Friday gossip

by David Clayton@dclayton_MCFC

De Bruyne leads the way plus Houghton's target

Kevin De Bruyne’s fine start to the new season has been backed up by some impressive stats – even though we are only four games into the new season.

We’ll look at that, plus Steph Houghton’s aim at making Manchester blue this Saturday, a brief international round-up and some love from Arsenal supporters.
We begin…

Stats
Sport Bible: De Bruyne the Premier League’s most creative player
Josh Lawless reports: “Kevin De Bruyne is officially the most creative player in the Premier League so far this season.
“The Manchester City midfielder has been in fine form for the domestic treble winners and tops the table regarding chances created in the first four games of the campaign.
“As per Sky Sports De Bruyne has set up 16 chances for his City teammates, five of which have been converted to goals, and is once again showing why he is considered to be one of the most complete midfielders in world football having sat out the majority of last season due to injury."

Players

Daily Mail: Houghton stokes up rivalry
Chris Wheeler reports: “The new season kicks off in style when Manchester City side face United for the first time in the FA Women's Super League after their neighbours were promoted from the Championship.
“More than 20,000 fans are expected for the game and City skipper Houghton believes it will mark the start of a new era of rivalry between the two clubs.
'I feel as though it is already there,' she said. 'All the talk has been about a City-United women's derby and we have finally got there. It's going to do the women's game the world of good.
'Everybody has been dying for a Manchester derby in the WSL. We want to make Manchester blue.
'Even though there's no history there with us players, it's important we start that history the right way.'
She rang the bell...

Opinion

Express: Arsenal fans love City’s comments on Thierry Henry
Konstantinos Lianos writes: Manchester City have described Thierry Henry as “arguably the greatest player the Premier League has ever seen" and Arsenal fans have taken note in approval of that statement ahead of Vincent Kompany’s testimonial match.
Kompany’s stunning 11-year stint at City will be honoured on September 11 in front of a packed Etihad Stadium in a friendly encounter that will see the legendary skipper linking up with some of the club’s most notable players against a Premier League all-star side.
Henry will be leading the attack for the All-Stars and the Premier League champions are glad that he will be part in this special occasion as they consider him as arguably the greatest player in the history of English football.

International action

DFB: Nmecha on target for German Under-21s

The Germany U21s enjoyed a successful start to the new era of players . The kids of ’98 (and younger) beat Greece 2-0 in the first friendly of the season, giving them confidence ahead of the first European qualifier on Tuesday against Wales.
In his fifth international appearance, Lukas Nmecha scored the first of Germany’s two goals 25 minutes into the game. After Alexandros Katranis’ dismissal for a last-man foul, the DFB youngsters played the rest of the game with a one-man advantage. Niklas Dorsch made it 2-0 just shy of the hour mark.
Elsewhere, Rodrigo was an unused sub as Spain beat Romania 2-1 and Nicolas Otamendi played the full 90 minutes as Argentina drew 0-0 with Chile in a friendly.
That’s all for today. We’ll be back with more tomorrow…