WE NEVER WIN AT HOME & WE NEVER WIN AT ANFIELD...

YOU CAN’T WIN THEM ALL – BUT YOU CAN DEFINITELY TRY

KING OF THE KIPPAX COLUMN - MARCH 2018

Well the Watford game feels like so long ago now, but the first game of 2018 saw Pep keen to prove a point. After the draw at Selhurst Park, Pep went full strength – and the 3-1 win set City on their way again. Burnley next in the FA Cup, and despite the early goal, a superstar innings from Sergio Aguero saw the Blues sail through to face Cardiff with a 4-1 victory.

Another Cup game, this time against Bristol City, and Pep rotated but still managed to secure a slender 2-1 advantage to take to the return leg at Ashton Gate. Then came Liverpool.

I am never confident about going to Anfield. I don’t think I’ve met any City fan that is. But this season, I just felt that if we ever had a chance to get the win there, it was now. It’s been the season for breaking many records, so why not? They play open, probing football, which suits us to a tee, so why couldn’t we go there and get the win?

Much like water is wet and grass is green, the 4-3 defeat brought to an end our unbeaten run and chance of being ‘invincible’ this season. Did anybody actually really believe that would happen though? It was a crazy 10 minute period in the second half that saw City fall apart and Liverpool capitalise on uncharacteristic errors. I’m trying to brush over it and not be too harsh because, of course, at the time of going to press, we are still 12 points clear after a phenomenal season.

Newcastle next and the 3-1 win was convincing enough to put us back to winning ways, with a hat trick from Aguero. The returning leg of the Carabao Cup Semi Final saw City secure a place in the final against Arsenal with a 3-2 triumph, and a 2-0 win against a filthy Cardiff City side just days later sent us into the fifth round of the FA Cup to face our old foes Wigan at the DW Stadium.

So overall another fantastic month for City and it’s easy to underestimate just how difficult January can be. These games are coming thick and fast – the price you pay for cup run success. But it’s almost time for the Champions League knock-out games against Basel, and a very tough couple of weeks for the Blues with Arsenal in the Cup Final, in the League and Chelsea in the League all coming in the space of a week towards the end of February/early March.

It’s hard to believe that yet again we’re all talking about how a disgustingly reckless tackle has escaped without the punishment it deserved. Cardiff City’s Joe Bennett’s tackle on Leroy Sane was that brutal, the German’s leg practically bent as he went in studs up. The referee, Lee Mason, deemed the tackle only worthy of a yellow card. We now live in a football world where a tackle that horrific, which he seen Sane sidelined with ankle ligament damage, receives the same punishment as taking your shirt off does. How is that fair? It’s not. Something desperately needs to be done; it’s been a familiar sight so far this season and it’s continuing without many batting an eyelid.

But it’s been fantastic to see Aguero back in a run of form – despite the persistent whispers surrounding his potential departure this summer – and I’m gutted to see Sane sidelined for what looks like (at the time of going to press) the foreseeable future. Kevin De Bruyne has been up to his usual sublime tricks – that free kick against Cardiff City being a cracking example. Behave Kev! Good to see Bernardo Silva too putting in some exemplary performances of late too and really showing there are two Silvas at the club who can be just as magical. Excited to welcome Laporte on board and see what he has to offer – young and full of potential.

There have been a few question marks hanging over John Stones and his recent run of form; after coming back from his injury he’s made quite a few big, sloppy errors that have cost us goals. It’s so frustrating to see, because before he was out he was in a stupendous run of form and looked solid at the back next to Otamendi. I don’t like singling players out and I’m sure he’ll find his way back to that form, it’s just been slightly concerning to watch of late.

MAN LIKE DAVID

When everybody saw the team sheet for the Spurs game and realised David Silva was missing due to ‘personal reasons’, the rumour mill went into overdrive. Some of the rumours bordered on ludicrous, some were much more sinister.

In his own time, Silva came out himself and addressed the rumours. He thanked the club, his team mates and Pep for their understanding in the matter, and the fans for their well wishes. He then went on to explain that his son, Mateo, was born prematurely, and is fighting a daily battle to survive.

When I read this, I was gobsmacked. How he could even get on a plane to England in the first instance id beyond me. But to fly over and put in the kind of performance he did vs. Watford is nothing short of phenomenal. He must be in utter turmoil: people often think football is a matter of life and death, but a good dose of perspective can tell us otherwise. Football must be the absolute last thing on his mind. Being with his son and partner every precious moment and minute would absolutely be his priority.

I admire the way the club and Pep have handled Silva’s situation – but it doesn’t surprise me. When I worked at the club, I suffered a miscarriage. The club couldn’t have been more supportive. I don’t think they were to know just quite the extent it affected me – for years afterwards – but as an employer they were extremely sympathetic and sensitive to my situation and for that, I’ll always be grateful. It’s good to hear that stance is consistent throughout the club – from top to bottom.

He’s missed games to be with his family – and rightfully so. The club will always be here no matter what, that goes without saying. But amongst Silva’s trauma, he’s still managed to remain a consummate professional. He’s been travelling between Manchester and Spain to support both his team and his family and not once has he delivered a sub-standard performance during that time. It’s utterly remarkable. We all knew we were lucky to have a player of his calibre and trickery at OUR club, but through all his heartache to remain so dedicated to his work too, well, makes his really worth his weight in gold.

The vast majority of blues during his silence remained respectful to his privacy and need for time. The handful who speculated that he had cancer? Well, it beggars belief doesn’t it. Mindless idiots.

CITY WATCH PODCAST

It’s been another eventful month for the City Watch Podcast. I’ve actually missed the past couple due to being struck down with this horrendous flu that’s been doing the rounds – try cleaning shitty nappies and entertaining two under three year olds while suffering from that! It’s been a really rough couple of weeks, but I’m finally coming out of the other side now thankfully.

But before that we had our television debut at the Podcast. I’ve done bits and bobs of TV work in the past: I was asked to present a package on City once for North West Tonight a few years ago and it’s not exactly a medium I feel particularly comfortable with. Like most women, I am very paranoid about my looks. It stems back from being bullied at high school and needing a six hour operation on my jaw. So, despite my selfies, I am very insecure and feel much more comfortable behind a microphone or a keyboard.

So imagine our surprise when Liverpool Football Club TV got in touch with City Watch and Ian asking if they could come and film the Podcast and do a few interviews with us as a feature for LFCTV ahead of the big match? Ian, Jordan, Adam, Stuart and I headed to the XS Manchester Studios in Spinningfields in Manchester to conduct a ‘faux podcast’; basically we had to pretend to record our podcast while they filmed us. The two guys that came from LFCTV, Paul and Miles, were fantastic and we all had a really good laugh with them.

Despite feeling completely both out of my depth and my comfort zone, the final product was a delightful five minute package of the growing popularity of podcasts, along with a preview of the Liverpool-City game. If you missed it, the links to it are on both my Twitter and the @City_Watch Twitter account. What a great experience to be involved in though – and all of this, along with my contributions to the City Watch Podcast, have stemmed from writing for King of the Kippax again. I’m forever grateful to Dave and Sue for including my ramblings/rants/anecdotes and musings in their much-adored publication. I will always try and do them justice!

