MANCHESTER CITY 0, HUDDERSFIELD TOWN 0
Manchester City extended their Premier League lead to 17 points after a scoreless draw with a valiant Huddersfield Town side, proving once again that performing below par in the Premier League is out of the question if you need a result.
Town manager David Wagner earned a second draw out of four encounters between their sides in the last two seasons with a well executed game plan that stopped City from getting on the scoresheet – they drew a blank for the first time in 20 games after hitting 68 Premier League goals at home.
After a pre-match guard of honour by legendary surviving City players from the 1968 title winning side, including Colin Bell, the Premier League trophy was presented to the deserving Champions at the end and while records can wait for another day this was all about lifting that trophy for a third time since 2012 for the home side.
The meeting between the two sides at the John Smith’s Stadium was a tight affair as well, with the Terriers matching City for work rate while several City players were below par, with the final ball into a packed Huddersfield Town area letting them down in a game of few clear chances
City made just two changes from the side that beat West Ham – Kyle Walker and John Stones were both fit again after groin problems and Stones replaced Aymeric Laporte in defence while David Silva returned to replace Ilkay Gundogan in midfield.
Huddersfield Town also made two changes from the side that lost against Everton with Tommy Smith and Florent Hadergjonaj coming in for Collin Quaner and Rajiv van La Parra in a more defensive team.
City were fighting for a place in the record books but the Terriers were battling for their Premier League survival and looked every bit the competitors despite a shortage of possession in the first half.
David Silva had an early shot saved by Jonas Lossl while Kevin De Bruyne’s fierce shot whistled just wide in a fast start by City.
Visitors Town were not discouraged by the early City dominance and had the better solid chances – Hadergjonaj forced Ederson into a low save from Aaron Mooy’s low free kick in the 10th minute.
And Alex Pritchard’s curling shot was tipped away by Ederson ten minutes later as Hadergjonaj laid on a chance for the play-maker with Town competing hard in the first quarter despite the distraction of a succession of fire alarm tests.
City were not playing at their usual standard and Pep Guardiola knew it, and even a 35th minute curling shot by De Bruyne following Jesus’ cut back was saved by Lossl who palmed the ball away.
Walker’s cross was headed behind by Jesus as Town withstood City’s onslaught of balls into the box while the Terriers massed in the box if City tried to thread the eye of the needle with passing moves.
Town had been living on their wits since before the second period, with Sane’s corner cleared off the line by Chris Schindler after Lossl had fumbled the catch soon after the restart.
Pritchard went down first as Town exhausted themselves in the heat, and the sight of Benjamin Mendy coming on after 57 minutes to add even more pace down the flanks won’t have lightened their work load.
Town threw on Laurent Depoitre for Steve Mounie on the hour to help them hold up the ball better and try and run down the clock in the face of additional set pieces from City.
The Terriers did a good job of frustrating City, with Bernardo Silva’s late shot from 20 yards one of their closest efforts that wasn’t cleared or blocked by the valiant Town defenders despite City enjoying 79% of the possession overall.
The clearest second half chances came in added time right at the end. Town had the clearest chance of the half in added time when Scott Malone went clean through but his shot was blocked by Ederson and Depoitre was denied a shooting chance while Otamendi shot wide right at the end.
A point for the Terriers left them 3 points clear of the drop zone in 16th place with two games to play but with a vastly inferior goal difference.
But this was always City’s day, and despite the anticlimatic finish and impromptu pitch invasion at the end, what happened afterwards will be a special memory for the fans.
MATCH STATS
Man City: Ederson, Walker, Stones (Bernardo Silva 73), Otamendi, Delph (Mendy 57), Fernandinho, Sterling, De Bruyne (Gundogan 67), David Silva, Sane, Jesus
Man City Subs not used: Bravo, Laporte, Toure, Foden
Huddersfield Town: Lossl, Smith, Zanka, Schindler, Kongolo, Lowe (Malone 78), Hadergjonaj, Hogg, Mooy, Pritchard (van La Parra 82), Mounie (Depoitre 60)
Huddersfield Town Subs not used: Coleman, Billing, Quaner, Stankovic
Booked: Smith, Lowe, van La Parra