Guardiola unfazed by potential Aguero ban

City striker elbowed West Ham defender Winston Reid in 3-1 win over Hammers

MANCHESTER: Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola was relaxed about the possibility of losing star forward Sergio Aguero to suspension after television footage appeared to show him elbowing West Ham United’s Winston Reid on Sunday.

Aguero could face retrospective action by the Football Association, and suspension, if the incident in City’s 3-1 Premier League win is judged to have been deliberate.

That would rule him out of City’s next game, the eagerly-awaited derby away to Manchester United at Old Trafford on September 10.

“I didn’t see it,” said Guardiola of the incident at Eastlands following a win that left City top of the table on goal difference.



“I am new here so I don’t know how it works,” the Spaniard added. “I didn’t see so I cannot comment. Hopefully nothing happens. If it happens, we accept and adapt. If we lose him, we lose him.”

Two goals from Raheem Sterling and one from Fernandinho clinched a fifth win in as many league and cup games under Guardiola’s management, although a header from Michail Antonio — called up into the England squad for the first time later Sunday — brought West Ham back to 2-1 and provided City with some anxious moments.

Sterling looks a player reborn under Guardiola and the England midfielder praised the manager for his form. The former Bayern boss, however, refused to take the plaudits.

“What have I done to him? Nothing,” insisted Guardiola. “I have tried to do the best for all the players. Sterling has scored two goals, was good but the games before was more brilliant.”



West Ham manager Slaven Bilic had no complaints about Aguero’s alleged elbow on Reid, saying he did not see the incident, and several players out injured at Eastlands, took some consolation from the performance.

“With so many players we are missing, you have to praise the team, especially in the second half,” he said. “We can’t play much better than that when you’re missing six, seven, eight top players and you’re playing against City.”

Published in The Express Tribune, August 30^th, 2016.

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