Established order fights back early in Premier League season

Barcelona goalkeeper Claudio Bravo has moved one step closer to joining Pep Guardiola at Manchester City, and is on his way to England to complete the move.

Hart, who was warned by England manager Sam Allardyce that he needs to be playing regular club football to keep his worldwide place, will only consider a loan deal to enable him to assess his options in January or next summer.

I don’t know what will happen in six months. Pep Guardiola dropped Hart because he believes the keeper is not accomplished enough with his feet and, speaking before the game against Steaua, the manager outlined precisely why this attribute is vital.

With City going into the match leading 5-0 on aggregate and seemingly certain of a place in the group stage, 19-year-old Spanish right-back Pablo Maffeo was handed a debut. If they want to stay, stay and we will fight together. “I really appreciate the people of Manchester City and it turns out they appreciate me, so that’s a nice feeling”.

“I spoke with Joe from the first moment we met”.

“I have an excellent relationship with Joe”, said the Spaniard.

“I play alongside him, I will keep working, whenever I get my chance I will do my best for the team, work with the team”.

“After we will speak”.

Guardiola, though, said he would not comment on the signing until it was officially completed.

Meanwhile, following Joe Hart’s exclusion from the three first EPL games of the season, the England number one could be on his way out. It’s not done. It’s 90 minutes with a big advantage, but I said to the players, “Sorry guys, we aren’t in the Champions League already”.

Guardiola revealed that Bacary Sagna would not return before the Manchester derby against United on September 10, while Ilkay Gundogan and Vincent Kompany will be unavailable for at least another 10 days. We have to try to play as good as possible to achieve the result.

The ground where Hart has plied his trade over a decade was a venue backed with emotion, as an uneventful game settled by Fabian Delph’s second-half header became nearly a sideshow to terrace tributes for the club’s longest-serving player. Maybe at Old Trafford. That’s why we saw Sergio was a little bit exhausted after playing four days ago and the travel (in the Champions League qualifier). I am here at Manchester City because they contacted me to play the way I like, the way I grew up. It’s not pressure for me to play alongside him.