Friday gossip

Caroline Oatway@Roline_MCFC

Media Watch: ‘City step up chase for Coman’?

Pinch, punch, first of the month!

Welcome, November: the eleventh month of the year and apparently, the first day the rumour mill for the January transfer window is kicked into gear.
Today, the City-centric headlines are packed with gossip on potential incomings, despite the fact we’re still two months away from the window actually opening… Expect more of this in the coming weeks, I’d imagine…
Thankfully, there is also some football-related content, including previews for Saturday’s Premier League clash against Southampton, plus comments from Gabriel Jesus on striker partner Sergio Aguero and his alternative position, and Joe Hart opens up about his first impressions of Vincent Kompany…

City v Southampton: Match previews

Southampton FC: Press conference round-up: Man City vs Saints
Ralph Hasenhüttl: "It is another game against a not-so-bad opponent, but, as always, you have a chance to get something. Both teams will take from Tuesday's game the good and the bad things and try to change a few things. They will do it and we will do it.

"It’s another game of being as nasty as possible and giving them not so many chances and be a little more self-confident.
"I think we were physical and tried to win the duels in the zones we could win it. It's seldom possible to press them high and this is why we immediately dropped and came back in shape after losing the ball.
"This is not our normal style. Normally we want to stay in and keep them under pressure, but they are so calm on the ball and have so much quality, it's not so easy to press them high, as they don’t really get upset about getting pressure."

Premier League: De Bruyne can win race to ten assists
“If Kevin De Bruyne gets an assist at home against Southampton, he will reach double-figures at an unprecedented pace and increase the threat of one of the competition's longer-standing records being broken.
“The Manchester City playmaker is on nine assists already after just 10 matches, almost halfway to Thierry Henry's single-season record of 20.
“And De Bruyne already has a head-start of five on Henry, who set up only four goals in Arsenal's opening 10 matches in 2002/03."

From the players

Goal: Jesus open to wing role at Man City despite having to battle more than just Aguero
Gabriel Jesus: “It’s City you know! The competition is very high. City has good players, an amazing team, so whoever is playing is going to do good work.
“I like this position but I am always going to respect the manager’s decision.
“Since the Copa America, I’ve played right winger [for Brazil]. I like it. I started there in this position for Brazil and my old club. And after I played as a striker.
“Of course I like to play both positions and I think it’s very important that you can play more than one."
(On Sergio Aguero): “It’s difficult to describe Sergio. Sergio is the top scorer for the club and every game he shows us why he’s the top scorer.
“Of course, I have to learn from him, he’s a legend. He scores in every game. I won’t score every game. I think we’re different, me and Sergio.
“I am 22 and I have to improve my football – my qualities, my finishing – I have to do it and I have to learn from Sergio."

Manchester Evening News: Joe Hart reveals his first impression of Vincent Kompany after he joined Man City
Joe Hart (on Vincent Kompany): "He's always wanted to be a leader, even when he first arrived and people didn't know who he was.
"You don't just turn up at Man City for a couple of million quid and bring the kind of aura he brought.
"He earned everyone's respect with the way he played, self-sacrifice and a real warrior spirit.
"Good things inspired him, bad things angered him, that's what I think is really special about Vinny."