Gone are the days when Manchester United was a constant reference to Manchester City. If they used to be role models or targets, now they can seem like a salutary warning. But at a time when City are four games away from knocking United out of the record books, becoming the first team to be crowned English champions four seasons in a row, a fair comparison is with any of Pep Guardiola’s former teams. Can’t be together.
Rather than his beloved Barcelona side, his City Centurions or last season’s treble winners, there have been occasions this year when City have been more reminiscent of Sir Alex Ferguson’s sides of late. They were United teams who won because they had won in the past, who became champions with an incredible sense of predictability, but who benefited from what had gone before.
Few opponents are threatened with defeat before kick-off, beaten by more reputation than reality, by memories of more prominent sides, and if it certainly doesn’t happen with Nottingham Forest on Sunday, That’s how it feels in sports. The Etihad Stadium, as Old Trafford used to be. This can make it difficult for any challenger who lacks that fear factor to dethrone them.
The 2-0 victory at the City Ground was notable for Kevin De Bruyne’s ability to open up the defence. It was also a chance for the solid Citizens, with Guardiola praising the penalty box defense of Josep Guardiola, Nathan Ake and Manuel Akanji. If each is an example of how City are more physical than some of the lesser teams Guardiola has fielded in the past, the reliance on powerful defenders is one way the class of 2023-24 compares to some of their predecessors. Looks more mysterious.
There have been fewer footballing masterclasses in midfield, partly because City lack advanced technical talent in the middle of the pitch, partly because of departures and injuries. The 29-pass move for his second goal at Nottingham was out of keeping with his performance: Guardiola’s need to bring on Mateo Kovacic for Jeremy Duko at half-time signaled that City lacked stability in possession and It was emphasized that they feel more confident. on the manager to find a solution.
And yet statistics show that this city-side is one of the biggest ever in England. He is only the fourth player to go 30 games unbeaten in all competitions: Forest did the first, under Brian Clough, the other two by Ferguson’s United. In the Premier League, City are unbeaten in 19 matches, winning 15. Their last title came in 2010–11 when they started the campaign without losing any of their opening 24 league fixtures. In each case, success came in results: neither is now remembered as one of Ferguson’s truly brilliant sides.
But winning can be a habit, an art and a science. This is something that, especially with the right manager, can continue during staff turnover. Some of these switches are due to injury. At the end of last season the formula for consistent possession in midfield was based around six players. Of these, Jack Grealish has played 29 per cent of his league games this season, De Bruyne 32 per cent, John Stones 35 per cent; For other reasons, Ilkay Gundogan is a nobody. If Stones can feel irreplaceable, given how difficult it is to field a defender who can offer his assurance anywhere in midfield, that would leave Rodri and Bernardo Silva as regulars out of the six. Is. Despite this, the Portuguese, such as Erling Haaland, Ruben Dias and Kyle Walker, are not in the starting 11 for around a quarter of league games. Even the best football goalkeeper Ederson was injured again.
Meanwhile, the footballer with the most minutes in the Premier League for City this season is Julian Alvarez, who is not in City’s strongest team and yet is practically everywhere. The 11 who started the second half against Forest – Stefan Ortega. Walker, Akanji, Ake, Guardiola; Kovacic, Rodri; Silva, De Bruyne, Grealish; Alvarez – Consists of half a great team, but also a sprinkling of stand-ins.
Yet they only lost when Rhodri was missing. They plough. Winning in style is Guardiola’s priority. Winning, with some adversity due to injury and fatigue and departures, is a different kind of achievement. Winning under pressure is a trait many would envy and City have often played after Arsenal. They have barely been on top since October but are a team whose leaders just can’t shake an unwanted presence off their shoulders.
They could end an unbeaten season at 36 – albeit with a penalty shootout loss – with a double. The feeling of winning can be natural and normal to them, a weekly ritual, regardless of who plays or how they play. It was Ferguson’s way. It has also become Guardiola’s.
Credit : www.independent.co.uk
