FOOTAINMENT

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola said it is "difficult to play" against ultra-defensive teams after his side moved 15 points clear at the top of the Premier League with a win at Newcastle. Raheem Sterling scored the only goal in a dominant display by the visitors to St James' Park in which they clocked up 78% of possession and 21 shots to Newcastle's six. "We did absolutely everything but it is difficult to play when the other team doesn't want to play," said Guardiola. "In the last minutes we played in their rhythm and then it was not easy because it is not over at 1-0 - we created enough chances to win 2-0, 3-0, 4-0. "As a manager I have to adapt. We have played teams who high press, low press, attack us. Any manager and team can play how they want. And you have to find a way to beat them." England winger Sterling poked home from Kevin de Bruyne's lobbed pass after Sergio Aguero had twice hit the woodwork in the o...

Manchester City will be looking to win their 18th Premier League game in a row when they face Newcastle on Wednesday. Manchester City's seemingly unstoppable march towards the Premier League title continued after beating Bournemouth 4-0 on Saturday. Pep Guardiola's men still have dropped points just once this season, at home to Everton in the second round of matches on August 21. But Newcastle will want to build on the momentum from beating West Ham 3-2 on Saturday which put an end to their nine-match winless run. A shock victory for Rafa Benitez's side would lift them further away from the relegation zone. Team news City defender John Stones is back in training after a hamstring injury but the game is likely to come too soon for a comeback. Left-back Benjamin Mendy (knee) and midfielder Phil Foden (ankle) are long-term absentees. Midfielder Jonjo Shelvey will be available after suspension, having missed the 1-0 defeat at Arsenal and Saturday's 3-2 v...

Harry Kane grabbed another hat-trick and broke the record for the most Premier League goals scored in a calendar year as Tottenham thrashed Southampton at Wembley. The Spurs and England striker headed home his 37th league goal of 2017 on 22 minutes to surpass Alan Shearer's landmark, which was set during his time at Blackburn in 1995. Kane then added two more either side of half-time to bring his total for the year - for both club and country - to 56, two more than Barcelona and Argentina striker Lionel Messi. Before Kane's third, Dele Alli had made it 3-0 on 49 minutes when he drilled in from outside the area, before setting up Son Heung-min two minutes later, who powered a confident finish past Fraser Forster. Southampton, without top scorer Charlie Austin, got off the mark when Sofiane Boufal struck low under Hugo Lloris, and Dusan Tadic added a second with a lofted effort. Despite a second-half recovery, Saints never looked like spoiling the Spurs party and ha...