City no slickers but Jesus strike gets the job done
IF THE title race is compelling, with the lead switching from team to team, then the general rule is that the quality of football is probably lower.
Certainly, the inverse has been true in recent years: when Manchester City and Liverpool have dominated, we have been privileged to witness some of the finest football seen in the Premier League.
That’s clearly not the case in this most exceptional of seasons. The title race is alive and well. You could make a compelling case for a number of teams to win it, though ominously, Manchester City are looking imposing.
They were fine here against Sheffield United Nothing more. Just fine. No superlatives need to be employed in describing this win against the league’s bottom club, who were admirable after their 2-1 win at Manchester United in midweek. Yet if City are steeling themselves for a third title triumph in four season, then it will be the least impressive one yet.
Still, 12 consecutive wins in all competitions is not be sniffed at. Whilst others falter, they keep going. They may have started the season slowly but they are finding their range now, although with the endless succession of fixtures, Pep Guardiola is unwilling to make projections.
He accepts the bouquets of praise for his team’s current form but he also reflected on where they had been so recently.
‘I appreciate the words but one month ago we had no chance to do anything,’ he said. ‘Now we are in the good moment. I don’t have the ability to predict what will happen in the future. Everything will change a lot. We were 12th not so long time ago, we were eighth and eight points behind the leaders...’
The depth of City’s squad is often cited as a reason to favour them for the title. Yet this game showed that of you take out Kevin de Bruyne (injured), Sergio Aguero (Covid) and Raheem Sterling (rested), its cutting edge is severely blunted.
Phil Foden and Bernardo Silva did well here but there was precious little of the high-sped link-ups that have so characterised City at their best. No-one was quite on the same wavelength.
Much credit should go to Sheffield United. They simply didn’t allow City time and space. They permitted their opponents to have possession but only in areas that weren’t especially dangerous.
‘Now you see us against a side that is bottom of the league and you really realise that the Premier League is the toughest in the world,’ said Guardiola.
Chris Wilder could take some solace in Guardiola’s words. ‘I believe he said that he’s looking at a team that is still alive and I believe we’re alive and have plenty left in us,’ said the Blades manager. ‘We won’t be defined by this game here today, we’ll be judged by the 17 games that are left.’
And yet if Sheffield United are to survive, they must do the things that define them well. They had started this game solidly. So when the excellent Ruben Dias picked out a long pass on nine minutes, Ethan Amapdu will need to address the poor header that played it into the path of Ferran Torres.
Even then, there wasn’t immediate danger. Torres attempted a run at goal but Jayden Bogle was there to block his way. Except that, somehow, Torres, despite landing on his backside, was more intent on pursuing the matter than Bogle. It was a simple task merely to block the attacker but Bogle allowed him to muscle his way through. No matter, Amapdu was covering and was immediately upon Torres. But the Blades defender had neither the physicality nor desire to stop the Spaniard, who powered on. Panic ensued as he played in Gabriel Jesus.
The Brazilian hasn’t scored since November in the league but now an opportunity presented itself three yards out from goal. He even had time to get his legs in a tangle and still prod the ball into the net.
Thereafter, United did well to frustrate City. That said, the visitors had one genuinely good chance on 84 minutes. Scot John Fleck hit a half-volley well enough, but it flew just wide of Ederson’s post.