THE MANCHESTER/TRAFFORD POWER STRUGGLE

It feels like every month I’m talking about that lot next door. You know, the ones with the gobby Portuguese manager and the fans who mock us for having empty seats but can never be arsed to run up anymore because they’re stopped winning trophies? Oh, THAT lot. The ones who belittle us for the amount of money we spend on players despite playing £89m for Pogba (a former player of theirs – doh!), £90m for Lukaku and £450,000 a week for their latest acquisition, Alexis Sanchez.

But the hypocrisy that seems to run through the veins of everybody linked with that club is quite outstanding. Take Gary Neville for example. I (obviously) used to despise him when he played for United and when he became a pundit for Sky Sports I like others joked about cancelling my subscription. But he proved me wrong: he came across as a fair and balanced pundit, actually capable of giving praise to City and criticism to United when rightfully deserved.

But this season, it seems like the mask has slipped and true colours are shining through. For some reason, Gary seems to be sniping more towards City, with comments loaded with resent and jealousy. Perhaps he’s upset Pep chose City and they got lumbered with Mourinho? Perhaps he’s suffering from amnesia and fails to remember that United have long been the pioneers of spending big on players?

Or perhaps, like many United fans and other fans and pundits this season, he’s suffering from City Flu. In Gary’s case, symptoms include: harping on about how many trophies your club used to win, pointing fingers about spending money despite your club paying £450,000 a week to a new signing who was desperate to sign for your rivals and picking fault in a manager’s way of setting his team up to play, despite having been sacked from your one and only job as head team coach.

As if Martin Tyler’s commentary vs. Liverpool wasn’t bad enough; actually saying that Mane’s goal was ‘justice’ because of the red card he had received at the Etihad? The red card he had in fact rightfully been given due to his high boot ripping Ederson’s face apart. Neil Custis seems to be on a daily crusade to spread his anti-City nonsense to anybody stupid enough to listen, a la Duncan Castles and Matt Law from The Telegraph questioning the essence of Financial Fair Play because we want to pay Athletic Bilbao’s Aymeric Laporte’s buyout clause (at the time of writing this, we just have). Yet, no similar questions asked to Liverpool when they paid £75m for Virgil Van Dyke? People think we’re paranoid, but the anti-City media agenda has never been stronger and more apparent.

But back to United and their ways. They simply can’t handle the fact that City are the better team and have no idea how to cope and deal with it. As I mentioned last month, they were used to being showered in success and trophies; they don’t like being forced to watch such uninspiring, average football.

It isn’t me being arrogant, of course. We couldn’t be arrogant if we tried. It’s the current Manchester-Trafford power struggle. The Sanchez saga: Sanchez wanted City, City wanted Sanchez. United want what City want and offered an unjustifiable amount of money for him. City rightfully stuck to their guns and morals and let Sanchez go to a team that are used to throwing money at problems. A club whose supporters, pundits and manager have the guile, stupidity and hypocrisy to mock us for spending despite their recent transfer endeavours.

There’s one thing money can’t buy. Class. Integrity. Respect. The past is yours, the future is ours.

A WALK DOWN WEMBLEY WAY

Once upon a time, I remember watching Joe Royle’s Everton play United in the FA Cup Final at Wembley. It was 1995: I was a 13 year old girl watching City play, well, not quite the most attractive football I’ve ever seen us play (am I being too polite?!) Although I was understandably thrilled to see Everton beat that lot 1-0 and lift the Cup, I was also hit with a bit of the green eye.

‘I’ll never get to see my team play at Wembley,’ I lamented. ‘I’ll never get to experience what it’s like to go and watch City play in a Cup Final, let alone win it.’

Then, four years later, I found myself watching my team at Wembley for the Division Two Play-Off Final against Gillingham. A day so overwhelming , so full of emotion and so important in the club’s history, I find it quite difficult to put into words quite how I feel about that day (I’m welling up just thinking about it).

Although it technically wasn’t a Cup Final in the traditional sense, it was monumentally crucial to City and the future of the club.

Fast forward 19 years and it’s almost astonishing to believe that I’m now planning my 10^th trip to Wembley. Double figures. I’m not sure how I’ve gone from dreaming of a Wembley Cup Final to getting to visit the place 10 times – it’s unbelievable and we are so lucky to get to watch our team, play there so often (no Spurs no, that doesn’t count!).

What about all the memories we have made along the way?

That Manchester United Semi Final, which was on my birthday no less. Potentially the best birthday ever, one spent getting absolutely legless in the Green Man pub for the first time, following by more drinking on the roundabout and some very drunk tears at the final whistle. The FA Cup Final that subsequently followed against Stoke – the solitary goal from the big man Yaya Toure bringing the banner down after 35 years – and all the Jagerbombs that followed. All the celebrations in a drunken stupor, swinging off the bars on the Tube on the way back to our hotel singing ‘Oh Adam Johnson’ (!!!!) over and over again.

It was back down to Wembley just a few months later, in August, to face United again in the Community Shield – my first experience of defeat there. Say no more.

But we didn’t have to wait too long to go back again to play Chelsea in the FA Cup Semi Final. That meant more drinking at the Euston Tap, more cans on the roundabout and a 2-1 win, sending us through to the final – against Wigan.

How weird was that looking back? We had gone down for it with my good friend at the time, Mike, who was a huge Wigan fan. We had been mates for years – and teased each other over the ‘hand of Goat’ goal that helped City beat Wigan to the Play-Off Final back in 1999. To go from that to playing each other in the FA Cup Final, for us, was just baffling.

We stood on Wembley Way together just gobsmacked. It was a really surreal moment. All those years ago, joking to each other about Shaun Goater and Stuart Barlow and now, here we were, about to watch our teams face off in one of the biggest games of the year. Some blues even laughed seeing our rival shirts together and chanted ‘you’ll never be her husband’ (I was there with my fiancé at the time too, who was a blue). We even took Mike on the roundabout – he was the only Latic on there. We had such a laugh. But that was before the game.

Well, as for the match? Rumours afterwards were rife that Mancini had lost the dressing room and that was the players’ revolt. It was such a sickener though. When the heavens opened and that Ben Watson header went in just as we were all preparing for extra time – it was a gut wrenching moment. But I was genuinely happy for Mike. When we met him afterwards, he was crying his eyes out with happiness. We did Jagerbombs with him and had a great night. That was a horrific result though, there’s no mistaking that. Coming out of Wembley was awful. It still haunts me to this day (even though we’ve seen much worse!).

It was Sunderland next in the Capital One Cup Final in 2014. I had just split with my fiancé, who I had not only my season ticket with,  but lived with and had just found out I was expecting a baby with. It was a bit awkward at the time because we had a lot of mutual City mates, but this Wembley trip was very different because being pregnant of course meant that I couldn’t drink.

I drove down on the day with my brother. We went and met up with some friends near the roundabout and I saw said ex-fiance getting drunk on his own – what mixed memories these Wembley experiences are bringing back! But two absolutely incredible goals from both Samir Nasri and Yaya Toure meant my brother was spinning me in the air with delight and the League Cup was ours. I decided there was no better way to announce my pregnancy than at Wembley with a pre-written handmade sign, so at the final whistle that was unveiled and the news was met with much bittersweet happiness from my friends and family.

A couple of years later and we faced Liverpool in the Capital One Cup Final. What a difference that time had made personally – I was heading down to Wembley for the ninth time with my boyfriend, Adam, and my then 18 month old son, Vincent. It was quite possibly the proudest moment I’ve felt; walking down Wembley Way carrying my little boy, having been there just two years previously with him in my tummy. I’d gone from going to Wembley on the piss with my mates, to going there and experiencing a family day out.

