EPL 2017/18: Brighton & Hove Albion 0-2 Manchester City, 5 talking points

#3 Either Sterling or Sane should have started

Manchester City dominated 77.7% of possession

Pep Guardiola prides himself in being a tactical innovator, a man that analyses his opponents in microscopic fashion. Regardless of the opponent, he always tinkers his team in order achieve maximum efficiency. In the opening game of the season, Pep believed playing a right-footed Danilo as left wing-back would help City offensively, it didn’t.

The Brazilian looked uncomfortable and a step behind the rest of the team. Seeing as Manchester City spent the whole game in Brighton’s half, Leroy Sané or Raheem Sterling could have inflicted much more damage down that flank.

It was blatantly obvious that after Sané came on in the 68th minute, City found a new element of dynamism, leading to a breakthrough goal. The German offered more in 1v1s, tight spaces and was more of a threat with crosses.