As Manchester City basked in the glow of their triumph under the lights against Manchester United, a derby that seems to lose its competitive edge with each passing season, the Pep Guardiola-led side remains cautious of the formidable challenges awaiting them as the month unfolds.
While defeating United holds significance in the local context, it’s merely another fixture in the broader scheme of things. Securing a victory against Manchester United is no longer a rare occurrence, as demonstrated by Fulham’s recent triumph, a feat they hadn’t achieved at Old Trafford since 2003. For City, however, their focus extends beyond such victories to more significant challenges.
Similar to Julius Caesar being warned to beware the Ides of March, Manchester City’s entire month ahead is strewn with fixtures that pose a threat to their title defense and, to some extent, their season. They face a Champions League clash against Copenhagen on March 7, significant Premier League encounters against Liverpool on March 10 and Arsenal on March 31, and a potentially draining FA Cup tie with Newcastle on March 16.
Despite Manchester City’s undefeated streak since their 1-0 loss to Everton on December 7, questions arise about their lethal form. Do they resemble the well-oiled machine that once dominated the competition, with Erling Haaland as the primary destructor? The simple answer is no.
Aside from the recent 6-2 thrashing they delivered to Luton in the FA Cup, with Haaland netting 5 goals in a single match, and a 5-0 victory over Huddersfield, Manchester City’s wins have often been by narrow margins. They’ve won by two goals on just four occasions: 3-1 against Burnley, 3-1 against Brentford, 2-0 against Everton, and 3-1 against Copenhagen. While these numbers may seem impressive for an average team, for a squad brimming with attacking talent, they may appear somewhat underwhelming.
Additionally, there’s the 1-0 win over Bournemouth, a 1-1 draw against Chelsea, a narrow 1-0 victory over Tottenham, and a scrappy 3-2 win against Newcastle. These results saw the formidable treble winners narrowly escape with points, highlighting their vulnerability in certain matches.
Are Man City over-reliant on Erling Haaland?
City may be encountering a challenge this season as they appear to rely heavily on Haaland for goal-scoring. While acquiring the Norwegian powerhouse was a strategic move, expecting any striker to replicate his debut season numbers would be unrealistic. The astute tacticians of the Premier League have begun to find ways to contain him, albeit to a certain extent, highlighting the need for City to diversify their goal-scoring sources.
Against Everton, a team struggling with relegation, Haaland and City had to wait until the 71st minute to find the net. Everton could have even secured a point if Dominic Calvert-Lewin had capitalized on the chances that came his way. In the match against Chelsea, Raheem Sterling didn’t falter, putting the Stamford Bridge side ahead in the 42nd minute. However, it was Rodri, often underrated, who leveled the score with his strike in the 83rd minute.
In matches against Bournemouth, Brentford, and Tottenham, City found themselves relying on moments of individual brilliance to secure narrow 1-0 victories each time. This contrasts sharply with the typical style of a Pep Guardiola-led team, where cohesive teamwork is usually emphasized above all else.
Most of City’s players haven’t hit top form this season, despite Haaland leading the line. While he’s been among the goals, he’s also missed more sitters than he would have preferred. His glaring miss against United on Sunday, where he somehow put the ball over the bar from point-blank range, epitomized this. Last season, that would have been a certain goal. Although he redeemed himself with a late goal to complement Phil Foden’s brace, for much of the match, he remained largely invisible.
With City conceding over 20% of their goals to lightning-fast breaks this season, it’s understandable why they’re not fully embracing a direct approach, a style of play that primarily suits Haaland’s strengths.
With a flurry of upcoming fixtures set to define their season, Guardiola will be cautious, especially considering City’s failure to defeat their title challengers in the Premier League so far. Liverpool secured a draw in their last encounter in November, while Arsenal claimed a 1-0 victory in October. If the reverse fixtures unfold similarly, there’s a possibility of new champions emerging in England come May.