We had the most fantastic day. Vincent couldn’t quite walk, so we booked a hotel next to Wembley and took him round in the buggy at first (we even ventured near one of the allocated drinking establishments, The Crystal, although the less said about that place, the better!), but then as kick-off approached, we ditched the wheels and carried him round. We bumped into so many of our friends too, who all got to be a part of Vincent’s first Wembley experience. The game? Well, it was all about Willy. The goalkeeper that everybody had baulked at starting ahead of Joe Hart turned out to be the penalty shoot-out hero. Winning on penalties with Yaya Toure blasting the final one home was a dramatic end to a very emotional day – and walking out with my family at the end under the blue arch with another trophy was everything I’d dreamed of and so much more.

The most recent trip to Wembley came last year, in the FA Cup Semi Final. By this time, we had welcomed a brother for Vincent, Noel Sergio. But we decided that Noel was definitely too young to take and Vincent was with his Dad that weekend, so we opted for a weekend on the booze. We stayed at the same hotel again and went down on the Saturday, which confused many Chelsea and Spurs fans as we walked down to our hotel in our shirts on the day of their game. We met up that night with some of our City friends and went for a night into the capital, for food and cocktails. Oh what a night. There were some very sore heads the next day as we headed to the Green Man.

Drinking the day of the game was a struggle, but we graced the Green Man and the roundabout with our presence and reminisced about the times we’d been there before. This time there was no final: Arsenal beat us 2-1 after extra time with the deciding goal coming from none other than that man, Sanchez. But the controversial decision by the linesman to disallow a goal for City that should’ve stood, with the linesman claiming the ball had gone out of play when in fact it hadn’t, left many City fans feeling robbed.

I remember spotting a couple of men back at our hotel wearing FA blazers, so I took the opportunity to voice my disapproval. They were both Brighton fans, so excited at the prospect of facing us in the League next season, and while one of them seemed to dismiss us and walk away, the other actually took the time to have a talk to us. He was sympathetic to our cause (although that doesn’t give us the Final place we deserved), and admitted that the decision was wrong. He said the FA were implementing the use of VAR next season (this current season) as a trial to see how and if it works. He said obviously had it been in place that day, the goal would’ve stood and we would’ve been through to the final. Too little, too late.

Many memories made and many more to come no doubt. What a time it is to be a blue and what a journey we’ve had throughout the years. This time round, we will be going to Wembley with Vincent again, as Noel is too fidgety to take just yet. He wouldn’t sit still. This time Vincent will be able to walk down Wembley Way himself and sing City songs he’s learned by going to the Etihad. But there will come a time when we will all go together as a family, and hopefully a time too when my boys will go together with their friends and, eventually, their own family too.

For me, these Wembley trips represent significant points in my life. They each come with their own unique stories, much like everybody’s journeys down there. As long as City keep performing the way they do on the pitch, these trips will continue to grace our lives and live long in the hearts and minds of us all. My Wembley record stands at: played nine, won six and lost three. I’m hoping that perfect 10 gives Pep his first trophy of many as City boss – would be nice to see my Vincent watch his namesake lifting silverware again in a stadium that holds so much sentimentality for us all.

Hope you all have a fantastic time down at Wembley or wherever you will be watching the game. February is a reasonably favourable month for us at the moment: a trip to Turf Moor to face Burnley followed by Leicester at home in the League. Basel in the Champions League followed by Wigan away in the FA Cup rounded up with the trip to Wembley to face Arsenal in the League Cup. It’s definitely not a bed of roses, but it does feel like the calm before the storm if you look at March’s fixtures…

One thing is for certain – they’ll be plenty to talk about next month.

Same place, same time?

Emily Brobyn

@kippaxgirlemily

We See Things They'll Never See

KING OF THE KIPPAX COLUMN - FEBRUARY 2018

(WRITTEN BEFORE THE WATFORD GAME)

The date is 27^th September 1997. My 15 year old self is sat in her season ticket seat at Maine Road –Kippax Stand BB Lower. The opposition today? Swindon Town.

It was one of those rare days; we had six goals to celebrate. That never happened. Nobody could quite believe it – we actually battered a team for once! Driving home from Moss Side with a smile on your face because of what you’d witnessed on the pitch was a very rare occurance. We’d even found a new cult hero – there’s only one Barry Conlon.

Neither the football nor the ‘cult hero’ lasted very long - which couldn’t be further from what we are experiencing right now at City. I can’t believe I’m writing this, but it’s January and City are still unbeaten in the Premier League (this goes to print before the Watford game). No, I’m not still pissed from Christmas, it’s actually happening. We started the New Year with a 14 point lead at the top of the Premier League – all the best for 2018, Blues!

JUGGARNAUT 1-0 BUS

At the time of going to print last month, we were about to play United; which feels odd because so much has happened since then. Jose tried his predictable mind games pre-match, claiming we were nothing but a team of drivers. Change the record eh Jose.

When the team news came out and I saw how attacking their line-up was, my confidence did waver slightly. But within minutes of the game starting, it became clear that Jose was parking the bus.

‘Park the bus, park the bus, Man United,’ City fans mocked.

It was 90 minutes of deep defensive play from them, with the odd hoof it up towards Lukaku in the vain hope of creating something and their players surrounding the referee begging at any given opportunity. In fact, Lukaku assisted us – twice. United were never at the races and the confident 2-1 win was made all the more sweeter when Jose kicked off over our ‘disrespectful’ dressing room celebrations. Hello Jose: pot, kettle, hypocrite. This behaviour is of course Classic Jose – all a ploy to detract from what happened on the pitch. He’s the master of manipulation, of smoke and mirrors – but I think it’s about time he practiced what he preached and showed a little respect (don’t hold your breath!)

Swansea was next: a delightful 4-0 away win in first gear, with two goals from David Silva and another futile parking the bus attempt from the opposition.

It was then onto Spurs at home and a game that many viewed as our strongest test of the season. I didn’t – I felt strangely really confident. Spurs tend to play open, expansive football, which suits us just fine; ideal to play through. But even I was shocked at the extent of our dominance through the 90 minutes.

David Silva had been ruled out after returning to Spain due to personal reasons – something we all wish him the very best with and respect his privacy with too. Gundogan came in- and had his best game in a blue shirt yet. The German scored the first goal and had a part to play in almost every other goal to. David Silva is David Silva; nobody could ever emulate or replace him. But Gundogan proved to be a more than capable stand-in.

But it was once again Kevin De Bruyne who again stole the show in midfield: orchestrating City attacks with bewildering simplicity. His vision and passing has made him the best box-to-box midfielder in Europe – not bad for a Chelsea reject!

It’s worth nothing of course that Spurs, as well as being on the end of a 4-1 drubbing, should’ve been down to 9 men after what can only be described as potentially career-ending tackles by Harry Kane and Dele Alli. But they’ll be more on those later.

Leicester next in the Carabao Cup quarter final: Pep rang the changes and fielded a second string side made up of youth players and fringe first teamers. He managed to strike a perfect balance: just enough experience, coupled with gifting Foden, Zinchenko and Tosin with starts against a fellow Premier League team; a fantastic opportunity for the lads to grasp and learn from.

