Chris Wilder’s Sheffield United fell short at the home of the champions as Manchester City secured an important 2-0 victory over the newly-promoted side at the Etihad.
Wilder seemed to have his match tactics spot on, as City were pressed very hard and in numbers in midfield, rather than the final third, being completely deprived of space in which to manoeuvre. Rather, the visitors looked more threatening on their breaks, and had a very well taken goal disallowed for offside in the first half, as VAR intervened and came to City’s aid.
Replays showed Lys Mousset had stepped offside by a margin of inches as a fantastic through ball found him in behind the City back-line, which featured a 34-year-old midfielder in Fernandinho, and 18-year-old Eric Garcia, who was making his first league start.
A mixture of luck and controversy intervened as City went ahead in the 2nd half through a brilliant Sergio Aguero finish. Referee Craig Kavanah impeded a Sheffield player getting firm contact on the ball by inadvertently getting between the ball and the recipient. However, since the referee did not actually ‘touch’ the ball, play went on, and City duly capitalised.
Their quality showed once more on the break, as De Bruyne and Mahrez together carried the ball 60 yards up the pitch, and the Belgian international bamboozling Dean Henderson in goal and finishing expertly at his near post from the edge of the box.
It was safe to say that neither club was impressed with the usage of the Video Assistant Referee in that game, as chants of “F*** VAR” echoed from all corners of the Etihad.
Wilder’s tactical set-up falls marginally short
Sheffield boss Chris Wilder got his set-up and instructions absolutely spot on, as his players not only successfully frustrated Manchester City on their own patch whilst the latter was in possession, but rather looked the side more likely to score, as they broke at will and with pace.
The trick was congesting the midfield, and pressing in units, leaving a flat back-six with little to do, as there was physically no space to make inroads for a midfield with creators as supreme as De Bruyne and Bernardo Silva.
Wilder’s men stuck to the basics and did not on any single occasion attempt to be intricate and overdo their moves. They had every right to feel hard done by when the official did not blow for a drop-ball in the centre of the pitch, and instead allowed De Bruyne to slide it through for Aguero, who having been kept quiet all the evening, stamped his mark on the game.
De Bruyne continues to hunt Premier League assist record
Kevin De Bruyne set up yet another goal on Sunday, taking his tally up to 12 for the season, after the Premier League match centre chalked off a brilliant assist for Raheem Sterling away to Arsenal.
The assist for Aguero puts him at exactly twice the assist tally (6) of his closest City counterpart (David Silva), and four clear of Alexander-Arnold, who had arguably the game of his career against Leicester City, scoring, assisting twice and winning a penalty.
With the current record for Premier League assists in a single campaign standing at 20, by Thierry Henry back in 2002/03, it is increasingly looking like we may have a new record-holder come next August; a big silver lining in a rather dismal City season thus far
Blades set for testing schedule
Sheffield United have done remarkably well thus far in the Premier League, currently sitting 8th in the league with 29 points collected from an available 60.
It is safe to say that the world has seen its expectations exceeded with the Blades. However, that nice run that they had put together will come under question now, as a string of tough tests lies in wait for Chris Wilder and his side.
Liverpool away follows immediately, after which they welcome a David Moyes led West Ham United. Three fixtures against Arsenal, Manchester City and Crystal Palace follow that. A return of five points from these five matches will provide a decent return, but only time will tell if they end up falling short or exceeding expectations on this count as well.
January reinforcements a possibility for the Citizens?
City’s back-line yesterday excluded summer signing Joao Cancelo, Benjamin Mendy and included a 34-year-old midfielder in the form of Fernandinho who will more likely than not leave the club next summer.
It would truly not be an overstatement to say that the injury to star centre half Aymeric Laporte killed off City’s title hopes in the league. But that was a huge gamble that City’s directors seemed willing to take, as Vincent Kompany was allowed to move on in the summer, unreplaced; leaving a mere three senior centre-halves; one of whom has known, recurring injury problems.
Although Guardiola has publicly denied any January signings for the blue side of Manchester, in order to beat the extreme test of Real Madrid over two legs in the CL, not only will Laporte need to be back at full match-sharpness, but he will need to be partnered with someone fit who doesn’t dive into tackles every time danger beckons. City’s hand may just be forced in the market, given the current state of affairs at the back.
Up Next:
Sheffield United travel to Anfield to try and take down the juggernaut of a side who didn’t lose there in the league in all of 2019, while Manchester City will welcome Carlo Ancelotti and his new-look Everton side, who will be keen to make a statement and take down the Champions.
