Focus returns to league spoils

Les Chapman.

Manchester City’s roving reporter writes every week for Chron Sport

I THINK most people would agree the right team won the Capital One Cup final in the end.

Liverpool might have had slightly more possession at Wembley when you read the stats, but City created by far the better chances.

Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet was magnificent despite a clear error for the Fernandinho goal.

He really ought to have saved the shot for City’s goal, but aside from that he made some terrific stops.

Overall I thought City deserved to win, and I was delighted for Willy Caballero when he emerged as the hero. All three of his saves in the shoot-out were top class.

Willy is a really great bloke and it was nice to see him in demand after the game. He’s a really unassuming lad, but he was lapping up all the media stuff at the end, and good luck to him!

It’s back down to business tonight and ironically City play Liverpool again in the Premier League.

This is far more important than Sunday’s game; everyone at City will tell you that. The team needs to win if it is to start clawing away Leicester’s lead.

So late in the season, with each point precious, the difference between three and one could now be vital in every single game.

Leicester and Tottenham can still be caught, of course, but it is becoming more and more imperative that City pick up wins not draws.

City afterwards move on to play Aston Villa at home at the weekend — a home banker it seems; but there will be no thoughts at all about that one until the Liverpool match is out of the way.