Leicester started with Mahrez and Vardy on the bench too, perhaps surprisingly given this would possibly be their best chance of silverware this season. City’s one goal lead was looking to be enough – until Demarei Gray managed to convince Bobby Madley that his dive was a penalty. Not only was it blatant cheating, the fact Madley had given seven minutes of injury time seemingly from nowhere meant the game should’ve been over before the decision was made.

We then had to play an entirely unnecessary 30 minutes of extra time before winning on penalties – and what a penalty that was from Nmecha! Good save from Bravo too and I’m happy that he got to enjoy that moment. Pep’s celebration though – orchestrating the fans to his own ‘we’ve got Guardiola’ chant – may have gone some way to silencing the minority who thought he didn’t care so much for the Carabao Cup.

A relatively routine (!) 4-0 home win against an initially stubborn Bournemouth side was swiftly followed y a 1-0 away win over Newcastle. They set up so defensively – any deeper and they would’ve been in the North Sea. It was another instance of how we have to be patient to break such teams down. We should be confident in our ability; press, push and stretch them and force them into errors to be able to take advantage.

They had a 10 minutes rallying spell in the second half, but the one goal was enough to make it 18 wins in a row – a new record and only one behind Pep’s own record that he set at Bayern Munich.

Onto Crystal Palace on New Years’ Eve and fair play to them for giving it a bloody good go and actually taking a game of football to us. The winning streak may have ended, but it could’ve been worse: Ederson save a late penalty, another dive that tricked referee Jon Moss, and we looked below par, lacking intensity and our typical passing accuracy.

More disturbingly, both Gabriel Jesus and Kevin De Bruyne went off injured – the latter after a horror tackle from Puncheon that once again failed to result in a red card. Moss had a nightmare: he delayed our physio getting onto the pitch to treat Jesus’ injury, gave a penalty that was a dive and no red for another potentially leg-breaking challenge.

It wasn’t a disaster – in fact, it proved to be a decent point against a team that put up more of a fight than most have and I admire them for that at least. Most Blues going into the game were nervous and knew it would be a test. But Aguero missed a hatful – a worrying trend – and the passing in the final third was abnormally sloppy. We looked more of a threat when Sterling came on, but we never really looked like Sterling – I wanted Sanchez in the Summer and I would like him even more now please City.

It’s really difficult to single players out for praise when it’s such a team effort. Players who would’ve previously been seen as selfish as passing more, thinking more and the team spirit is infectious and exciting. I heap praise on Otamendi this month – rightly so – and my love for Ederson is ever-growing. For me, he’s the key signing this summer. He’s made a monumental difference to the team: his distribution is ridiculous and he instills positivity and confidence from the back. I keep praising Sterling too; his scored 18 goals in 95 apperances during his spell at Liverpool and he’s scored 17 for us in all competitions so far this season. Of course, he credits Pep with the praise for his remarkable progression – as do all the players involved.

Pep’s attitude and mentality runs through the players’ veins and they all credit that with the remarkable form of City this season. They’ve won games that a Pellegrini side for example would’ve definitely lost. It’s all down to the Pep effect – and to think people were worried about whether he could do it in the Premier League. He’s now reported bought an apartment in the city centre – hopefully it’s a sign of his commitment to City beyond his current contract. A girl can dream!

IF YOU CAN’T BEAT US, HACK US DOWN

I’ve just mentioned instances in recent games of opposition players subjecting our players to horror tackles. Referee Craig Pawson failed to send off both Kane and Alli for potentially career-ending tackles on Sterling and De Bruyne during the Spurs game. Similarly, Andre Marriner failed to even book Jacob Murphy for a despicable studs-up challenge on Gundogan (even if he couldn’t see it properly, the linesman had no excuse as it was right in front of him). During the Palace game, Jon Moss didn’t show a red card to Puncheon for his high, rugby-esque tackle on De Bruyne.

It’s become a worrying trend of late, where opposition players seem to think it’s okay to hack our players down to try to stop us playing. Even more worryingly perhaps, is Gary Neville’s recent quotes encouraging this kind of behaviour. Neville has become increasingly bitter towards City of late, with snide comments aplenty during coverage of our games. How is it okay that an ex-professional even thinks about coming out with such garbage?!

I don’t particularly enjoy finger pointing at referees – but when the quality of officiating is this poor and inconsistent – questions need to be asked. But where do we go from here, because this is now a proven problem. Up until the Palace game, our players/victims had thankfully emerged unscathed, but it was sickening to see De Bruyne hacked down so maliciously and stretchered off in agony. It had been coming unfortunately; and will continue unless the FA clamp down on it. I don’t expect  special treatment in any way and it’s not asking for much – just a fair, level playing field where such tackles  are greeted with the punishment they rightly deserve.

BLUE MOON PODCAST

Since I’ve had my two little boys, my career has well and truly taken a back seat. I was delighted to start writing for King of the Kippax again - I couldn’t believe Dave and Sue would want me back – it’s nothing but an absolute privilege.

I’ve always been close friends with Ian Cheeseman; since I was about 15 years old, looking to start a career in Sport Journalism, Ian has always been there for me offering opportunities, like the BBC Manchester radio show, Blue Tuesday. So not only could I not believe it when he phoned to invite me on his XS Manchester radio show Forever Blue, I was gobsmacked when he phoned to ask if I would like to be one of his panel members on a podcast he was launching with City Watch.

I’d followed City Watch on Twitter for years – they have over 115,000 followers and are seen as the number one unofficial source for all things City. So it was a pleasure and a privilege to be invited to be involved in such an exciting media project. We record the podcast at the XS Manchester studios in Spinningfields once a week: Ian is the host and I feature alongside two of the guys from the City Watch team. I rotate in with one of Ian’s other friends and it’s a fantastic experience to be involved in.

For the first show, we just sucked it to see if people would listen to us all rambling about City. But the figures have been brilliant – and by show three we had made it into the iTunes top 10 for sports and recreation podcasts – above established Sky and BBC podcasts. We were all amazed – and it’s justified recognition to the collective effort that we all put into it. Stuart, City Watch’s owner and founder, is over the moon with how it’s going. For me, it’s just nice to be able to talk about City for an hour a week and have people actually listen. It’s a lovely hobby to have and the lads involved are all so talented and knowledgeable. If you fancy listening, head to mcfcwatch.com, @City_Watch on Twitter, @mcfcwatch on Instagram and the City Watch page on Facebook.

I hope you enjoy listening to it as much as we enjoy making it.

OTAMENDI IS SUPERMAN

It’s a testament to Pep as just how many players have improved under his leadership. But one of the most remarkable turnarounds has come from our Argentine centre back, Nicholas Otamendi.

I’m happy to admit that, the past couple of seasons, Otamendi and his sliding tackles have put the fear of God in me. He could be hot-headed, rash and inconsistent. But this season he is establishing himself as one of the best defenders not only in the Premier League, but in Europe.

His passing stats have been incredible: during the Newcastle game, Otamendi completed 122 passes – seven more than the entire Newcastle team including substitutes. He’s matured: his passing out from the back has become crucial to the transition from defence to attack. He’s also managed to get on the score-sheet a few times himself.

The change hasn’t gone unnoticed, with Pep likening the 29 year old to Superman. For me, it’s a fit John Stones and Otamendi in the heart of defence as our best pairing now moving forward. I do think we could do with another central defender during the January transfer window. Kompany (as much as it breaks my heart), is more liability than reliable, Tosin is too inexperienced to use consistently in the Premier League just yet and Mangala is, well, Mangala. We could do with a player who is happy to play his part, accept being a part of the squad rotation but who’s skilled enough to be able to play it out from the back and fit in with Pep’s system. We’ve been linked with Origi Martinez and, of course, Jonny Evans. I would love Bonucci, but I can’t see that happening anytime soon. An interesting month of rumours is ahead!

