CITY’S LUCK IN LOSING

YOU may think this strange, but I reckon Manchester City might have got just a little bit lucky against Lyon in the Champions League.

Lucky, because they got the kick up the a*** they needed so early in the competition.

You get complacent in any game, and you get found out. That’s what happened to City – they paid the price for being too complacent.

Of course, as a professional, you know it shouldn’t happen. You know you have to treat every opponent with the same respect, the same preparation and dedication.

But it happens. I can’t tell you why, but there are games when players just switch off a tiny per cent and, even with the quality of City, that can make all the difference.

Lyon are a good side (and Nabil Fekir (top) looks almost like the blueprint of a Jurgen Klopp-type player, by the way) but City’s attitude didn’t look spot-on until too late in the game.

I think they’re lucky, though, because it may be a good thing. It will do the manager’s talking for him. He probably won’t even need to really tear a strip off them now (though he will, I guarantee) because they’ll know themselves.

I’ve already said that City’s biggest problem in the Champions League could be the fact they are not tested early or strongly enough, and they could get a little too complacent in later rounds.

I’m a big advocate of pushing yourself and the only way to do that is to have real competition all the time – and City’s group doesn’t look the strongest.

But, after getting beaten at home in the first game, it will have been a massive wake-up call.

I think that will actually be a blessing for them.