Who is culpable for the teams’ respective positions?
Liverpool’s stellar form, a weakness in central defence and a group of players who before Tuesday’s 4-1 rout of Burnley lacked an edge are key factors for Manchester City being 11 points behind the Merseyside club. Pep Guardiola rates the midfielder Fernandinho over John Stones or Nicolás Otamendi as first-choice cover for the injured centre-back Aymeric Laporte, illuminating how the failure to acquire an A-list replacement for Vincent Kompany was a serious error. The win at Turf Moor was a reminder of how energy and effervescence from the manager’s pass-and-move play had dipped: given the deficit this has to remain until May.
United, seven points above the drop zone and eight off fourth, made their poorest start since 1988. Here Ed Woodward, the executive vice-chairman, is culpable for a recruitment policy that created a malaise during the five years before Ole Gunnar Solskjær became manager. Wednesday’s impressive win over Tottenham is proof of what the Norwegian is hoping to build.
Will things improve?
Attempting to predict whether United will embark upon an upward trajectory remains a conundrum because Solskjær’s side are young and callow. Yet the results against Chelsea (4-0), Liverpool (1-1), Leicester (1-0) and Spurs (2-1) show how impressive United can be against the division’s toughest opponents. It has to allow optimism that given time the Solskjær project will be successful. This means he has to be in place next summer for a second close-season window.
City are at a defining moment of Guardiola’s reign: can he and his champions respond despite a third consecutive title seeming remote? The manager will hope his side’s experience of losing at Newcastle in January of last season and then reeling off 14 consecutive victories to retain the championship can be drawn on. Tuesday’s win was a reminder of why City are formidable and, if Liverpool do stumble at all, Guardiola’s men will hope peak form remains to take advantage and the championship race be reignited.
How have new signings fared?
Guardiola’s penchant for a midfielder may have broadened to full-backs given he signed two when a centre-back was needed. Of these João Cancelo has looked shaky and though able to operate along both flanks has made only four league starts. Angeliño, re-signed from PSV Eindhoven, was in the starting XI at Turf Moor but lacks the verve of Benjamin Mendy. Rodri is City’s standout close-season acquisition: the Spaniard’s elegant style masks a formidable physical presence that makes him a silkier yet still robust long-term replacement for Fernandinho as City’s holding player.
Of Daniel James, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Harry Maguire the central defender has not matched his billing as the expected dead-cert successful acquisition. Maguire can be sloppy in possession, sluggish in anticipation and one-paced. James, though, has taken to Premier League football instantly and wears the United shirt – which can be “heavy” – with aplomb, adding pace and sparkle to the frontline. Wan-Bissaka also looks a natural and his “Spider” moniker is apt: not many attackers best him along his right-back corridor.
What would make this season a success?
United finished sixth last season, Solskjær taking charge after 17 matches, and they have to finish a place or more higher. The manager believes a top-four berth can be achieved but if so his side will have to put a run of wins together which they have not done since January. United strolled through the Europa League group stage so maybe this or the Carabao and/or FA Cup can be won. In short: fifth place plus a trophy is progress (not real success); top four and no cups would be success.
If City cannot retain the title and fail to seriously challenge then reaching the Champions League final is the bare minimum. Guardiola publicly maintains that his team are not ready to be European kings but this is surely a ploy to ease pressure on players given that he has had three seasons and counting to construct an XI of requisite quality. City’s best run under him has been to the quarter-finals, which is a disappointment, so should they retain one or both of the domestic cups but fail to reach the final of the continent’s premier club competition 2019-20 will still rate as a failure.
Who have been the stars of the season?
The effervescent Raheem Sterling, peerless Kevin De Bruyne and evergreen Sergio Agüero lead the City roll-call closely followed by Riyad Mahrez, Rodri, David Silva, and Ederson. Honourable mentions can also be given to Bernardo Silva, Kyle Walker and Gabriel Jesus. This talent illustrates that while City are third they remain Liverpool’s greatest threat.
Beyond James and Wan-Bissaka for United, Marcus Rashford has nine league goals and was unplayable against Spurs, Scott McTominay is becoming a genuine United midfielder and Victor Lindelöf is reliable at centre-back. Inconsistency is found in Anthony Martial (three league goals), Fred (good against Spurs) and Andreas Pereira (can be promising), while Jesse Lingard, Juan Mata, Nemanja Matic and the remainder of the squad – apart from the goalkeeper, David de Gea – all have to start returning eight-out-of-10 displays rather than their usual less than five.
