Where football does not reach, let pride. That was the message Manchester City had to take to the field this Sunday to face Luton Town and break their losing streak of four consecutive games and they did it, with a comeback (1-2).
It was not a good game in the City. Things started to go awry when, before the match, Pep Guardiola confirmed that Erling Haaland would not be there due to an injury which, although not a part, could keep him out for months. And the Norwegian’s absence is very noticeable, a difficult burden for the ‘citizens’, who have to rely on mentality rather than play, which is sometimes scarce.
Manchester City deserved to win because they did more damage, but that doesn’t mean the game was good. More should be asked from the Premier League champions. Luton started looking to put their finger on the wound with the high pressure working, but in the first play they almost paid if Kaminski didn’t stop Foden.
Maybe because of the mental block issue, but if not because of the Englishman or Rodri in the first half, City’s football abandoned them. Almost all the plays were developed on the left side of their attack and Gvardiol and Grealish were disastrous. The Croatian showed again that he struggles to play defenses with no space and the Englishman was ineffective one-on-one, barely attacking.
Football is different. While Pep Guardiola’s team were safe at the back but thick in attack, with a Kaminski up front who had thwarted the few the team had managed, Luton had not yet arrived when, with the first half completed, Adebayo sparked the ‘citizen. ‘nightmare’ scoring with a header on the edge of half-time (45′).
The worst time to get fit is impossible. A bit of the so-called psychological for a City is blocked and has few ideas, although not without desire. That last thing got them going in the second half. The team went out to run over its rival and succeeded. Everything started to pick up after Rúben Dias’ warning, which hit the crossbar, and within two minutes City reversed the score with goals from Bernardo Silva, which hit the post after Rodri’s drive (62′) and Grealish, taking advantage of a series of mistakes by Luton and a service from Julián Álvarez (64′).
The main mission has been achieved, while now the two tasks consist of expanding the advantage, but also in its defense. The second weighs more. So in the last minutes City decided to close and start bailing water, clearing the cargo in the Luton area which had no attacking resources and which made it easier for City and Guardiola to smile again and put aside the crisis, which was able to look at the leader of Liverpool from only 4 points behind.
match lineup
24
Four. Five
26
29
4
fifteen
13
6
Eleven
30
19
31
2
24
8
3
6
twenty
16
19
47
10
Kenilworth Road
Ederson31
76′
Kyle Walker2
83′
Josko Guardiol24
68′
Matthew Kovacic8
82′
89′
Ruben Dias3
Nathan Ake6
57′
71′
Bernard Silvatwenty
61′
Rodri16
72′
46′
Julian Alvarez19
71′
Phil Foden47
92′
Jack Grealish10
64′
Replacements
Stephen Ortega18
Scott Carson33
John Stones5
68′
Manuel Akanji25
92′
83′
Rico Lewis82
Calvin Phillips4
89′
Sergio Gomeztwenty-one
71′
Matheus Nunes27
82′
71′
Oscar Bob52
coach
Rob Edwards
Pep Guardiola
Source: La Verdad
I’m Rose Herman and I work as an author for Today Times Live. My expertise lies in writing about sports, a passion of mine that has been with me since childhood. As part of my job, I provide comprehensive coverage on everything from football to tennis to golf.
