So, today we have John Stones talking at length about how England can replicate City’s swashbuckling style and Kevin De Bruyne revealing that his team-mates sang the fans’ chant about him after the weekend win at Chelsea.
First to Stones, though, quoted at length on ESPN about how the Three Lions could use City’s style as a blueprint going forward – literally.
Said Stones: ‘We’ve got the players to do it. It’s difficult to bring how you play in the Premier League into international football -- it’s so different -- but we’re always striving to become better and there’s a lot of likeness between how City play and international football. Or to how Tottenham play. But to gel all those things is very difficult.
‘As long as England win and keep clean sheets and keep bettering ourselves every year and making the nation proud, that’s all that matters.”
‘I think, as a player, I’ve always been moving in the right direction. Everyone has their ups and downs. We’ve started this season well as a team at club level. It was an important match against Chelsea to keep the run going and keep another clean sheet. Defensively, on a personal note, it was maybe one of the best games I’ve played in.
‘I’m enjoying my football. Just trying to keep improving day in, day out, mentally, physically, tactically, on the training pitch. The hunger to keep improving and keep getting to more targets in my game is driving me to become better.
‘Pep has been really good. Always positive and wanting me to do better and that’s what I try to repay him on the pitch. I feel like I’m developing as a player and a person under him.’
Meanwhile, at the Belgium camp, KDB has been reflecting on an enjoyable weekend and season so far.
Sports Illustrated report: “Speaking ahead of Belgium’s World Cup 2018 qualification matches against Bosnia & Herzegovina and Cyprus, the 26-year-old reflected on his club’s rampant start to the Premier League campaign, and looked ahead to plans to keep the momentum going after the international break.
De Bruyne said: ‘We are playing very well at the moment and it would have been better to just keep going and be in the same rhythm.
‘When we come back [to the Premier League] we just have to try to get that winning mentality again.”
“The former Wolfsburg star also addressed the celebrations that followed the crucial win at his former club, a moment in which his teammates surrounded him in the dressing room, leaping wildly while chanting his name.”
‘I was in there. It was a bit noisy but it was nice. Everybody was jumping around. Everybody knew the significance of the game and because I scored the goal everybody was excited.’
Finally, 888sport carry an interview with former City favourite Shaun Wright-Phillips, who believes Sergio Aguero is the best striker the Premier League has ever seen – including his dad! They write: “Former City and Chelsea winger Shaun Wright-Phillips believes Sergio Aguero surpasses Alan Shearer, Thierry Henry and his own dad Ian as the Premier League’s most clinical hit-man.
‘There is definitely an argument that Sergio Aguero is the Premier League’s best-ever striker. If he stays fit (on his return) all year that ups City’s chances of winning the Premier League and the Champions League.
‘He’s a great finisher and he always fights hard for the team as well. I think Kun can score thirty goals easily this season. Especially in the form that he’s in now, that would be an easy mark for him.
‘The difference between City now and last year is they are taking the chances they are creating. Last year, they weren’t, and the opposition would score and City found themselves chasing games.
‘City are not conceding many goals and creating maybe double the chances than they did last year. If they keep scoring from those, it’s going to be hard to stop them.’
Once a Blue and all that…
