Vincent Kompany Responds When Asked About Outpacing Arsenal's Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang
Manchester City defender Vincent Kompany has responded to those who were shocked at his turn of pace when faced with Arsenal's Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang.
The Blues captain was imperious at the back as he helped his side to an emphatic 3-0 win in the Carabao Cup final, getting on the scoresheet in the second-half.
One moment in particular caught the eye, however. The 31-year-old, who has been repeatedly stricken by injuries in recent seasons, managed to keep pace with Aubameyang and shove him off the ball.
Asked about that particular moment after the game, Kompany laughed and said: "Sometimes it's good to surprise people."
The final at Wembley was only Kompany's twelfth start of the campaign, and he admitted that victory was made all the more special by his return from another injury.
"I'm going to be honest, before the game I thought I was going to score," he said - quoted by ESPN. "I came close a few times, it's just the luck on the day.
"You have to be prepared to put in those six months of hard work -- look at [Benjamin] Mendy, he's got an ACL [anterior cruciate ligament injury] -- but it's worth the hard work to be standing out there. Every chance you have, you have to take.
“I’m fortunate to be at a club where I get incredible support from the medical staff but a lot of it is just my own doing.
“It’s just absolute stubbornness. I kind of almost get enjoyment out of adversity in life. However bad it can be, I’ve always been like this. I’m kind of the wrong guy to bet against."