Manchester City remain fearful
A few days after the draw with Arsenal, Manchester City beat Aston Villa at the Etihad Stadium. This was also seen by the 'Blue Moon' as a message to other opponents in the English Premier League.
An hour before the start of the 31st round of the English Premier League match between Manchester City and Aston Villa, the home team's playing list caused an uproar online. Kevin De Bruyne and Erling Haaland were on the bench, while Jeremy Doku, Jack Grealish and Alvarez were given starts.
At the start of Manchester City's match against Aston Villa, the signal from London reached the 'Blue Moon' and Arsenal comfortably snatched three points from Luton Town to move up to the top of the English Premier League table. This means that the home team at the Etihad Stadium must emerge victorious to continue in contention for the title.
Aston Villa are not an easy team to be bullied. They are in the top 4 and are struggling to qualify for next season's Champions League. The stats suggest that Guardiola has high hopes for Doku, Grealish, Phil Foden or Alvarez, which is too risky. If City fails, it will be a disaster.
In the end, the defending champions of the English Premier League came out victorious. Not only did they win 3 points, but they also won big in a convincing way. Foden shined with a hat-trick and Rodri netted the remaining goal.
Manchester City destroyed Villa. It's like Pep Guardiola's side making a solemn statement to the other teams in the English Premier League. Anyone who doubts the strength of Manchester City, who thinks the club is in decline, is wrong.
Without Kevin De Bruyne and Haaland, City and Foden and Rodri have made a difference. Foden is at the peak of his career. In the first four months of 2024, the England midfielder scored two hat-tricks, his third in 19 months. It's worth noting that Foden is not a centre-forward like Haaland.
Manchester City's victory over Aston Villa was also a reminder that they still boast enviable squad depth. At the moment, every player has the ability to step up and prove their worth.
A year ago, Erling Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne scored 52 goals and provided 29 assists respectively for the club. In the 2023/24 season, if City are honoured again, awards for individual achievements will be presented to Foden and Rodri.
That night at the Etihad Stadium, Pep Guardiola rolled the dice. It was a risky gamble. Erling Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne sat on the bench and watched as Foden and Rodri battled. The rest, as it is often said, is history.
Manchester City's big win over Villa sparked a debate. Fans are asking themselves if the time has come for Pep Guardiola to no longer need to give Haaland the inviolable privilege.
Statistics from Sky Sports show that when the Norwegian striker didn't start in the English Premier League, Manchester City won six of their seven long league games and drew one. It is worth noting that the 'Blue Moon' have always averaged at least two goals per game in this impressive competition. This is all thanks to Foden's excellent performances, who have already scored 14 goals and provided seven assists in the English Premier League this season.
More often than not, a team tends to rely on one or two people to conquer the challenge. These players are known as pillars or irreplaceable pawns. This is true for any club, except Manchester City.
Without Haaland, there would be Foden. Without De Bruyne, there was Rodri, who was outstanding against Villa, scoring 1 goal and providing 1 assist. In the last 10 matches, the Spanish midfielder has scored 2 goals and provided 5 assists. This statistic is enough to convince the most discerning people.
Pep Guardiola has managed to turn Manchester City into the perfect machine. Now, the way the game is played and the operation of the offensive line is more important than the executor. Therefore, even without stars like De Bruyne or Haaland, Manchester City can still win.
In the English Premier League standings, Manchester City have yet to reclaim the top spot from either Liverpool or Arsenal. They are still at a disadvantage compared to their competitors. However, there are still 7 rounds left to end the season, and the gap between the teams is only a few points. Therefore, if one of the teams loses, the standings of Manchester City, Arsenal or Liverpool could change very quickly.
For Manchester City, the win over Villa, with Kevin De Bruyne and Haaland on the bench, pointed to the moment of truth. They didn't get as weak as the fans feared. Even if you lose the championship this season, it will be nothing more than an "accident", not the beginning of a systemic crisis or recession.