LONDON • Burton Albion will need a "miracle" to overcome the might of English Premier League champions Manchester City over two legs in the League Cup semi-finals, said manager Nigel Clough.
The son of legendary manager Brian Clough, who led Nottingham Forest to two European Cups triumphs in 1979 and 1980, is also no stranger to producing Cup upsets.
Clough was in his first spell in charge when Burton, then in English football's fifth tier, held a Manchester United side boasting Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney 0-0 in the FA Cup in 2006.
Burton have since progressed to the third tier and are lying ninth in League One, but Clough believes stopping Pep Guardiola's City, particularly when they travel to the Etihad today, is an even tougher task.
"I think this one over two legs," said Clough, when asked to compare which was the tougher challenge.
"When Rooney and Ronaldo came on after 59 minutes here for Manchester United, it's a similar sort of prospect with the likes of the quality that Manchester City have.
"But, away from home, it's a different thing. When they are on their own patch, as you saw against Liverpool (City won 2-1), they're as good and as confident as anything."
DAVID VERSUS GOLIATH
We've not gone into any detail with them (the players) because that will frighten the life out of them. They know. They watch Match of the Day every week. They know exactly how good they are.
NIGEL CLOUGH, Burton Albion manager, on preparing his players for the two-legged semi-final against Manchester City.
Clough also masterminded Sheffield United's run to the last four of both the League and FA Cups when in League One in two seasons at Bramall Lane between 2013 and 2015.
However, in eliminating Championship sides Aston Villa, Forest and Middlesbrough and Premier League strugglers Burnley, Burton have not yet faced any team of City's calibre.
"We've not gone into any detail with them (the players) because that will frighten the life out of them," admitted Clough.
"They know. They watch Match of the Day every week. They know exactly how good they are.
"To reach the League Cup semi-final, in some ways the job is done.
"But we still have an outside chance of achieving a miracle, and that's what we'll try for."
City, meanwhile, are still in the hunt for four competitions.
After closing the gap on Liverpool to four points at the top of the Premier League, they thrashed Rotherham 7-0 on Sunday in the third round of the FA Cup.
Guardiola's men will also face Schalke in the last 16 of the Champions League next month.
"We do what we have to do to become a great, great club," said the Spaniard.
"The great clubs don't choose competitions, don't choose games, you have to do your job.
"I would like to have two months' holiday right now, definitely - this month is really tough, but it is what it is.
"We want to become a top club and you cannot deny any game, we cannot drop any competition. We are going to play the next game like a final."
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
MAN CITY V BURTON ALBION
StarHub Ch202 & Singtel TV Ch111, tomorrow, 3.40am
Football: Home United engage youth in MacPherson through photography and sport SINGAPORE - Singapore Premier League club Home United organised a photography exhibition at the MacPherson Community Club (CC) on Saturday (Dec 29), in what was a culmination of a community outreach programme aimed at youth living in MacPherson.
Latest HOME UNITED | The Straits Times
Brighton moved into the FA Cup quarter-finals for the second successive season as goals from Anthony Knockaert and Jurgen Locadia clinched a 2-1 win over Derby on Saturday. Chris Hughton's side have been sucked into relegation danger in the Premier League after six games without a win.
Brighton edge into FA Cup quarter-finals - Daily Nation
Manchester United striker Romelu Lukaku rediscovered his finishing touch in fine fashion, scoring a superb goal in each half to help them to a 3-1 Premier League win at Crystal Palace on Wednesday.
Subscribe to Read Articles from December 1954 Part 2. Nabbed: The Insidious Infiltrator That Menaced Titanium Industry; TITANIUM CROSSES HYDROGEN HURDLE
English Comprehensives: Poem Identification Flashcards | Quizlet
City's title surely but brighton no pushovers, Football News
Man City fans say Blues show perfect qualities to push Liverpool FC in win over Bournemouth. Manchester City beat Bournemouth 1-0 in the Premier League despite fatigue and injuries affecting the squad
Man City fans fear another nightmare after shock change for
Reds have helped change Champions League football, Lawrenson says. That is the belief of former Reds defender Mark Lawrenson, who cites the exploits of Jürgen Klopp's team - scorers of 40
Ikhsan scores again but misses in shoot-out loss
Harry Kane STARTS Champions League final for Tottenham
London, United Kingdom: Manchester United announced on Friday that midfielder Marouane Fellaini has left the club to join China's Shandong Luneng on a permanent transfer.
Marouane Fellaini leaves Man Utd for China's Shandong
Lille players celebrate after the match against Paris Saint-Germain (Reuters pic) LILLE: Paris St Germain's Ligue 1 title celebrations were delayed again when they suffered an embarrassing 5-1
Ten-man PSG humiliated at Lille, made to wait for title
Football: Ikhsan Fandi signs two-year deal with Norwegian
Declan Rice's first West Ham goal secured a 1-0 win over Arsenal in a capital city derby clash at the London Stadium. The victory in Saturday's early kick-off saw the Hammers move up to eighth in the Premier League table, on 31 points, ahead of the bulk of the weekend's fixtures.
Rice Scores First Hammers Goal To Defeat Arsenal - Channels
Football: 2018 World Cup watched by record 3.5 billion people, says Fifa French President Emmanuel Macron reacts during the Russia 2018 World Cup final match between France and Croatia at the
More than 3.5 billion people watched 2018 World Cup, says
Jürgen Klopp has said he is 'relieved' to have ended his streak of defeats in cup finals after lifting the Champions League trophy with Liverpool following a 2-0 victory over Tottenham. Klopp won
Klopp warns Europe: 'This is still only the start' - UEFA
0 comments:
Post a Comment