PARK THE BUS, PARK THE BUS

Well, what a month it’s been in Trafford. It seems like Jose is well on his way to cracking up: the post Derby Day dressing room feud, being knocked out of the Carabao Cup by Bristol City and poor results across the board have left United a laughing stock and let City fans have a lot of fun on social media mocking them.

Jose even moaned about the amount of money City have spent on full backs. We bought Aguero, David Silva and Jesus for what it cost them to buy Pogba back. Maybe he should try the money at his disposal a bit more wisely? We also bought Fabian Delph for £8million and Pep turned the fringe midfielder into a superb left-back – so, although I know he’s pointing the finger towards Mendy and Walker specifically, maybe he should educate himself on the craftsmanship and coaching skills of Pep instead of being bitter and resentful.

The ‘park the bus’ song and mind the gap comments from City fans are nothing but a bit of fun. We couldn’t be cocky or arrogant if we tried. In the 1990s, we had to endure that banner, along with a tidal wave of jibes and comments from their lot constantly. We did live in the shadow of their success: we got promoted from Division Two the same season they won the treble and they even mocked us celebrating that! At the time, celebrating anything City-wise was few and far between, so we took the positives where we could find them.

But there would always be United fans to knock us back down again. We should savour this moment and give it out both barrels: after all, we cannot forgive nor forget their behaviour. I’m not saying we are stooping to their level and it’s certainly not arrogant. It’s just poking fun while we are watching the best football of our lives. It’s harmless, and in most instances I just get ‘20 times’ (yawn) thrown back at me. I never thought I’d live to see the day where we are in this position – try wiping the smile off my face!

FESTIVITIES

Christmas has now been and gone and what an exciting it was with my little boys. Vincent is three so it was his first Christmas knowing about Father Christmas, Rudolph and putting out the carrot and mince pie before bed time on Christmas Eve. Noel Sergio is only one, so he was oblivious, even when he crawled into a front room laden with presents on the big day. But it was so magical and, although exhausting as any parent will be able to relate, oh so worth it to see the look on V’s face on the morning opening his presents.

We spent most of the time celebrating with family of course. All our family are Blues, so Boxing Day we took great delight in watching the United-Burnley game with more than a few drinks. It did feel very weird not watching City on Boxing Day, it’s such a tradition, it’s all gone so daft now and it’s so unfair on the travelling fans. Adam and I then enjoyed a night away in the Lakes – precious time to relax amongst all the madness and mayhem!

So it’s now 2018, a World Cup year, and the only real plans we have involve City and a week away with the boys in Cornwall. We have gig tickets for Noel, Liam (why won’t they just get back together and have done with it – saves me spending money paying to watch them separately all the time!) and The Killers.

But with a Carabao Cup semi final on the horizon against Bristol City, that final weekend in February could potentially involve a trip to the capital. Factor in the return of the Champions League and City being in the form of their lives  - something tells me this year is set to be an absolute corker.

All the best to you and yours fellow Blues.

What a time it is to be a City fan – oh what I’d give to have just one day back in the classroom at high school right now! #bothbarrels

Emily Brobyn

@kippaxgirlemily

WALKING IN A CITY WONDERLAND

KING OF THE KIPPAX COLUMN - JANUARY 2018

(WRITTEN BEFORE THE DERBY GAME)

Tis the season to jingle your bells, deck your halls, eat, drink and be merry. Christmas is here and (this goes to print before the Derby game) CITY ARE STILL UNBEATEN! No I’m not hallucinating, I’ve not had too much mulled wine- we really are still unbeaten. With 13 Premier League wins in a row, City will set a record if they beat United at Old Trafford.

I know, I know, that’s a huge if. But it’s safe to say, we’re going into the game in the best form of our lives with everything to play for. There’s never been a better reason to be confident for Derby Day.

But – this being City – we are all waiting for that banana skin. Go the season unbeaten?! Now that’s a funny joke. This is City, masters of our own demise, there’s no possible way fans that are seasoned fans of the club could ever be serious about being invincible all season. That defeat is going to come. The run will end. As long as it doesn’t end at that place, I’ll be rather happy.

NO CASE FOR THE DEFENCE

Well wasn’t November just a joyful month to watch football? We started with an incredible performance away to Napoli in the Champions League. Bonfire Night brought a comprehensive and confident win against Arsenal, followed by an assured win at Leicester. Then came Huddersfield, Southampton and West Ham: teams who set up to sit almost their entire team behind the ball, with the sole purpose to stop us from playing football. Of course, for some teams that’s the only option they have. They’re scrapping for their lives – a point against us would be huge to them. We’ve been there, we know the score.

We’ve got to expect that. Speaking about banana skins, I went into all of the above games fearing the worst. It’s the Typical City in me, what can I say? It’s not logical: the players we have, the form we are in and the way we play is enough to encouraged every ounce of confidence in you, but there will always be that nagging thought at the back of your mind. What if.

‘It’d be Typical City if we lost this.’

Maybe it would’ve been Typical City if we lost it. But we didn’t. All three games we didn’t. Huddersfield not so much, but Southampton and West Ham were games when we had to come from behind to win. Both teams employed a very similar approach: time waste at any given opportunity, sit every man as far deep as you can and absorb every wave of City attack. Snatch a goal and defend for your lives. It’s not football, I don’t agree with it, and I’m not sure how fans of those teams quite happily pay money to sit and watch that shite every week.

It’s depressing as it is predictable to watch. It’s anti-football at its worst. But in both games, City came from behind – and won. We must learn to expect this kind of approach from certain teams and brace ourselves for it. We’ve got to be able to adapt our game plan and show the strength in character to be able to absorb such tactics without heads dropping or patience running thin.

That’s exactly what the two games demonstrated. City two seasons again would’ve lost both of those games. It’s the belief that Pep has installed in the players. The will to win. The focus and determination to keep going, keep probing, keep asking those questions. To never give up. That’s a lot too for the younger members of the team – it shows how much desire and character we have – and how strong the team spirit is right now. They’re working for each other, helping each other and digging deep (if not leaving it late) for those three points.

The worrying trait about recent games though, is we have looked oh so leggy. The long, congested run of fixtures looks like it is starting to take its toll and certain players look in need of a rest. It’s took us a while to get going – in both cases it’s taken us going a goal behind to actually kick into gear and go on to secure the points. Hopefully it’s a trend that can be bucked, because we’ll have to be there from kick off for the Derby, there’s no doubt about that. But I’m sure Pep will have the players well prepared for Jose and those famous dirty tactics of his.

You could see what it meant to the players, particularly after the Southampton game. Raheem Sterling, scoring that absolute beauty with the final kick of the game, Pep going crazy with his backroom staff and Mendy pulling a Usain Bolt, sprinting/limping down the touchline to join in with the celebrations. The photographs in the dressing room afterwards: we’re all in it together and there’s a different belief this season, the like we’ve never known with City before. In a way it’s akin to that of the Mancini title-winning 2011/12 season – and if it goes the way that did, I think we’ll all be pretty happy come May.

