Wilfried Bony’s disappointing start to his Manchester City career is into an 11th month as he prepares to lead the attack against Sevilla at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium tonight.
The 26-year-old retains the full support of Manuel Pellegrini, who signed him for an initial €36 million in January from Swansea City, although the manager issued a warning: “He must demonstrate why he’s here.”
Sergio Aguero is recovering from a hamstring tear and Bony is struggling to convince he can fill the void left by the Argentinian. In Saturday’s 2-1 defeat of Norwich City the Ivorian missed two clear chances. The finishing ability that allowed Bony to score 25 goals in 54 Premier League appearances for Swansea again deserted him in City’s colours.
There have been only four in 19 league games for the club. “I’m trying everything to score goals but they did not go in for me on Saturday,” he said.
A double
At Sevilla’s stadium last night Pellegrini said: “Maybe he’s been criticised about his last game but he scored two in his last three games in the league.”
These came as a double against Bournemouth. He drew a blank at Manchester United the following weekend, as well as on Saturday, despite a goal against Crystal Palace in the Capital One Cup in between. Bony might have been helped by his team-mates when City won a second penalty late-on against Norwich. Yaya Toure converted the first moments earlier but he had been substituted, and Bony seemed the natural candidate to take it.
Instead Aleksandar Kolarov stepped up and missed.
“To get the penalty at the end would have been good for my confidence,” says Bony.
Despite the absence of David Silva due to an ankle problem, this is a team full attacking intent. Kevin De Bruyne, Raheem Sterling, who won both of Saturday’s penalties, Jesus Navas and Toure can all load the bullets for the Ivorian to fire. Bony understands he must start adding more goals to his count of three from 12 games this season.
Victory over Unai Emery’s side would take City to nine points in Group D and would seal qualification with two matches left should Borussia Monchengladbach fail to beat Juventus.
Bony is desperate to be the man to secure a third consecutive win for City after an opening-day defeat by Juventus.
“I hope soon the goals will arrive. It would be great to get one in the Champions League,” he added.
Since joining City there have been injuries – three separate problems – and a bout of malaria that ruled Bony out of the summer tour of Australia and Vietnam. Yet now he is fully fit and enjoying an extended run as the main striker, Bony remains short of confidence.
“Maybe he needs to score because he is missing some chances,” said Pellegrini. “The striker he is, he normally doesn’t miss them. But I think he needs trust. He is playing after many months of not being able to work normally, for different reasons.”
Before the defeat of Norwich Mike Summerbee, the City great and now club ambassador, used his column in the programme to implore supporters to display more patience. “I don’t like it when our fans are too quick to judge and start picking on one player. We are better than that,” he wrote.
A goal for Bony and victory tonight would go a long way to convincing the doubters.
Guardian Service
