Man City rename Etihad Stadium ahead of massive Premier League title showdown | Football | Sport
Manchester City will rebrand the Etihad Stadium this week for the Premier League fixture with Brentford as they attempt to close the gap in the title race. Signage around the venue will showcase ‘The City in the Community Etihad Stadium’ as part of the continued acknowledgement of the club’s official charity.
City in the Community (CITC) will be prominent throughout the matchday in several ways beyond the stadium name alteration. The players will emerge in jackets bearing the charity’s logo, Ruben Dias has recorded travel announcements for buses and trams on matchday routes, and the player graphics on social media have been created by local schoolchildren. While there is backing for CITC throughout the year both in terms of donations and a visible presence, one matchday is selected annually to demonstrate everything the charity accomplishes and this season’s occasion will be on Saturday for the Brentford fixture.
Pep Guardiola‘s team will aim to commemorate the event with a victory as they strive to keep the Premier League title race alive.
Mike Geary, CEO of CITC, said: “Community Matchday is a moment in the season where everyone connected to Manchester City comes together to celebrate the impact of City in the Community.
“From supporters in the stands to staff, partners and participants, it’s a powerful reminder of what can be achieved when a football club and its community unite behind a shared purpose.”
City’s recent draw with Everton means the balance of the title race has swung back in Arsenal‘s favour, following their wins over Newcastle United and Fulham.
The Gunners are five points clear of Pep Guardiola’s side, who still have a game in hand on their title rivals, but dropping points against the Toffees could prove costly.
Speaking after the draw with David Moyes’ side, Guardiola said: “We are incredibly grateful to the men’s squad for their continued generosity and commitment to our charity.
“To receive this donation for the second year running means a great deal to everyone at City in the Community, and more importantly, to the young people it will support.
On the game, he added: “The point is better than no points, but it would have been better to win the game. Many things happened, the difficulty of the opponent, the incredibly aggressive way they play.
“We had composure in the first half and after they made a step up [in the second half] we maybe didn’t have the intention that we did in the first half. Our second and third goals were outstanding and we take a point.
“It was in our hands and in Arsenal’s hands, and now it is not in our hands. But we have Brentford on Saturday and we continue and we’ll see what happens.”
