phil Foden and Brahim Diaz are not in the youth squad.
The teenage duo have been tipped to start tonight's Champions League clash with Feyenoord at the Etihad Stadium, and their absence in the Under-19s is more evidence that may be the case.
Neither have ever started for the senior side before, while the highly-rated Foden hasn't even made so much as a substitute appearance.

12.56pmGUARDIOLA HAILS "AMAZING" TONY PULIS Pep Guardiola has sent "a big hug" to Tony Pulis after the veteran Premier League manager was dismissed by West Bromwich Albion yesterday. Former Stoke City and Crystal Palace boss Pulis was shown the door after a torrid run of form that had seen the Baggies not win in the Premier League since the second matchday of the season, a run that included an eventful 3-2 loss at home to City at the end of last month.
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Asked about Pulis's departure by reporters, Guardiola described him as "an amazing man" with whom he often shares "a good red wine". "Today, it is like this. When I was young, they said in England they respected a lot the contracts and the managers were never sacked. Now, it is so, so difficult. Wherever, it is the same. We have to accept that, we know that," Guardiola said. "Everybody knows when we don't have results... managers here can win the Premier League and months later they will be sacked. You have to work within that situation. "I am really disappointed because I have a great relationship with Tony Pulis. Every time we went against West Brom he was an amazing man, so gentle. Always, we would drink a good red wine. Hopefully we can do it again in the future." Guardiola won all three of his league games against Pulis since taking over at City in 2016.

12.02pmPEP NAMES FOUR STARTERS Pep Guardiola has already revealed that Danilo, Yaya Toure, Ilkay Gundogan and Bernardo Silva will all play against Feyenoord in the Champions League tonight. Having already secured qualification for the next stage, Pep plans to "change the team completely" for the encounter - with at least one change enforced due to the loss of John Stones to injury. "What happened with John Stones shows the calendar is so demanding and we have to rotate the team this month and we will do that game by game," he told reporters. "Fortunately we already qualify for the Champions League but the problem is we have a lot of games. The calendar demands so much from the players and that is why we have to have big squads to rotate because it is impossible to sustain these players every three days. "The players who didn't play [against Leicester] are going to play the next game but also some of the players that did play are going to play too. I have to think about it but Danilo, Yaya Toure, (Ilkay) Gundogan, Bernardo Silva are going to play for sure." Guardiola is also expected to hand a debut to England under-17s World Cup winner Phil Foden tonight.

11.05amARSENAL NOT GIVING UP MAN CITY CHASE
Pep Guardiola's side have left the rest in their dust in the Premier League so far this season, enjoying an eight-point lead at the top of the table after only 12 games.
Arsenal are even further behind - indeed, the lowest of the top six - but despite a 12-gap separating them from the runaway leaders, Granit Xhaka is refusing to give up the chase.
"I think in football everything is possible. Manchester City, at the moment, are on a very good run, they're doing very well and others have dropped points - which they haven't done - but it's conceivable that they could drop points as well," he told Sky Sports News.
"They might not continue as they have been. But our aim is just to focus on ourselves. We know we need to work and we're convinced that we can compete at the top.
"Everything's possible, I'm a person who thinks realistically but has dreams and fantasies as well. In football, everything is always possible." You can read more on that story by clicking here.

10.48amREAL MADRID WANT KEVIN DE BRUYNE
It should perhaps come as no surprise that some of Europe's biggest clubs are circling for Man City players considering their current form, and Kevin De Bruyne is the latest to be linked with an exit.
Real Madrid president Florentino Perez reportedly wants to make the Belgium international his latest Galactico having seen De Bruyne register nine assists and score four goals across all competitions so far this season.
The European champions have suffered a poor start to the season by their own high standards and already sit 10 points adrift of Barcelona, forcing Perez into action in the transfer market.
Madrid could be willing to pay up to €100m (£88.6m) for De Bruyne, although Pep Guardiola is still hopeful that the midfielder will sign a new deal at the Etihad Stadium.
Read more about that transfer story by clicking here.

10.44amGOOD MORNING!
Welcome to Sports Mole's dedicated live blog for all things Manchester City! Stick with us throughout today as we count down to tonight's Champions League clash with Feyenoord at the Etihad Stadium, which could see City clinch top spot in Group F.
Pep Guardiola's side have been unstoppable of late, stringing together a sensational 16 consecutive wins across all competitions including all four of their Champions League contests. City have emerged as one of the favourites to go all of the way and lift the trophy as a result, and it would be a major shock if they slipped up this evening following such a good run of form.

Guardiola has hinted that he could hand debuts to the likes of Phil Foden and Brahim Diaz tonight too, so we will keep you abreast of all the latest team news as and when it arrives throughout the day.
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