RAHEEM THE DREAM

I watched John Stones on Sky Sports before the game against West Ham (we were at the game but we always Sky+ it and watch it back when we get home) and he admitted that he thought quite a few players had improved under the guidance of Guardiola. One of the players he mentioned, of course, was Raheem Sterling, who is in the form of his career right now.

I’ve praised Sterling a lot in the past couple of months and rightly so. He deserves every bit of credit he’s getting. He’s become a more intelligent, determined player. You can tell his attitude has changed: he’s fiercer, he thinks more on the ball, looks around more – and is much more accurate with both his passing and his shooting.

He’s level on Premier League goals with Aguero – with nine goals so far this season – and two assists. He’s scored in four out of five Champions League games so far. Only Ronaldo has scored more in the whole competition. He scored late winners against Bournemouth, Huddersfield and Southampton for us – that’s nine points he has been directly responsible for. Without those late winners – it would’ve been three points instead of nine.

It’s a huge difference to the team and the position we are in right now and it’s all down to self-belief and confidence. Sterling is flying and you can see he’s in his element playing with that ability and energy around him. You get the sense he’s excited to be a part of something special at the club – and he’s grown so much with Pep as manager. He’s fulfilling the potential the price tag suggested – in fact, right now that fee is looking like a snip (much like De Bruyne and Stones).

So we thought we’d have a little laugh. Seeing as Sterling is flying at the moment and we all like to sing about him being ‘top of the League’, we thought we’d make him top of our Christmas tree. That’s right – we bought a star and stuck a photo of Sterling to it, adorning said tree on top of our tree. I took a photo of it and put it on Twitter – much to the general hilarity of everybody.

It was meant as a tongue-in-cheek joke. With Christmas quickly approaching and City dazzling everybody with their football prowess, it was an obvious joke to me. So imagine my astonishment when the man himself – Sterling – put the photos of my ridiculously tiny Christmas tree (trust me, if I had space amongst the toys in my front room, I’d have a much bigger one!) on his Instagram story for all of his 2.9 million followers to see. He said it made him laugh, which I’m definitely happy with!

After a day, a lot of Blues had commented to say it made them laugh too, but as is ever the case when we are eight points ahead in the title race with a lot of red-eyed, envious monsters baying for blood, I started to get grief off a lot of United fans. Grown men offering me out for fights, telling me I was pathetic, even mocking my children. All over two photographs of a Christmas tree. I mean, you pick your battles, but what started as a joke, quickly turned sour. I blocked the idiots and had to delete the photos. It just wasn’t worth the aggro I was on the receiving end of.

At least Raheem liked it. If he keeps that form up, we’ll all be laughing.

THE PRICE OF SUCCESS

It’s a really weird feeling being a City fan at the moment. On the one hand, we are witnessing the best football most of us have ever had the pleasure to witness in a sky blue shirt. Win after win after win: week in, week out, we are being dazzled by beautiful football. It’s football the way football should be played: technically brilliant, creatively spectacular and monumentally superior to anything else on offer in the Premier League this season.

On the other hand, we are experiencing the downside that can only come with being eight points clear at the top of the Premier League. Opposition fans, pundits and critics alike are almost chomping at the bit for our winning run to come to an end. Martin Tyler could hardly hide his devastation when David Silva scored the winner against West Ham.

‘City’s run continues,’ he snarled, through gritted teeth. West Ham fans going into the stadium telling us to keep it respectable and ‘only score six past us please’.

So this is what it feels like. I remember when City were everybody’s second team – mainly because people felt sorry for us. We used to be the butt of all football jokes; a team looked at both in pity and with mild affection. Now all the jokes focus on money. How rich our owners are. How disgusting it is that City are buying their way to success – why you’d almost think we invented the notion of purchasing players that enhance the way your team plays in order to put you in the best possible position to win trophies!

It’s hypocritical, short-sighted and resent in its purest form. Why you’d not want to give out praise and credit where it’s so rightfully due because the team in question have lucrative owners makes no sense at all. The media fawned over United and Barcelona during their best years. Same with Arsenal during the Henry-Bergkamp era.

It’s simple. Every team who wants to be successful needs to spend money to get there. You need to speculate to accumulate. We’ve just spent very wisely: we’ve identified the weak spots in the team, waved goodbye to players that aren’t good enough and brought in the best available players in the sought-after positions to get the job done. Perhaps it’s hard for me to understand why anybody who enjoys and is a fan of football as a sport wouldn’t be giving a standing ovation to the football being played by City right now.

Examples of this behaviour come in many different forms. A Burnley fan on Twitter giving us fans grief, asking if we miss the ‘emotion’ of football. She’s obviously never experienced an Aguero 93:20 moment in her life – it doesn’t come much more emotional than that! The focus before the Huddersfield game being on the comparison of squad costs – I’m pretty sure they didn’t do that before the United game. Then the amount of Huddersfield fans who took to social media to berate City, throwing out insults typically like ‘oil money’, ‘Arab so and sos’ and the timeless classic ‘you’d be shit without money’.

Of course we won the lottery with the takeover. There’s not a day goes by when the City collective aren’t grateful for that. But it could happen to any team. Opposition fans are just bitter that it didn’t happen to theirs, and that’s something we as fans have to face up to and contend with on a daily basis. We’ll just keep doing what we do, enjoying this stupendous ride we’re on and learning to grow an even thicker skin.

It is bloody great though, isn’t it?! #pinchyourself

TAXI FOR POGBA

A lot of City fans had an understandably disgusted reaction when those quotes emerged recently from Paul Pogba about us. In an interview with the BBC’S Football Focus, Pogba said that he hoped that City’s season would be disrupted with injuries to important players, as to help United’s cause.

‘I hope - and it's bad to say things like this - but I hope they will get some very important players injured like what happened with us.

People don't see this, don't speak about this, but every time we have important players that get injured when there is important games.

So if that starts happening with them as well maybe we'll get a little difference. A little touch that makes them weaker.’

There’s so much wrong with even thinking this, let alone coming about to the press and being officially quoted with it. It beggars belief. A professional footballer wishing injuries upon his fiercest rivals in order to gain an advantage – surely if you’re a professional, you’d want your opponents to be full strength, so you’d have no excuses?! But no, not Pogba. He’d be quite happy if City incurred injuries if it meant disruption to our title charge.

A note to the not-so-wise Pogba, but that’s already happened to City this season. Mendy has been ruled out for the majority with a ruptured ACL. Kompany has had spells out. Aguero was involved in a car crash and was out. Stones is currently out for six weeks after pulling his hamstring. The injuries have happened – are happening. Stones has been a crucial player for us this season. But we adapt; the show must go on. We don’t sit around moaning about it, we squad rotate. The Frenchman should do his homework or better yet – show a little bit more respect.

But karma worked a treat for Pogba after he was sent off for what can only be described as a hideous tackle on Arsenal’s Hector Bellerin. The red card means that Pogba sits out the Derby – couldn’t happen to a nicer man. Maybe next time he’ll think before he speaks – I won’t hold my breath.

THE LOYALTY POLICE™

I don’t know about you, but I am getting a little bit fed up of other City fans telling others how to support the club. I see and hear it all the time and it is such a huge bugbear of mine. I even saw it in this fanzine last month – the cheek! Back in the day when I was young and naïve, I would’ve been banging that drum of ‘how dare you leave the ground early’ and ‘you surely can’t miss a game, what are you playing at? Call yourself a blue?!’

