City need to call in their big GUNS
LAST season, Manchester City won 15 consecutive Premier League games between their 13th and 29th fixtures.
It was a run that propelled City from struggling to keep up in the title race following a 1-1 draw with West Brom, to the favourites for the league by the time they finally lost again. It was all the more remarkable that the relentless winning run came in the midst of various injuries, a Covid crisis and a fixture list that never stopped.
And while it was undoubtedly a team effort, there was one player who stepped up and dragged his teammates through more than any other.
When Ilkay Gundogan scored in that draw with West Brom, it kickstarted a streak of 11 goals and two assists in 12 league games. Previously used in a deeper role, Gundogan was an unexpected choice to push forward and replace the goals of injured striker Sergio Aguero.
City had experimented with a false nine in the past, but rarely with Gundogan. Over that three-month winning spell, though, the German rolled back the years to his time at
Borussia Dortmund and became every fantasy football manager’s secret weapon.
Fast forward 12 months, and City are 11 games into the season and three points behind leaders Chelsea. They’re well-placed after playing a number of difficult fixtures already, but know how important it will be to keep up their momentum against two quality rivals in Chelsea and Liverpool.
Another winning run wouldn’t go amiss, and with nobody yet to seize that false nine role for themselves, City could do with another player to follow Gundogan’s example from last year.
Raheem Sterling is the first candidate, with the England international’s future the subject of plenty of speculation. With Phil Foden making the most of his chances on the left, Sterling has been mostly used in the middle this season, especially in the big games. How he’d love to go on a scoring spree and show Pep Guardiola why he should be the first name on the teamsheet.
Likewise, Jack Grealish has stuttered slightly after a promising start following his summer move and faces a similar issue to Sterling in that Phil Foden is playing better on the left wing.
Maybe a period through the middle could benefit Grealish, and he is a player who just needs one or two big performances to kickstart his season.
Another player in this same predicament is Riyad Mahrez, who is battling with Gabriel Jesus on the right. He might have to impress in the middle before reclaiming the right wing position, but Guardiola has always assured all of his forwards that goals and assists will guarantee them a place. It’s up to them to now do that.
Like Gundogan last season, Grealish, Mahrez or Sterling can do their talking on the pitch and make themselves undroppable in the 11 league games between now and the early January clash with Chelsea.
Kevin De Bruyne is another who is overdue a run of form. The Bel
Guardiola has always assured all his forwards that goals and assists will guarantee them a place
gian admitted he has been playing through pain all season, but his well-taken goal for Belgium against Wales this week is a sign that he’s starting to rediscover his sharpness. When he shakes off his injury problems, he can remind the doubters why he’s the best in the world in his position and goals will surely follow.
Finally, Gundogan himself could be a reliable option for Guardiola to turn to if he wants a talisman over the next six weeks. Last year showed he can play regularly, to a high standard, and score from midfield as well as working alongside De Bruyne or Bernardo.
Whoever it is, Guardiola will be looking for City to build on their impressive results against the ‘bigger’ sides in recent weeks to really assert themselves as contenders.