IT’S GREAT TO WIN THE $9 MILLION but I just don’t want to lose to him and give him the satisfaction because the bragging rights are what is going to be even “worse than the money,” SP RTS MAYBE ONE DAY WE MAKE A CLICK AND WE CHANGE IT. I think the team is O good, I like the way my team play but it is not enough. 05 February 2020 11 Can Champions League salvage Man City's season? LONDON: Manchester City man- In their back-to-back title win- ager Pep Guardiola conceded the ning campaigns, Guardiola's men Premier League title to Liverpool conceded 27 goals in 2017/18 and long ago, but his side's profligate 23 last season. With 13 games still attack and porous defence are be- to play this season, they have al- coming worrying trends. ready conceded 29. A sixth defeat of the campaign, Laporte is back fit, although he at Tottenham on Sunday, means has been bedded in slowly after City have now lost as many times making his return in a 1-0 win at this season as in their previous Sheffield United nearly two weeks 84 league games under Guardiola ago. and are relying on cup competi- Waiting to 'click' tions to salvage their season. The 2-0 defeat in north London Guardiola's men are into a third on Sunday was only the second consecutive League Cup final, time City have failed to score in where they will be heavy favou- the league this season. rites to beat Aston Villa on March However, a failure to take their 1. They face Sheffield Wednesday chances has also been a recurring in the fifth round of the FA Cup. theme of City's season. Against However, City's season will Spurs they had 18 shots to Totten- INJURY ENDS SHARMA'S NZ TOUR WELLINGTON: India opening batsman Rohit India, who swept New Zealand 5-0 in Sharma has been ruled out of the rest of the the T20 series, play three ODIs starting tour of New Zealand after suffering a calf Wednesday in Hamilton and selectors have He underwent an MRI scan in Hamilton strain in the final Twenty20 international named Mayank Agarwal as Rohit’s replace- in Mt. Maunganui, the country’s cricket ment in the 50-overs squad. on Monday. The opening batsman has board (BCCI) said on Tuesday. Prithvi Shaw, who was sidelined first by Rohit retired hurt on Sunday when he an ankle injury and then a doping ban last been ruled out of the upcoming ODI and was on 60 off 41 balls. He received treat- year, was named in the 16-member test ment for several minutes in the 17th over squad and is expected to open with Agar- test series and will be referred to the National but hobbled off three deliveries later and wal with fellow 20-year-old Shubhman Gill was unable to continue. as the reserve opener. Cricket Academy for further management of “He underwent an MRI scan in Hamilton India will also be without all-rounder on Monday. The opening batsman has been Hardik Pandya for the test series as he re- his injury,” the BCCI said in a statement. ruled out of the upcoming ODI and test covers from a back injury. series and will be referred to the National India test squad: Virat Kohli (captain), Cricket Academy for further management Mayank Agarwal, Prithvi Shaw, Shubman Hanuma Vihari, Wriddhiman Saha, Rishabh ja, Jasprit Bumrah, Umesh Yadav, Moham- of his injury,” the BCCI said in a statement. Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Pant, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jade- med Shami, Navdeep Saini, Ishant Sharma WILLIAMSON now be judged on how they fare ham's three, missed a penalty and ruled out of India in the Champions League, with a series of other sitters. the might of 13-time winners Real "Always I believe and, today Madrid awaiting them in the last more than ever, you are closer to 16. win the games when you create one-dayers An inability to progress beyond more chances and concede few," the quarter-finals in Guardiola's insisted Guardiola. WELLINGTON: New Zealand captain “It’s great to welcome Mark back three seasons at City so far has "Maybe one day we make a Kane Williamson has been ruled out into the one-day unit off the back of been the major disappointment click and we change it. I think the of the first two one-day internationals consecutive centuries for New Zealand of an otherwise hugely successful team is good, I like the way my against India this week due to a A against a strong India A side,” selector reign. "I will be judged, if we don't team play but it is not enough." shoulder problem and replaced in the Gavin Larsen said. win it in my final period here, that Guardiola has garnered a repu- squad by Mark Chapman. “Mark’s a versatile player who can I will be a failure here. I know tation as one of football's all-time Williamson suffered an “inflamed AC cover multiple batting positions and his that," said the City boss ahead of great coaches after winning 28 joint in his left shoulder” while fielding fielding is a real upshot to have in the this weekend. trophies in three different coun- in a Twenty20 match against India last squad.” Relying on Laporte tries with Barcelona, Bayern Mu- week and will miss Wednesday’s match New Zealand will also play tests If they are to be crowned Euro- nich and City. in Hamilton and Saturday’s clash in against India in Hamilton and pean champions, City need major A true test of that greatness will Auckland, New Zealand Cricket said on Christchurch at the end of February and improvements at both ends of the be whether he can turn the tide in Tuesday. start of March. The tourists won the just pitch, but tightening up at the the next few weeks to avoid City's Black Caps physiotherapist Vijay concluded Twenty20 series, with a 5-0 back is the most pressing priority. season ending limply. Vallabh said Williamson’s injury would sweep. be managed cautiously and the batsman might be fit for the third and final match He will of the series at Mount Maunganui. “Kane has had an X-ray scan which continue Dembele picks up cleared him of anything serious, but it’s best for his recovery that he avoids his fitness aggravating the joint for the next few training another injury in days,” Vallabh said in a statement. “He will continue his fitness training sessions throughout sessions throughout the week and will training start batting again on Friday with the the week and will prospect of being available for game LONDON: Barcelona forward Ous- will continue with his rehabilita- three next Tuesday.” start batting again mane Dembele pulled out of training tion." Tom Latham will stand in for on Friday with on Monday amid fears the French- Dembele has not played for Barca Williamson as captain in the first two man has suffered a setback in his re- since November 27 but had been ex- matches. the prospect of covery from a hamstring injury. pected to return this month. Lefthanded batsman Chapman "During this morning's train- The 22-year-old has endured a scored 124 not out on debut against the being available for ing session, Ousmane Dembele felt spate of injuries since moving to United Arab Emirates in Dubai in 2015 some discomfort in his right leg as Camp Nou from Borussia Dortmund but managed only nine runs in three game three next a consequence of muscle fatigue," in 2017 and has only made nine ap- matches against England last year in his Tuesday.” Barcelona said in a statement. "He pearances this term. last ODI outings. 'Hungry' Morgan sets sights on T20 WC success for England England captain Csays the hunger to hold the positions at the moment,” he lift trophies has not diminished in the added. I haven’t wake of the his side’s 2019 World Cup “I haven’t looked that far ahead. I’m triumph and has his eyes set on more looked that looking at the next two T20 World Cups silverware in the shortest form of the and I feel I have enough to say I hope to game in the coming years. far ahead. I’m be here for both,” he said. Morgan will lead England against “Often when you make a decision South Africa at Newlands on Tuesday in looking at the next to stay on longer it’s taken out of your their first one-day international since hands, so I just want to focus on the they claimed the World Cup in dramatic two T20 World Cups next two T20 tournaments. fashion at Lord’s in July, and he said the “Coming back from the five T20 aim now is to make sure that was not a and I feel I have matches we played in New Zealand one-off success. (in November), I felt physically and “Before the next (50-over) World Cup enough to say I hope mentally very good, so I want to we have two T20 World Cups that we continue with that.” are eyeing, so this series against South to be here for both,” Morgan added that the England team Africa will allow us to build a broader don’t dwell on the world champions tag, squad so that in three or four years’ he said.