Let’s get one thing straight: if people pay their money, they have the right to do whatever they want. If they want to go at 82 minutes past, that is entirely their prerogative and who are we to judge. Likewise, if they can’t make a game, they shouldn’t be chastised and cast off as a part timer. It’s absolutely ludicrous, tedious and childish.

Yes City are the best thing since sliced bread; they are the love of our lives and we remain devoted to them, planning our lives round the fixture list every season whether we have owners who own a country they’re that rich or whether we play a goalkeeper upfront because we don’t have strikers good enough (it was done for the height, but you get my drift).

But people have commitments outside of football that often dictate how they follow the club. Finances are a huge thing for most people. Work commitments too. Family life: I have had a season ticket for years, but had to give it up when I became pregnant with Vincent, because at the time I was a single Mum. Now I’m with my partner and we have baby number two, we share a season ticket and take it in turns between games. It often works out very well and fair – that’s just how we have to do it for now, because we have two small children. On the odd occasion when we have a sitter, we can go together. Night games are near-on impossible. But those are my circumstances and if you think I’m any less of a fan than Joe from Stockport, who is 18 with a disposable income and no commitments that allows him to go to every game home and away, you’re completely in the wrong.

Circumstances determine how many games we can attend. Similarly, they dictate when people have to leave games. Some people leave early because they have to rely on public transport: buses and trains commonly. I’ve seen people moaning recently at the amount of people who leave before full time – shut up, focus on your own support for the team and have the decency to respect the fact that every fan is an individual with their own reason behind their actions. Who are you to judge, seriously? I don’t leave early, but I can understand people who do because getting away from the ground through the traffic is an absolute nightmare at full time. Fair play if you want to leave to skip that and get away sharpish – you may risk missing a last-gasp curler from Raheem, but that’s the risk you take. More often than not because they have to.

I have no idea why people choose to be obsessed by other people’s behaviour. Likewise, I’ve no idea why people obsess over attendances and empty seats. But if it’s not affecting your life directly, then leave it. If you choose to stay and clap every player off until the team disappear down the tunnel, that’s up to you. If you’re lucky enough to afford every game home and away, fantastic, but don’t look down your nose at other fans that can’t.

It doesn’t make people any less of a blue – we’re all in this together, remember?

MISTLETOE NO WHINE

I do love this time of year though and I’m super excited for Christmas with my boys. Vincent is three now, so he’s much more aware of Father Christmas and the naughty/nice list. He’s especially aware of presents – funny that, isn’t it? Noel is one on 13^th December, so he’s still a bit small and will be more interested in playing with the wrapping paper than the presents he’ll receive! But I’m making it adorably festive for them both and we plan on spending the day itself with my partner’s family in Bury.

Christmas is a hugely important time of the season, so the fixtures of curse dictate our plans for the festive period, but we plan on getting copiously merry and *hopefully* we can all enjoy the most wonderful time of the year. Generally, on paper, the fixtures have been kind to us, but if we’re all still expecting that banana skin, you just never know.

Let’s keep our glasses of alcohol half full for now – and let’s just enjoy it! For this is the best season of football we’ve watched in a while and Pep’s present of choice to all of us would be to bring the New Year in with City in pole position for the Premier League trophy come May.

At the time of writing this – pre-Derby Day – it’s looking really good.

Keep that glass half full – and raise it to an amazing season so far.

Merry Christmas, Blues!

Emily Brobyn

@kippaxgirlemily

'THE BEAUTIFUL GAME' BY PEP GUARDIOLA

KING OF THE KIPPAX COLUMN - DECEMBER 2017

For once, I’m not really sure where to begin. As a writer, you become used to using superlatives and adjectives to add to your story, as a fan I can’t quite believe I’m using them to describe my football team.

For last month, I took great pleasure in writing about City’s unbeaten run. How I couldn’t believe that we’d made it to the end of September with our impeccable record intact. I now can’t believe it’s been another full month and the run has continued. October has been and gone and City are not only still unbeaten, but have already qualified for the next round of the Champions League.

No, you’re not dreaming. This is how the beautiful game is supposed to be played. This is Manchester City, circa 2017. This is City, under Pep Guardiola.

TOTAL FOOTBALL

I think the penny finally dropped after we beat Napoli 4-2. To go there in the middle of a gruelling run of games, in an intimidating atmosphere against a strong side and dominate the best part of the match, sent out the strongest of messages. If you hadn’t been taking us seriously so far, it’s time you did.

For the best part, pundits and journalists have been starting to give us the praise that’s so rightly due. So they should: City are playing the kind of football most teams can only dream of. Pep Guardiola’s brand of football has arrived: it’s his squad and he now has the players capable of delivering the football we’ve seen previously from Pep at Barcelona and Bayern.

In my first article from this season, I said that the time was now for Pep to prove himself. A lot of people knew just how capable he was of delivering his style of football given the right tools for the job – the tools are in place and the master craftsman is at work, much to the bewilderment and delight of City fans.

It’s a privilege to watch and it’s hard to believe that this is our football team. The team spirit is there for all to see: the players want to work for each other, the work ethic is commendable and the football is mesmerising. There’s no weak link – and players who may have had question marks lingering over their heads are now thriving in the form of their lives.

John Stones for example. Many thought the £47.5 million price tag we paid for him was excessive, but the price takes into account potential, and it’s that potential that he’s now fulfilling. That price is now beginning to look like value for money. If he carries on in this form, we could be looking at our captain for this season.

It’s a similar situation with Raheem Sterling. The 22 year old has been slaughtered in the press and amongst opposition fans, who criticised his £49 million price tag and were adamant he’d never fulfil the potential he has shown.

‘All pace, no end product,’ they mocked.

At the time of going to press (before the Arsenal game), Sterling has scored seven goals so far this season. Level with Aguero and one behind Harry Kane, he’s also racked up two assists. It’s about time people recognised that Sterling is a key member of the City squad – he acknowledges rightfully that Pep plays squad rotation and he has to be part of that, but his hard work is paying off – that’s always the best way to prove people wrong and he’s doing it so well.

It’s interesting too that the goals are being more spread out across the team. Take the defence for example. Conceded 10, but scored seven and assisted with eight goals. It’s further proof if needed that Pep’s total football is coming to fruition and proving great dividends across the field. It’s a collective effort, where attack is the best form of defence and Ederson aims for as high a pass completion rate as Silva or Stones. Sane and De Bruyne have both been nothing short of sensational. Picking a Player of the Month is almost impossible, it’s that much of a collective effort.

Quite a lot of opposition fans have told me how lucky I am this past couple of weeks. Things can change in the blink of an eye, and we know as Blues never to count our chickens or take anything for granted. But this time it feels different. It feels like we are watching and witnessing something really special at the moment. This is a new defining golden era at the club.

The players we have are young, exciting and are just as excited to be a part of the history they are making. It’s passion, pace, tenacity, hard work and bloody good football all rolled into one. It’s intelligent: the kind of football you can’t take your eyes off for a second or you’ll miss a superb goal, an inch-perfect pass or a blistering counter attack. It’s a special time and long may it continue.

On a side note, we’ve been linked with Alexis Sanchez and – perhaps more unbelievably – Lionel Messi. But (and I can’t quite believe I’m saying this), where would they fit in? Who would you drop at the moment to make room for them? Messi is Messi, and he comes along, somebody will certainly have to make way, but the strength in depth is that good right now, that every player is just as important.

