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Manchester City rediscover their swagger
- Manchester City completed a brilliant group stage campaign with a 5-2 win against Juventus
- Pep Guardiola’s side won all three matches, regaining their old swagger along the way
- Face a heavyweight tussle with Asian giants Al Hilal in the Round of 16
Manchester City are on their way back. Following a disappointing season that ended without silverware and with a UEFA Champions League spot secured only in the final stages of the league, Pep Guardiola’s team seem to be finding their way back to the form that made them one of Europe’s most feared sides in recent years.
Indeed, Manchester City can draw plenty of positives from their performance in the FIFA Club World Cup™ group stage. They say success breeds success, and Man City’s run here has proved that, with a string of impressive results. Opening with a 2-0 victory against Wydad AC, the Blues went on to beat Al Ain FC 6-0 and Juventus FC 5-2. With three wins from three matches, the English side topped Group G and will face Al Hilal in the round of 16 at the Camping World Stadium in Orlando.
More than just the results, a string of impressive performances indicate that the club has firmly regained its swagger. Following those commanding victories over Wydad and Al Ain, a real test awaited against Juve. Once more, City showed that they were up to the task. They looked sharp from kick-off and didn’t let up until the final whistle, no matter which formation Guardiola deployed.
Individuals too have found their form at this tournament. New signings Rayan Aït Nouri, Tijjani Reijnders and Rayan Cherki have added fresh quality to the Spanish coach’s squad, which, following Kevin De Bruyne’s departure, was lacking the energy a player of the Belgian’s calibre brought to the side.
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Erling Haaland is also recovering his touch after an ankle injury kept him out for multiple matches late in last season’s campaign. More significantly, Guardiola has regained the services of another phenomenal player in Rodri. The Spanish midfielder made his first start since a crippling knee injury against the Old Lady and, despite needing to work his way up to full match fitness, immediately made a decisive impact on the pitch.
“Rodri had a great 60 minutes. No team can afford to be without the world’s best player. We missed him a lot and we’ve tried to manage his return in the best possible way. He was a bit anxious about getting back out on the pitch and we wanted to make sure he was fully fit in every way,” said Guardiola, following the win over Juventus.
“We’ve rediscovered a style of play we haven’t had for quite some time. We’ve had to manage a lot of injuries and playing with a lower energy level. Being together as a team at this tournament is incredibly important for us. It’s a real positive. We played a strong team and performed very well,” Manchester City’s coach added, confirming the significant progress his side have made.
Jeremy Doku, named the Michelob Ultra Superior Player of the Match, added his own thoughts after the win in Orlando. “It was a great game, we scored some fantastic goals and delivered a top-level performance. We’re pleased with the win and to win our group. Today’s performance was up there with our very best and we’ll be looking to maintain that level moving forward.
"It’s a fantastic tournament. We’re happy to be here. We’ve made the knockout stage and we’re focused on what’s next. We can’t take any team lightly. Every team is quality at this level and they all deserve our respect."
Another standout performer was Matheus Nunes, who provided the assist for Haaland’s goal and delivered the cross that led to Pierre Kalulu finding his own net in the first half. The versatile Portuguese star was in full agreement about City’s impressive display. “I think we played really well. We controlled the game and prevented Juve from creating too many chances”, Nunes said.
"It doesn’t matter who scores or who provides the assists, what matters is winning and that’s exactly what we’re focused on. There’s a different vibe in the squad right now. It didn’t go the way we wanted last season, but I believe our attitude has changed a lot and we have so much more energy,” he added.
Manchester City will be looking to channel this determination and keep their winning streak alive as they enter the knockout stage, starting with a heavyweight bout against Asian royalty in the shape of Al Hilal.
