City not at peak but still climb

THIS was undeniably better from Manchester City. Indeed, at times, they even looked like Manchester City.

It had been a while since Pep Guardiola’s team had actually beaten a decent Premier League side. Wolves on the first day of the season was probably the last occasion, given that Arsenal don’t really count anymore.

And here there were undoubted signs of encouragement. The continued renaissance of John Stones and the flashes of the old Raheem Sterling, Bernardo Silva and Kevin De Bruyne combinations made you think of better days, when they were cutting a swathe through teams back in 2018.

Yet this still remains a team so far from its peak that it’s hard not to lament their relative decline whenever you watch them, however good they are. They have now scored 19 goals after 13 games, just over half the amount Liverpool have managed.

‘The reality is our momentum up front is not good,’ conceded Guardiola. ‘That’s why we are struggling in the season. We create these situations to score. Maybe one day we work, the players come back in their form and we can do it.’

Asked to consider Liverpool’s seven-goal victory, Guardiola shrugged. ‘Look at the table,’ he said, the gap now eight points from their rival, though with a game in hand. ‘They still have their momentum with goals.’

Bit by bit, he suggested they would haul themselves back.

For this still feels like this is City Lite. Maybe with a fit Sergio Aguero it would be different. But whether a 32-year-old with a reluctant knee can be relied upon remains to be seen.

A new top-class centre forward might make the difference, but those aren’t available in January. What price a move for Erling Haaland this summer?

Guardiola lauded his defence and it is true that Stones was good, with two crucial interventions, twice taking the ball off Che Adams head in either half as he was poised to head home.

And yet they conceded so many chances and invited their opponents on to them so often, that it isn’t just the likes of Liverpool who will take comfort. Borussia Monchengladbach will doubtless look on and be encouraged as well, with an eye on next year’s Champions

League tie.

City’s winner came on 16 minutes, when Kevin De Bruyne crossed for Sterling in a crowded area to execute a clean finish.

Saints boss Ralph Hassenhuttl insisted: ‘I saw unbelievable performance from my team today and we underlined why we are top four before today.’