Man City’s defensive woes on display after thriller vs. Spurs

MANCHESTER, England — It’s laborious to win something with an unreliable defence, so Pep Guardiola has work to do if Manchester City are to return near replicating final season’s treble success this time round.

Eight targets conceded in three video games with the lead surrendered six instances in these fixtures, are the type of statistics often related to Erik ten Hag’s out-of-form Manchester United slightly than Manchester City, however they’re the truth of Guardiola’s group proper now after Tottenham ended their three-game dropping streak to attract 3-3 on the Etihad on Sunday.

These are uncommon instances at City. It is the primary time they’ve gone three Premier League video games with out a win since March-April 2017, and it’s a must to return to Nov. 2009 for the final time City led in three successive league video games and did not win any of them, as Guardiola’s aspect have carried out towards Chelsea (4-4), Liverpool (1-1) and now Spurs.

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And issues might worsen earlier than they get higher. City journey to Aston Villa — some extent behind in fourth place — on Wednesday with Unai Emery’s group having gained their final seven residence video games. City will face them with out Rodri, whose yellow card towards Spurs earned him a one-match suspension, and Guardiola will keep in mind that his group misplaced three successive video games whereas the Spain midfielder was suspended earlier this season.

The absence of Rodri is a one-game difficulty that may very well be addressed by Kalvin Phillips, John Stones or Rico Lewis moving into his place in entrance of the again 4, however the defensive issues will want extra work than one easy choice change.

For a begin, City have a problem at left-back. Brennan Johnson’s tempo down the Spurs proper was a relentless drawback for Josko Gvardiol, a centre-back taking part in at left-back, and the guests’ first aim got here from Son Heung-min outmuscling Jérémy Doku in City’s left channel whereas Gvardiol struggling to get again following a counter-attack. Rúben Dias has additionally struggled for kind at centre-half, regardless of being City’s most constant defender since arriving from Benfica in 2020, and the absence of Stones resulting from harm for almost all of this season has additionally impacted on the solidity of Guardiola’s group.

It is a matter that Guardiola acknowledged after the Spurs recreation, with the City boss admitting that his group has to discover a method to return to consistency and reliability in defending.

“People say, ‘You must be concerned about the goals you concede,” Guardiola mentioned. “Of course, but how many chances do we concede? Hardly any. It is happening, but OK, let’s go. It’s a challenging situation, it is the first time we face a situation where you are playing good but results don’t come.

“I keep in mind my first season, we performed good however could not get outcomes. The solely medication I bought was that when you’re taking part in on the stage now we have been, you simply preserve doing the identical. You create extra probabilities, rating extra targets, be extra inventive than your opponent. Just make good actions, make good supply. Football is about errors typically, however we’re nonetheless there,” added Guardiola.

Perhaps City are merely in the midst of a run of tough games against opponents prepared to, and capable of, attacking and causing the champions problems. Villa are in the same category as Chelsea, Liverpool and Spurs, but after City travel to Villa Park, their fixture list becomes less hazardous with games against Luton, Crystal Palace, Everton and Sheffield United before the end of December.

Guardiola’s side are unlikely to face forwards of the calibre of Son or Johnson during that run of games, but their frailty at the back has been exposed by the top sides and opponents will be ready to deploy the same tactics in the return fixtures in the second half of the season.

So City have a challenge ahead that maybe they didn’t face last season in that they will be up against opponents who believe they can beat them. Tottenham, for all of their injury problems, retained that belief despite twice falling behind at the Etihad and they were rewarded with their equaliser.

“The lads have not given up till the final whistle and sensible work from Brennan [Johnson], unbelievable cross contained in the field and clearly Dejan [Kulusevski] does not rating headers often, however I’m very pleased with him and he is large,” Son told Sky Sports. “I feel this level will deliver us a lot for the season. I feel it is an enormous level for the group and gamers’ confidence.”

That aim might also deliver confidence to the opposite challengers, too. City have vulnerabilities and they are often uncovered.