Pep Guardiola has been under immense pressure over the past few weeks owing to Manchester City’s erratic performances this season so far and it further exacerbated when City let a two-goal lead slip against Tottenham Hotspur in the last match.
After starting the season in a more or less perfect way, City have really struggled to find pace with the other teams. While Pep’s perfect attacking style, which often splits open opponent’s defence like a coconut, has awestruck many, it is their pathetic defending that has cost them any real hope in the Premier League.
Manchester City have conceded 28 goals in the Premier League so far, which is more than all the top four teams apart from them challenging for the title. Premier League leaders Chelsea have conceded only 15, Tottenham 16, Liverpool 27 and Arsenal 22. City’s disorganised and nervy backline doesn’t allow the team to settle even if they are leading by three goals and new recruit Bravo’s faltering displays have further added to the woes.
With their latest recruit Gabriel Jesus, yet another forward, Guardiola now seems desperate to add quality at the back. Although having the likes of Gael Clichy, Aleksandar Kolarov, Bacary Sagna, Pablo Zabaleta and Nicolas Otamendi are quality enough, and we sincerely think that the problem is with Guardiola’s technique that doesn’t quite get superimposed in the Premier League, Guardiola thinks differently.
As per reports, the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich manager is targeting Burnley’s star centre-half, Michael Keane. City had apparently sent a delegation to watch Keane, 24, in action.
The former Manchester United academy product has been nothing short of amazing at Burnley’s back line. The Clarets have been a surprise package this season and Burnley has played a quintessential role in that. The England international has won 57% of his average duels with a passing accuracy of 75%.
Touted by many as the future of England football, Keane is adept in both timing his tackles and providing balls up front, just as Guardiola likes it. The repeated injuries of skipper Vincent Kompany has been a huge miss for City and Keane is more than likely to compensate for it.
