Manchester Metropolis suffered a 0-2 defeat towards Liverpool on the Etihad Stadium over the weekend to fall 20 factors behind the guests within the Premier League desk.
The 2 sides have locked horns in memorable conferences over the previous few years, producing basic shows. Nonetheless, Pep Guardiola’s facet have been miles behind the Arne Slot-led crew when the 2 met on Sunday afternoon.
Regardless of dominating possession, the hosts couldn’t hassle Liverpool, who discovered two objectives within the first-half by way of Mo Salah and Dominik Szoboszlai. Omar Marmoush managed to seek out the again of the online however was caught offside to cancel out the trouble.
Metropolis began the match nicely, however assaults did not pose a real risk to Alisson. The Liverpool goalkeeper calmly handled the Blues’ set-pieces on a couple of events when Marmoush’s corners weren’t struck out by the primary man in defence.
Quite the opposite, the guests bagged their first objective by way of a well-worked set-piece from the coaching floor. Alexis Mac Allister’s low nook met Szoboszlai, who flicked it in the direction of Mo Salah, and the Egyptian directed towards the objective tricking Ederson by way of a deflection.
Metropolis managed to fend off different assaults whereas Marmoush and Phil Foden noticed photographs comfortably denied by Alisson. Liverpool doubled their lead near the tip of the first-half, with Salah gathering the ball and discovering a well beyond the Blues with ease and laying it off to Szoboszlai, unmarked contained in the field.
The hosts amped up their assaults within the second-half however couldn’t make something out of them. Their opponents once more discovered the again of the online by way of Curtis Jones, however it was dominated out after VAR deemed Szoboszlai offside within the build-up.
Jeremy Doku and Savinho did nicely on the wings however couldn’t discover assist from these within the centre, ultimately being pressured again. A protracted effort in the direction of Phil Foden additionally didn’t assist, who was marked by Virgil Van Dijk all through. Marmoush’s photographs pressured Alisson into motion, however he had a comparatively snug night as Liverpool noticed out the sport with a clear sheet.
That marked the eighth defeat for Metropolis within the Premier League this season, however they retained fourth place after the weekend’s video games. The Blues are degree on factors with Newcastle and solely a degree forward of Bournemouth and Chelsea, who’re within the sixth and seventh respectively.
Pep Guardiola’s crew might be again in motion towards Tottenham in a vital assembly on Wednesday evening because the race to the top-four intensifies. However earlier than that, we take a look at 5 Issues We Discovered from Manchester Metropolis’s 0-2 loss towards Liverpool within the Premier League!
Abdukodir Khusanov stays spectacular
In what was arguably the largest constructive from Manchester Metropolis’s loss towards Liverpool, Abdukodir Khusanov placed on a splendid show within the defence. Dealing with one of the crucial ruthless assaults within the Premier League this season, Khusanov’s duties primarily concerned manning the final line of defence alongside Nathan Ake, primarily when Josko Gvardiol and Rico Lewis drifted into the midfield in the course of the build-up.
His positional consciousness was commendable, and the promptness mirrored fairly nicely in restoration runs, which prevented his facet from conceding two extra objectives. This got here days after his spectacular efficiency towards Vinicius Jr throughout Man Metropolis’s Champions League conflict towards Actual Madrid within the midweek. If something, Khusanov’s response was good after his debut recreation, which was broadly labeled as a “nightmare” after his mistake within the match towards Chelsea.
One of the best and worst of Jeremy Doku
The Man Metropolis winger ran the present towards Liverpool, relentlessly constructing assaults on the flank. He did nicely towards Trent Alexander-Arnold, turning the Liverpool defender inside out on a number of events. At occasions, Mohammed Salah needed to fall again and contribute to the defence to comprise Doku’s pertaining risk on his facet. He dribbled previous Trent 12 occasions from fifteen take-ons, the second-highest quantity recorded within the Premier League over twenty years.
That stated, there have been deserved questions on his finish product. Whereas Jeremy Doku had essentially the most dribbles for any participant on the pitch, he struggled to make one thing come off it in entrance of the objective. This isn’t the primary time an excellent efficiency from the Belgian has been beneath scrutiny as a result of lack of a compelling play within the closing third. However he might have had an help or two to his identify if others in a Metropolis shirt capitalised on the possibilities he created.
Phil Foden shocks with kind
Pep Guardiola fielded an attacking crew with Phil Foden as false-nine. This isn’t the primary time England Worldwide has donned that position up entrance, however it accounted for one in all his most disappointing performances within the Premier League. Foden is nicely off his kind from final season and has struggled to create an influence with the ball at his toes over the previous few months. It didn’t assist that the 5’ 7’’ footballer couldn’t discover a strategy to win aerial duels towards 6’4’’ Virgil Van Dijk, who can be one of many strongest defenders within the Premier League.
The few occasions he did handle to get the ball, Foden shockingly failed to provide something that might assist his facet. When Manchester Metropolis noticed its finest gamers go previous their prime, many anticipated him to step up and tackle accountability on the pitch to drive the assault. Sadly, that didn’t occur, and it additional stresses the significance of Erling Haaland on the pitch, who was unavailable for the sport towards Liverpool owing to his current damage.
Foden has additionally performed a number of roles this season throughout the wings and midfield. Maybe Pep Guardiola might have had him alternate roles with Omar Marmoush within the recreation. It could have benefitted each gamers on the evening, which primarily noticed them pressured right into a negligible presence towards a resilient Liverpool defence.
Defensive errors made it too straightforward
Man Metropolis’s defensive woes have been obvious all season. The consequence was unsurprising, particularly when a frail backline confronted an in-form Mo Salah at his finest. The Egyptian scored a objective by way of a deflection after which assisted one other to seal the three factors for the desk leaders on the Etihad Stadium. Luckily, a 3rd gal was dominated out for offside, additional stressing The Blues’ new behavior of forging their distress.
Liverpool’s first objective got here from a well-rehearsed set-piece routine, throughout which Rico Lewis was seen marking Virgil Van Dijk. There was a large mismatch of their physicality, which simply bent issues in favour of the Liverpool defender. Josko Gvardiol, who has had a greater season than most in a Metropolis shirt, as soon as once more bore the punishment for not controlling his tempo proper earlier than tackles. Ruben Dias additionally struggled together with his decision-making on the again.
And lastly, Ederson – regardless of making crucial saves – noticed Salah and Sozosblai simply rating previous him. The outline above might virtually match nearly each Metropolis loss since November, with a couple of names modified. The Blues momentarily noticed their attacking prowess return in December and mid-January, however its extreme lack in the previous few weeks has as soon as once more added to the strain on their failing defence.
The battle between Metropolis’s possession and attacking perils
Though Man Metropolis couldn’t keep away from a predictable defeat, they confirmed progress in comparison with their current outings. The crew did higher to regulate possession, with gamers wanting higher on the ball. Nonetheless, it’s not sufficient for the crew for the time being as they chase a Champions League qualification this season.
Regardless of sowing a greater composure whereas controlling the ball, Metropolis struggled to make an influence all through the afternoon resulting from their lack of creativity. The dearth of creativeness was significantly regarding with Kevin De Bruyne and Phil Foden’s presence on the pitch. Most of Metropolis’s efforts got here by way of Doku and Savinho, however the wingers couldn’t influence the sport as a lot as they’d have preferred.
Pep Guardiola has repeatedly centered on the necessity for a rebuild this summer time, which might see the facet’s a number of large names exit. Accidents have worsened issues for the growing old squad, and hopefully, the membership has higher plans to usher in recent legs that may take advantage of Metropolis’s typical possession-centric philosophy on the pitch.
