James McAtee: "I was buzzing when I scored! I'm over the moon! This is what every kid dreams of, it's definitely a dream come true!" [via footballontnt]

Tonight’s UCL Player of the Match...

Phil Foden! 💫

Phil Foden: “I don't think it was easy, it was tough to break them down. You have to give Slovan Bratislava the respect... It was difficult at times!”

“I'm feeling OK now, back at it, slowly getting back into it.”

“A good night for myself, obviously being back out there, obviously nice to score again. But more importantly just enjoying my football again! I'm delighted with the result and how I played.”

Phil Foden: “I've had a very slow start to the season with a bit of illness and a bit of fatigue. But I'm getting back into it now and feeling more like myself.”

“It's my signature [goal vs Slovan Bratislava] to be honest; just get it out of my feet and find the far corner!”

Pep Guardiola: “Juanma [Lillo] said to me [about goal difference], but right now I don't think about that!”

“Today he [Ilkay Gundogan] played at a level that we know he can do it... The game in Newcastle was not really good, maybe one of the worst I've seen of him in the last eight or nine years... He played a fantastic game today!”

“We're so happy for him [James McAtee]! He's adorable, all the guys love him... He moves really well in small spaces. It will be a good boost, 'OK I'm part of that!' We want to make him feel part of the group, and able to play without a doubt. Sometimes it looks like we're more confident in him than himself.”

Next 🆙 at the Etihad! 💫

Manchester City, 2024/25. 🏆🏆🏆

History Makers 🩵

Jérémy Doku's 26 touches in the opposition box against Slovan Bratislava was the most ever by a player on record (since 2008/09) in a UCL game. 🇧🇪🌪️

Matheus Nunes’ mother, Catia on arrest reports concerning the Man City midfielder: "Look, this is all a big lie. These are bad and unhappy people trying to destroy my son's career. Pure fake news.”

A report earlier today: Matheus Nunes was arrested at around 5:30AM on September 8 at nightclub La Riviera in Madrid and taken for questioning, after being accused of taking a phone from a 58-year-old man who tried to take a photo of him without permission in the toilets.

Jack Grealish: “I have NEVER seen someone shoot with BOTH FEET the way Kevin De Bruyne does! His left foot is RIDICULOUS! In my first season, he scored a hat-trick at Wolves in the first half - ALL WITH HIS LEFT FOOT!” 😮‍💨

Peter Schmeichel: “Goalkeeper in the Premier League that’s the best at his job? EDERSON! I think Alisson struggles a bit with his feet, he makes a few mistakes you do NOT see from Ederson! Would Emiliano Martinez be able to do the job at Man City? I don’t know…” 🔝

Kalvin Phillips on Pep Guardiola’s ‘overweight’ comments: “That narrative on social media kind of grew and grew. Every club that I'd go to, I spoke to, like the manager and the nutritionist and stuff like that, they'd always speak about weight before they'd say anything else…”


Kalvin Phillips: “It got to the point where it peed me off a little. I was getting quite frustrated, but then now I've come to Ipswich - the manager's an unbelievable person as well as a manager. We spoke about all my past stuff that happened in my career…” [via BBCSounds]

Kyle Walker, Rico Lewis, John Stones, Phil Foden, and Jack Grealish have ALL been included in Lee Carsley’s England squad for their upcoming international fixtures. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿✅

Kalvin Phillips: “West Ham away [in 2022], he [Pep Guardiola] literally told the Man City team in a meeting, probably two days before, how the game was going to play out.

[Guardiola] said: 'West Ham are going to start well, put us under pressure, and then we're going to have a little bit of time, get opportunities to get the ball to Kevin [De Bruyne], and then if Kevin plays it behind for Erling [Haaland] then we're more than likely going to score'.

He just mentioned different ways we could attack and how they're going to press us and you'd see it happen in real life. I was just sat there like, 'This is ridiculous'. I couldn't believe it. At one point I was gobsmacked, I just worked it out and I could see exactly what he was saying happening on the pitch.”

Players whose contracts expire on June 30, 2025 will be allowed to extend their deals so they can play in the FIFA Club World Cup, as per Kaveh Solhekol. Kevin De Bruyne could take advantage if he has not yet extended his Man City contract, or if he has agreed a deal with another club.

FIFA will allow member associations of Club World Cup teams to open their transfer window from June 1-10, 2025 so new signings can be registered before the tournament starts.

Ilkay Gundogan: “I’m sure he [Pep Guardiola] wouldn’t have signed me if he didn’t think I could contribute and help Man City achieve good things this season.

Obviously I also have a point to prove, I didn’t come back just to enjoy it and sit back, I came to perform and to compete.

That’s what I want to do this season, and I want to help and contribute in the best possible way for this team’s success.”

Pep Guardiola on the banner organized by WeAre1894 asking him to stay at Man City: “They have to bring me the bill; I will pay for the banner! I don't want them to spend money for that reason!”

“I fell in love since the first day I was at Man City. What is going to happen [with his future] is going to happen.”

“I'm part of this club, deep inside of my bones, and the best way to defend the club is by winning games and doing my job as best as possible.”

Pep Guardiola: “I'm going to defend my club because I trust, since the owner and especially the chairman for the relationship and CEOs and the all the people working here, for many, many years. I know them quite well, much more than any of you.”

“I'm part this club, I'm not just a manager, and always will be that way, because it cannot be different from the way they have treated me since day one, it's impossible. When you give something, and they give me a lot, the rest is the consequences. It's simple.”