A big shout too goes to Fabian Delph. As I mentioned last month, he could’ve gone in the Summer, but he didn’t. He stayed and fought for his place: Mendy’s injury meant we needed an adequate replacement and left back and Delph has proved adaptable enough to fill in better than anybody could’ve possibly hoped for. He has put in some stellar performances of late and looked more than comfortable in the Champions League, earning him the nickname, Delphino. The praise is more than due and another middle finger to his haters and doubters.

Don’t you just love it when City keep proving people wrong. Long may it continue.

NEVER FELT MORE LIKE SINGING THE BLUES

I think one of my favourite moments from October is when the score from the Huddersfield-United game echoed around the South Stand during the Burnley game.

‘No wayyyyyyy, Huddersfield are winning 2-0? You’ve got to be joking right? As if!’

It was true. We ended up beating Burnley in a comfortable 3-0 win and they got beat by Huddersfield 2-1. Now, I’m usually not that fan who watches everything United does to compare and contrast, but I do like having a moment in the sun when it comes round.

Why? Because my high school days were riddled with the torment of supporting City in the constant shadow of United. I was constantly ribbed, bullied and teased by Peter Reid’s/Brian Horton’s/Alan Ball’s/Asa Hartford’s/Frank Clark’s/Steve Coppell’s/Joe Royle’s failure at City. When I walked into the form room after they beat us 5-0 (that Kanchelskis hat trick), the lads were baying for blood. None of them had gone to a game at Old Trafford of course, but as I walked in with my City coat on, the chant went up. GGMU. It lasted all day, but the ridicule lasted until I left high school in June 1998.

It was depressing. But it’s something that will live with me forever. The image of that banner in the Stretford End and the sheer arrogance that their fans possessed during that time and still on the whole do. Most of them think they have a God given right to win trophies based on their past. Heaven forbid little City become actual contenders in the long run. How dare City play better football than us – go on, admit that it’s happening.

Just imagine paying to watch the football they play. Can we call it football? Mind numbing and monotonous. Unimaginative and uninspiring. We all know that Jose loves to play up to the anti-football card, but it’s become even more apparent when he’s playing it in the same league as Pep’s magnificent football. Boring, boring Jose.

Of course, they are our main threat in the title race this season. Rumours continue to swirl about Conte’s relationship with Roman Abramovich at Chelsea, Wenger and Arsenal are typically destined for 4^th spot, Liverpool have disappointed under Klopp but The Harry Kane Team™ do continue to impress under Poch. But it’s Jose and United who look to be our main competition for the trophy: it’s an interesting battle given the huge gulf in class both on and off the pitch.

It may seem petty, it may seem small time. But we really shouldn’t forget about The Banner™. I know I won’t.

RECORD BREAKING SERG

It was only a matter of time before Sergio Aguero broke Eric Brook’s goal-scoring record. He reached 178 goals for City in style during that 4-2 thriller against Napoli. It’s the most incredible achievement and we’ll hopefully see plenty more where that came from him in the months and seasons to come.

It’s a huge cliché, but when it comes to goals from Aguero, there’s one that stands up head and shoulders above the rest. That will go down in history forever, the one goal that we still can’t watch back without tearing up. 93:20. The goal that won us the League.

Around me in the East Stand, everybody had pretty much given up hope. It was a mixture of anger and, well, just people crying. Sobbing. It was Typical City™ to be in the driving seat and mess it up at home to a team battling for survival. But I had hope and was screaming like an absolute idiot.

‘Come on City!’ I cried. ‘We can still do this. Come on, let’s have some faith!’

Edin Dzeko’s goal put a bit of fire back into people’s bellies, but the majority still feared the worst. Too little, too late. No chance. This was still going to happen. We were still going to win the League.

Looking back, it was all a bit of a blur. I remember Balotelli receiving the ball in the midfield and passing it to Aguero. I think I had two thoughts at that point. A) he’s blasting it over or wide or B) this is it. The moment. Time stood still. It seemed like an age between him receiving the ball and hitting it goal bound. But the net bulged. That roar. That moment was adrenaline, ecstasy, relief, joy and what the hell had just happened?! What had we just witnessed?

We witnessed history in the best possible way. It’s still so hard to put into words and it will always stir emotions I didn’t know were possible. It’s feelings I doubt I will ever experience again. It’s so hard to explain – of course, the 47,000 who were there that day will be only too familiar with that sentiment. But that goal from Aguero was the goal. Some might say it was his career-defining goal.

That moment is the moment that everybody thinks about when you hear his name (some part of that is obviously down to Martin Tyler), but it’s impossible to put a price on just how important that goal was, how much it meant to everybody at the club and how much financially it was worth. There’s been 177 other goals, but none can ever compare to that.

Some have mentioned the possibility of a statue of a stand being named after the Argentine, and I think it’d be a fantastic gesture and only too deserved. Colin Bell played his part in the successes of the club, and many others have since, but none so much as Aguero. He’s a huge part of City’s history and that should be recognised.

The Sergio Aguero Stand, has a good ring to it, doesn’t it?

THE KOMPANY WE KEEP

For the first time ever, I’m beginning to see a future for City without Vincent Kompany.

It pains me so much to say it because I’m the biggest Komps fan – I even named my first born after him – but with Stones and Otamendi playing so well at the back, it’s the first time I’ve sat back and realised we don’t actually have to rely on Kompany anymore. The injuries have taken their toll and he doesn’t seem to be as active as he once was on social media about City. A lot of fans have been disappointed about his club vs. country stance and there have been hints that Pep hasn’t been too happy about it either.

I would love for him to get back to full fitness and fight for his place in the starting line-up, healthy competition is good. He’s even on the back of my home shirt this season. I’ve never had a bad word to say about the Belgian and this is no way criticism, we all know how unlucky he’s been throughout the past few years.

No matter what happens, he will always be such a monumental part of the story. He deserves our respect – I just hope if he does make a decision, he decides to stay at the club in some capacity. Like Zabs, it’d be wrong seeing him go elsewhere.

DEJA BLUE

When I first started watching City, Brian Horton was our manager. Tony Coton was in goal, Peter Beagrie was on the wing and Uwe Rosler was upfront. Horton played open, attacking football, with varying degrees of success. But he gave it a shot and the results produced some thrillers – namely the 5-2 win over Spurs at Maine Road. He was attack-heavy but the football was lively, but success was stunted by injuries to key players.

I’ve always had great respect for Horton. He had a good football philosophy. I interviewed him at his house and he spoke so highly of City. He loved the club, still does. He tried to play football and sign creative players with severely limited resources, when a bitter power struggle was going on between Peter Swales and Francis Lee. He played with width, with an aggressive and powerful striker upfront, and creativity in midfield. He’s respected by the Blues who know their football – and who agree his exit was absolutely premature.

So what does that have to do with City circa 2017? I’m not comparing Horton to Pep, that would be silly. But maybe, just maybe, way back then, we had a taste of how things could be when we play football right. With the right resources, the right tactics, the right players, we can play the game the way it’s supposed to be played. Open, attacking and inventive football. The beautiful game.

Roy Keane recently said in an interview that he fully expects City to mess it up because ‘it’s in our DNA’.

Can we really go the whole season unbeaten?

Do you need me to answer that?

(I hate agreeing with Keane. I’m off to wash the disgust off me!).

Emily Brobyn

@kippaxgirlemily