McNair gifts Guardiola opening Man City win
celebrates with team-mates after their second goal an own
goal scored by Sunderland’s Northern Irish defender Paddy
McNair during the English Premier League football match
between Manchester City and Sunderland at the Etihad
Stadium in Manchester, north west England, on August 13,
2016.
PAUL ELLIS / AFP
Sunderland debutant Paddy McNair scored an 87th-
minute own goal to earn Pep Guardiola a 2-1
victory in his first Premier League game as
Manchester City manager on Saturday.
City took an early lead courtesy of Sergio Aguero’s
penalty, but they failed to make their territorial
dominance count and Jermain Defoe looked to have
earned Sunderland a point with a second-half
equaliser.
But with three minutes to play, Jesus Navas’s right-
wing cross was helped on by fellow substitute
Kelechi Iheanacho and McNair, who had only come
on four minutes earlier, headed the ball into his
own net from close range.
The Northern Ireland international signed from
City’s cross-town rivals Manchester United earlier
this week and his unwitting intervention denied
David Moyes a creditable point on his bow as
Sunderland manager.
City finished the opening day joint-top of the table
with Hull City — surprise conquerors of champions
Leicester City — but Guardiola will have been
concerned by his players’ struggles to break
Sunderland down.
The former Barcelona coach, who started with Willy
Caballero in goal in place of Joe Hart, must now
prepare his troops for Tuesday’s Champions League
play-off first leg away to Romanian side Steaua
Bucharest.
Guardiola awarded full debuts to centre-back John
Stones, his 47.5 million pounds ($61 million, 55
million euros) signing from Everton, and Spanish
winger Nolito, who lined up on the left.
He set his team out in a 4-1-4-1 formation, with
full-backs Bacary Sagna and Gael Clichy stepping
into central midfield and holding player
Fernandinho dropping between the centre-backs
when City had the ball.
But the most eye-catching element of his first
competitive team selection was the inclusion of
Caballero, usually City’s reserve goalkeeper, instead
of Hart.
Guardiola cast doubt on Hart’s City future on
Friday, amid reports he wants to sign Marc-Andre
ter Stegen from his former club Barcelona.
– Sucker-punch –
Caballero’s distribution was careless, but he made
an important early intervention by boxing away a
free-kick from Patrick van Aanholt.
Van Aanholt was in the spotlight again two minutes
later, but at the other end of the pitch, as his rash
sliding challenge on Raheem Sterling gave Aguero
the opportunity to put City in front from 12 yards.
Kevin De Bruyne saw a free-kick fisted clear by Vito
Mannone, but despite pinning Sunderland back in
their own half, the hosts created few chances from
open play.
Indeed, had Caballero not produced a smart
reaction save to thwart Defoe, Sunderland might
have levelled before half-time.
With City continuing to toil in the second half,
Guardiola made two changes, sending on Navas and
Fabian Delph for Nolito and David Silva.
Wahbi Khazri and Adnan Januzaj came on for
Sunderland, the latter roundly booed as he made
his debut following a loan move from Manchester
United.
Aguero hit a snapshot wide and De Bruyne saw
another free-kick repelled by Mannone, before City
were hit with a sucker-punch that Guardiola must
have feared.
Former City midfielder Jack Rodwell was the
architect, releasing Defoe with an incisive pass that
afforded the one-time England striker time to drill a
shot beneath Caballero.
Guardiola sent for Iheanacho and within seven
minutes of coming on he had a hand in the winning
goal as his touch from Navas’s cross sent the ball
cannoning off the hapless McNair’s forehead and
into the net.
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