PEP KICKING EVERY HAAL

Guardiola goes on an emotional rollercoaster before goal machine Erling finally settles his nerves

- JEREMY CROSS'

PEP GUARDIOLA can be worth the admission fee alone sometimes.

Which on this occasion wasn't that difficult for him, given the lack of entertainment on the pitch.

So for almost an hour Guardiola spent the time living through most emotions known to man.

Expectation, hope, frustration, increasing panic and then sheer relief.

All in the above order.

Guardiola has seen it all as a front-line manager. He hasn't just got the T-shirt, he pretty much designed it.

But as he approaches his 1,000th game as a boss in top-level football, the one constant which remains is his astonishing passion for the sport.

Within five minutes of this game kicking off, Guardiola was hauling Nico O'Reilly across the field so he could bark instructions in his ear. The poor lad hadn't even touched the ball.

He then jumped from his seat to dish out a roasting to Nathan Ake after a misplaced pass had gone out for a throw-in to Everton.

If looks could kill, from the bloke dressed in all black.

He was left with his head in his hands when Jeremy Doku blew a golden chance to end the tedium before halftime.