Game-changers Haaland & Nunez are the marginal gains that excite Pep and Jurgen

MARGINAL GAINS. Two words which excite managers – and turn supporters cold.

When I was coaching with Brisbane Roar, we knew those marginal gains, no matter how small, could add up to some significant improvements.

I moved the dugouts closer to the pitch so I could be closer to the officials… and they could, shall we say, get the wisdom of my opinions.

We also made sure the opposition players had to warm up in front of our fans.

I put up huge pictures of our team outside the away dressing room – to get an image inside our opponents’ heads that we were a huge team.

Those things seem trivial, but there were many and, together, the gains can be significant.

With Liverpool and Manchester City, I truly believe they’ve spent into the hundreds of millions on what will be perceived by their managers and coaching staff as relatively marginal gains. Before you start laughing, let me explain.

Erling Haaland’s arrival has made City appear more formidable.

But they’re already favourites for the title, after securing 93 points and 99 goals becoming Champions.

With the best will in the world, he’s not been bought for in excess of £100million, if we take into account the agent fees and other things, to significantly improve on last season. How can you? No, he’s been brought in to make a difference in one or two of the biggest matches.

Where have City fallen just short in recent seasons? Not in the Premier League. They’ve been to the Champions League final and fallen at the last hurdle.

Perhaps even more cruelly, they were denied in the semis when they battered Real Madrid last season. Look at their record. Three quarter-finals, a semi and a final under Pep. But no trophy.

It’s always about those small gains and, in City’s case, that final step, that final small gain has proven so difficult in Europe.

So spending that much on a marginal gain with Haaland doesn’t sound so stupid in that context.

If he proves the difference between losing to Real Madrid after battering them, or winning as they should have done, then it’s worth it.

There is only a handful of games in any season when City and Liverpool struggle and their two striker signings have been bought with those games in mind. What is that gain then?

Well, I’m a big advocate of playing a No.9, even in their fluid formats.

Of course, I’d say that, wouldn’t I?! But bear with me. Look at Liverpool now, and City for Pep’s entire tenure.

Teams pack defences, they crowd space, and when you have a false nine, it can sometimes be easier to defend against, because it’s easier to mark when everything is in front of you.

We’ve only seen a couple of games from Haaland and Darwin Nunez, but one thing is clear: both bring in that ability to run in behind, to stretch defences.

And that is a defender’s nightmare.

Now they can’t just block-defend low. Haaland stretches defences and if they go with him, it gives Kevin De Bruyne space to do his worst. Looking at Liverpool, that is why Jurgen Klopp let Sadio Mane (below) leave and brought in Nunez. Jurgen examines everything, he knows what works and what needs adjusting. Look at the three finals they played in. They were pretty clearly the better team in all three… yet didn’t score a single goal. So, for all the threat of Mo Salah and Mane, they were thwarted by top sides in Chelsea and Real Madrid, who were prepared to defend deep and try to frustrate them. And it worked. Real were appalling against Liverpool, no ambition, never came out, had two serious attempts on goal, played on the break for three minutes of the 90. Yet they won. Liverpool had the most shots on goal ever in the history of the Champions League final, yet couldn’t score. And that explains signing Nunez. I’m a fan of Mane and so sad to see him go, but Klopp couldn’t keep both and he’s made the calculation that, with Salah staying and Diaz playing on the left in Mane’s position, he could try to find a marginal gain in his attack.

We’ve already seen Nunez make a difference. And yeah, they didn’t win at Fulham, but they have another dimension.

When he truly clicks with the team, Liverpool can play so many different ways. And, just like City, they will have a real goalscorer who can make a difference in massive games which define seasons.

It’s about evolution and both did that. It will be fascinating to see who out of Nunez and Haaland offers the more significant gain.