Manchester City took a big stride in their race for a Champions League spot with a late win over Swansea City at the Etihad Stadium. In a game that they had complete control over in the first half, City saw the Swans make a confident comeback in the second before putting the game to bed with a late winner from their new starlet Gabriel Jesus.
The result takes them to third spot in the table, leapfrogging Arsenal and Liverpool in the process.
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Here are 5 talking points from the game.
#5 Swansea batten down the hatches and leave the flanks exposed in defence
For the majority of the match, Swansea allowed the home side freedom to move the ball wide and chose instead to deal with it in the centre of the pitch. While it was a dangerous way to live, live they did; they even managed to recover from a lucky break that City saw Gabriel Jesus score from.
While Fabianski did have to make a couple of tough saves, he didn’t have an especially rough day at office, at least not corresponding to the pressure from City in the first half. But the Swans keeper let his team down at the very end.
While the crowd at the Etihad continued to grow impatient, the Swans stuck to their plan and were almost rewarded for it until a late cross was turned home at the second attempt by Gabriel Jesus, leaving the visitors wondering about what could have been.
Could this be a tactic for lower-table teams against City for the future?
#4 Sterling’s reputation earns him a yellow card
Close to the end of the first half, Raheem Sterling found himself unmarked in the box with the ball at his feet and being charged down by Fabianski. While he moved the ball away from the Swansea ‘keeper, the latter made brief contact with Sterling’s trailing leg causing him to go down.
After a brief discussion with his assistant, referee Mike Dean brandished a yellow card to the young attacker, which was harsh given the circumstances. Not only had Sterling been avoiding the tackle, he didn’t appear to make any claim for a penalty and it was perhaps his reputation that earned him a booking.
As the replays showed, he could consider himself unlucky at best and a victim of his own reputation at worst. Swansea though would definitely consider themselves lucky to have not given a penalty or a goal from the situation.
#3 A game of two halves - Swansea take the fight to Manchester City in the second half
Given the reputation for defensive frailty that Manchester City have built up under Guardiola, one wonders if there was a deliberate ploy by Paul Clement to let his team sit back and soak up pressure in the first half and only play football themselves in the second. After all, the home side enjoyed 76% possession and 32 touches in the opposition box in the first half, while the Swans managed only 1 touch in City’s box themselves.
The second half was a completely different affair altogether, with the visitors taking the game to City right from the restart, and being rightly rewarded for their bravery. Guardiola was left frustrated by the low-drive from an unmarked Sigurdsson, and wishing that his team had done more with their domination in the first half. He will be thankful for the late recovery his side made.
#2 Two beautiful free-kicks, two breathtaking saves
In an age where goals from direct free kicks are becoming rarer by the day, we almost saw two this game – both in the exact same corner of the same goal – one in each half. The first half saw Fabianski turn Yaya Toure’s attempt around the corner with a stunning dive, leaving the Ivory Coast star with an incredulous expression on his face.
Gylfi Sigurdsson targeted the exact same spot in the second half from an even tighter angle and Caballero was lucky to see the ball out for a corner – his initial save having struck the post and rebounded off his glove again.
In a game with lots of attacking intent but little goal-mouth action, these stood out as shining lights.
#1 Is this the beginning of the end for Sergio Aguero's Manchester City career?
For the second game in succession, Sergio Aguero found himself on the bench instead of his usual spot on the starting line-up, with Pep Guardiola opting to play newly signed Gabriel Jesus instead. With the teenage Brazilian scoring twice on the night, including a late winner– having scored against West Ham last time out – Guardiola would perhaps feel his decision was vindicated as well.
This however increases the question marks raised over the future of City’s third highest all-time goal scorer, dating back to the clandestine meeting between the Argentine, his agent and manager immediately after the arrival of Jesus at the club.
Aguero showed no signs of worry, smiling his way through the long period on the bench, but will definitely be asking himself where he stands in the future plans of his manager. Guardiola on his part has claimed he could just as well play the Brazilian and Argentine up front together, but those could merely be plasters over the cracks appearing in the wall.
