Manchester City were shocked last night at the Estadio Jose Alvalade, as they lost 4-1 to Sporting.
The Blues started the game well as Phil Foden scored inside four minutes but there was the threat of the inform Viktor Gyokeres upfront. He scored at the end of the first half, bullying City youngster Jahmai Simpson-Pusey and dinking the ball of Ederson to score his first goal of the game.
From that point onwards, the Portuguese side were confident, as they scored two goals in three minutes, a Maximilliano Araujo bullet goal and a Gyokeres penalty.
Sporting kept up their defensive intensity for the rest of the game as they outbattled City and looked like they wanted the win more.
Erling Haaland missed a penalty that could have seen City get back into the game. However, Ruben Amorim's Swedish talisman scored another penalty, which means that for the first time since April 2018, City have lost three games in a row.
They have also moved down in the UEFA Champions League phase table as they currently sit in 6th.
-
Viktor Gyokeres: a dangerous force
The Citizens would have known that Gyokeres has been the most prolific goal scorer in Europe this season, having 20 goals in 15 games in all competitions.
With Josko Gvardiol, Manuel Akanji and Simpson-Pusey as the back three it almost felt like Gyokeres was going to get the chance to score but no one would have thought it would have been a hat trick.
In the first half, Gyokeres’s game plan was evident: He would try to hold up the ball and then advance by running at the defence or through the back line.
In the second half Sporting started to play long passes in behind and did not play out of the back as much.
This allowed the number nine to hurt Guardiola's defence by running into the channels and being very effective in attacking areas, whether that would be a lay off to Francisco Trincao or Pedro Goncalves, or the ability to go one on one against the stretched City defence.
-
Manchester City's 'B team' is not what it used to be
In previous seasons, Manchester City have had the quality of players to be able to field two world-class teams that could beat most sidesin Europe.
However, this season, the spotlight has fallen on this subject, with injuries to key players such as Rodri, Jack Grealish, Ruben Dias, and John Stones.
City previously would be able to bounce back straight away with players such as Joao Cancelo, Riyad Mahrez, Julian Alvarez and many more.
Those 'b team' players in this current team are Savinho, Jeremy Doku, Matheus Nunes, Simpson-Pusey and James McAtee.
With not as much experience as the players before them, it seems that there is a distinctive difference between the two sets of players.
With Cancelo having played at Juventus and Mahrez at Leicester City in comparison to Doku who came from Rennes and James McAtee from the academy, there is not just a gulf in difference but also how good they are.
The depth in quality of City's squad is not there anymore and begs the question having not replaced players like Cole Palmer and Alvarez are the Blues reaping what they sow.
-
City's defence is prone to counter attacks
This has been prevalent since the start of the season but it is a huge factor in why Pep's team has lost their last three games.
Against this current City defence no matter who is playing it always seems like the opposition can get at the Blues in transition on the counter attack.
As well as conceding early goals, the formation does not seem suited to the players that the Catalonian currently has at his disposal.
A change in formation seems to be needed whether City go back to a 4-3-3 or not is Pep's decision and he has a brilliant proven track record of turning faults in formations and tactics around.
-
Ruben Amorim makes a statement win
It was Ruben Amorim's farewell to Sporting last night; having been the head coach for four years and is now set to manage Manchester City’s rivals Manchester United on the 11th of November.
It was always going to be a tough introduction to the Premier League as his Sporting side took on the champions of England.
The first half almost seemed like the Leoes were trying to figure out how City were going to approach the game, as they sat back and had a couple of chances from winning the ball back in midfield and attack.
At half time it was clear to see that Amorim's team talk worked with Sporting putting on an incredible counter attacking display against one of the best teams in Europe.
This was a huge victory not just for Sporting but also for himself, as he now has the credibility of Europe and the Premier League, and he can see just what his coaching can develop into.
