Manchester United legend Gary Neville has discussed the surprise decline of Manchester City in recent times as they look to have fallen out of the running for this season’s Premier League title already.
It’s early days yet, but City have made a poor start to the season, currently sitting in 13th place after their 2-0 defeat to league leaders Tottenham over the weekend.
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This puts Pep Guardiola’s side eight points off the top already, with three wins, three draws and two defeats from their first eight matches, though they still have a game in hand.
The manner of City’s performances will be a big concern for Guardiola, however, with Neville pointing out that they seem overly reliant on Kevin De Bruyne at the moment.
The pundit also feels goalkeeper Ederson seems to have gone backwards, while in general the team doesn’t seem to be as quick to attack in the manner that they became so famous for when they won two titles in a row, including a domestic treble in 2018/19.
“The biggest thing for me is in transition,” Neville told Sky Sports.
“They are not as quick at getting the ball back. Teams are more comfortable playing a pass through them and taking a risk. City used to be all over you like a rash when losing the ball or would just sustain attacks – but it’s less than it was before.
“Ederson doesn’t look as comfortable in goal, he’s making mistakes he wouldn’t have made a couple of seasons ago. There seems too much reliance on Kevin De Bruyne. Something is not quite right.
“Pep seems to be searching for the right combinations. A couple of seasons ago you could reel off the team: Sane, Sterling, Aguero, De Bruyne, Silva, Fernandinho, Kompany – you could tell what was going to happen each game.
“I don’t get that feeling anymore that the fluidity and continuity is quite there.”
Pep is a disgrace most of the times. He doesn’t see a goal coming, will allow a player to be playing rubbish for most of the time before making substitution. In Saturday match Mahrez should be substituted at half time. Also another great mistake he’s doing is playing Jesus out of his best position. He should be playing wide, his natural position.
“Pep is a disgrace most of the times. ”
Go support United or Liverpool eh? We’re no more entitled than any other club to win things.
Mahrez was complaining about not playing liverpool game and against spur he was a total waste.
since last year city has problems when playing against teams with 11 players in the back (fa cup final, lyon, leicester, spurs, …) guardiola should find another way to play against such teams, maybe play blocks like your opponent
For real Pep must look for a way to play against defensive teams. In other case city players are too slow, especialy in the attacks. They are possesing too much and when they lose the ball there are many and dangerous gaps in them thus leading to conceding goal.