Go for the kill, get angry… and two players Pep Guardiola could target in January: Five ways shambolic City can stop the rot, writes JACK GAUGHAN
Manchester City were cruising at the Etihad on Sunday – or as comfortable as a team that had lost seven of their last 10 games.
A lot of the ball, a goal up and Manchester United didn’t threaten as often as expected.
But they came out after halftime looking to contain a lead rather than push forward. One goal attempt from Andre Onana’s penalty area in the second half does not indicate a team that smelled blood.
City were cautious in possession, with an initial instinct to look back rather than forward.
That’s what comes from poor form and a big blow to confidence. Only scratching one or two wins can change this.
Pep Guardiola must be decisive in the coming weeks to stop the rot at Man City
Once again the Premier League champions stood idly by as victory slipped through their fingers
Amad Diallo’s late winner in the Manchester derby continued their worst ever run since Guardiola took charge
REMOVE THE INDIVIDUAL ERRORS
The fear of starting Matheus Nunes at left back would be about the way he dealt with Amad Diallo, and not his possession.
The loss of concentration when hitting a back pass to Ederson too little is inexcusable for a midfielder.
Gvardiol and Ederson were also the ones responsible for Diallo’s winner, but the players believe there is a collective, underlying problem.
“It’s not just Matheus’ pass to the goalkeeper,” Bernardo Silva said. “It’s everything, how the ball gets from Ruben (Dias) to Matheus and Kyle (Walker), that we have to do better. Be more experienced and smarter.’
Matheus Nunes has looked out of his depth as a makeshift left-back during the club’s injury crisis
Bernardo Silva insisted individual mistakes within the team cost them the match at the Etihad
GET FRESH LEGS
It’s clear that Pep Guardiola needs some fresh impetus in this team that has looked stale all season.
At 28 years and 137 days, the average age of City’s starting XI was the oldest in this match since April 2017.
Newcastle’s Bruno Guimaraes and Real Sociedad’s Martin Zubimendi are on City’s list to strengthen the midfield and they need more legs there.
The Premier League champions are expected to do business next month.
In addition to Ilkay Gundogan, Kevin De Bruyne and Phil Foden, Guardiola could only call on a half-fit Mateo Kovacic and Jack Grealish from the bench.
It’s not a lack of quality, but a lack of different alternatives to solve specific in-game problems.
City will need to invest in the transfer market in January to strengthen their depleted ranks
Bruno Guimaraes and former Liverpool target Martin Zubimendi (pictured) would provide much-needed variety in midfield
GET ANGRY
A helplessness engulfed what seemed like eleven very lonely City players on a full-time basis.
Erling Haaland and Josko Gvardiol quickly brawled in the center circle after the majority of the team had already gone through the tunnel.
Together with Phil Foden and Ruben Dias, the pair lingered on the pitch and applauded the fans who had booed after the whistle.
They were like players in mourning who could not bring themselves to leave the scene of a tragedy.
When Nunes made his mistake, a few teammates went over to console him and that feels like where City are.
There is no public barracks, just a grim acceptance of their plight.
Guardiola’s side must leverage their continued struggles as a way to fuel a revival
LEARN FROM THE PAST
The parallels with the 2019/20 season, when City fell behind Liverpool, continue unabated.
This was the first time since that year that Guardiola’s side had lost to United in the first half of the season. The following week they beat Arsenal 3-0, but the prospect of a similar match at Aston Villa on Saturday is unlikely at best.
Worryingly for City, they always turn up for the first meeting of the campaign with their rivals.
In 2020, Guardiola’s side finished 18 points behind Jurgen Klopp’s title winners.
Who would bet against the same or worse again? They must learn from the past.