mancini hails unsung hero zabaleta
Thursday 23 January 2025
Last Updated : GMT 05:17:37
Emiratesvoice, emirates voice

Mancini hails unsung hero Zabaleta

Emiratesvoice, emirates voice

Emiratesvoice, emirates voice Mancini hails unsung hero Zabaleta

London - Arabstoday

Roberto Mancini credited unsung hero Pablo Zabaleta with making the decisive contribution to Manchester City\'s crucial Premier League win over Arsenal yesterday. David Silva bagged the second-half match-winner that ensured City only need a point from Wednesday\'s encounter with Stoke at the Etihad Stadium to claim top spot at Christmas for the first time since 1929. Along with record signing Sergio Aguero, Yaya Toure and Mario Balotelli, Silva has hogged the headlines all season as City have maintained their impressive form. Yet Mancini is fully aware there would be no title tilt without the contribution of the hard workers who allow the superstars to play. Zabaleta is certainly one of those. Capable of operating in midfield, the South American was placed at right-back during the defeat to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. Yesterday, with Gael Clichy missing, Zabaleta switched flanks and succeeded in pinning down Theo Walcott, which Mancini felt was key to City\'s eventual triumph. \"In a top team there are 11 players,\" said the Italian. \"But if we want to win and improve, we need to have 20 good players that have a good attitude. Pablo is a very clever player. He knew before the game it would be difficult. I told him if he played very well against Theo Walcott we would probably win the game.\" The 26-year-old shrugged off the plaudits, insisting it was all part of the service. \"We had some problems with Gael Clichy suspended and Aleksandar Kolarov injured,\" said Zabaleta. \"But I have played many games at left-back. It was no problem. I just want to do my best for the team. It is the type of unselfish attitude Mancini is demanding of his players, who retained their position at the top having now faced all their major rivals, of whom only Arsenal have visited the Etihad Stadium. That record represents an ominous warning for major championship contenders Manchester United and Tottenham given City have won 17 games out of 18 on home soil since they were defeated by Everton almost a year ago. What cannot have gone unnoticed by Sir Alex Ferguson and Harry Redknapp was the manner City approached their task. Facing one of the Premier League\'s in-form teams, on the back of that first defeat at Chelsea, which in itself came immediately after crashing out of the UEFA Champions League, and having seen their league leadership snatched away by Manchester United a couple of hours earlier, City still retained their swagger. They might have needed an impressive late save from Joe Hart to deny Thomas Vermaelen, who also curled an effort wide in the final minute, but City deserved their victory. \"This was a difficult time,\" said Mancini. \"Chelsea and Arsenal are two difficult games and sometimes you can lose. But after what happened in the first one, it was important to win the second.\" And so on to Stoke. The Potteries outfit were the first team Mancini faced as City manager two years ago. It turned out to be the only time in five meetings he was successful against Tony Pulis\' side before the FA Cup final triumph at Wembley in May. Three days later, City won again in the league. However, with Stoke bouncing back from a rocky patch to record four successive league wins and clamber back into more familiar territory in the top half of the league, Mancini is taking nothing for granted. \"We need time to recover because it will be hard against Stoke,\" he said. \"They are a strong team, who defend very well. It will not be an easy game.\"

Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

mancini hails unsung hero zabaleta mancini hails unsung hero zabaleta

 



Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

mancini hails unsung hero zabaleta mancini hails unsung hero zabaleta

 



GMT 10:31 2014 Tuesday ,23 December

Mirages of failure: Lebanon cannot wait

GMT 21:47 2015 Sunday ,09 August

Ellen Pompeo reflects on Derek Shepherd's death

GMT 18:29 2017 Friday ,27 October

Israel confiscate Palestinian land near Halamish

GMT 12:02 2017 Tuesday ,30 May

Temperatures to peak to 40° today in UAE

GMT 09:35 2017 Thursday ,26 October

Wael Jassar participates in concerts in Cairo

GMT 21:13 2017 Saturday ,09 September

Active outdoors? This smart watch is for you

GMT 19:47 2018 Sunday ,21 January

Fleetwood retains Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship title

GMT 06:51 2018 Sunday ,14 January

S. Africa's Markram falls short of century

GMT 21:42 2018 Tuesday ,09 January

Macron bets on horse diplomacy in China

GMT 07:27 2017 Sunday ,17 September

Russian strike wounds US-backed Syria fighters

GMT 11:07 2017 Monday ,28 August

Saudi congratulates Iraq on city liberation

GMT 08:56 2017 Friday ,29 December

Assy Al Helani cancels concert in Qatar
 
 Emirates Voice Facebook,emirates voice facebook  Emirates Voice Twitter,emirates voice twitter Emirates Voice Rss,emirates voice rss  Emirates Voice Youtube,emirates voice youtube  Emirates Voice Youtube,emirates voice youtube

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

emiratesvoieen emiratesvoiceen emiratesvoiceen emiratesvoiceen
emiratesvoice emiratesvoice emiratesvoice
emiratesvoice
بناية النخيل - رأس النبع _ خلف السفارة الفرنسية _بيروت - لبنان
emiratesvoice, Emiratesvoice, Emiratesvoice