Africa's Manchester City equal EPL club's record

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Africa's Manchester City equal EPL club's record image

Al Ahly's 3-0 victory over El Daklyeh in Wednesday's Egyptian Premier League saw them equal English Premier League runaway leaders, Manchester City.

Goals by Marwan Mohsen, Walid Soliman and Walid Azaro saw the Red Devils post similar numbers as their English counterparts.

From their 27 English top-flight matches so far, City have garnered 72 points with 23 wins, three draws and a loss. On the other hand, Hossam El-Badri's side, now with the same amount of games, have 23 wins, three draws and a defeat, thus, amounting to 72 points at the summit of the Egyptian top division log.

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However, the slight differences in their very similar situations are from goal differences and the hurdles in which their close challengers have to surmount.

Pep Guardiola's well-drilled attacking side have scored for fun this season, netting 79 goals while El-Badri's men have found the back of the net 51 times in those 27 games.

Remarkably, though, for the ancient north African side is the numbers they have let in when compared to their Manchester counterpart. Al Ahly have conceded 15 goals which is five lesser [20] than the free-scoring City side. However, the latter's irrepressible force in the final third see them usurp the former in term of goal difference. City boast of a +59 while Ahly have +51.

EPL

Archrivals, Manchester United are the closest to the Etihad Stadium outfit and are 13 points behind while Al Ahly are head and shoulders above the chasing pack in the Egyptian top-flight as they lead second-placed Zamalek with a massive 21 points.

However, with a league tie against Arsenal on Thursday evening, City have the opportunity to continue laying the mark but what would remain the dream of the newly-crowned EFL Cup champions - in many years to come - is Al Ahly's trophy cabinet.

Al Ahly are one of the most decorated teams in African history with 38 Egyptian league titles, 37 Egyptian FA Cups, three Egyptian Super Cups, eight Caf Champions Leagues, one Caf Confederation Cup and six Caf Super Cups.

City's record of four league titles, five FA Cups and English League Cup apiece is mightily dwarfed by the Cairo side's feat.

Last season, the Cairo International Stadium outfit won the Egyptian Premier League title without losing any of their 38 matches. And, although, replicating the feat in the ongoing campaign is impossible after the loss to Misr Lel Makasa in December, El-Badri's side are on the verge of lifting a 39th league title.

Guardiola, though, will be hoping to maintain the momentum in his side as they look to win their first English top-flight title since the 2013-14 campaign.

 

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