Manchester City travelled to Bramall Lane to face off against Sheffield United earlier tonight hoping to return to winning ways in the Premier League. The Citizens made a dominant start to the game but struggled to breakdown the Blades defence in the first half.
However, it was a different story in the second 45 minutes as the away side pushed on and finally managed to make the breakthrough via Sergio Aguero’s finish from close range. The contest ended with Man City running away as 1-0 victors from South Yorkshire.
Let’s take a look at how each Man City player fared during the match against the Blades.
GK: Ederson – 6/10
The Brazilian shot-stopper had a few nervy moments at the back but did enough to keep a clean sheet.
CB: Fernandinho – 7/10
The Man City veteran did all the dirty defensive work inside his own half and put in a fine performance as part of Guardiola’s backline.
CB: Nicolás Otamendi – 6/10
The Argentine centre-back used his experience well to keep Oliver McBurnie in check throughout the 90 minutes.
CB: Aymeric Laporte – 7/10
The ex-La Liga defensive ace stood his ground and dealt with the physicality of the opposition quite well to secure a well-deserved shutout tonight.
RM: Kyle Walker – 6.5/10
The English talent was defensively sound but lacked the cutting edge in the Blades half. He struggled to provide enough service for the front players.
CM: Kevin De Bruyne – 8/10
The Belgian international played a sublime pass to set-up Aguero’s winning goal in the 73rd minute. Overall, he put in another industrious display at the centre of the park.
CM: Rodri – 6.5/10
He worked his socks off to close down the opposition and fought for every loose possession in midfield.
LM: Oleksandr Zinchenko – 6.5/10
The Ukranian was always trying to join in on the attack but was average at best when defending inside his own half.
RW: Riyad Mahrez – 7.5/10
The Algerian winger was a constant threat down the right flank. The Blades defenders could not cope with his penetrative runs from midfield. Mahrez was also responsible for earning a penalty for his side, which Jesus failed to convert in the first half.
LW: Raheem Sterling – 6/10
The ex-Liverpool speedster tried everything to get his name on the scoresheet and came close to scoring with a couple of attempts. However, he looks like a player low on confidence which will be a slight worry for Guardiola.
ST: Gabriel Jesus – 4/10
The Brazilian sensation missed the crucial spot-kick in the 36th minute. His overall performance left a lot to be desired.
Substitutes:
ST: Sergio Aguero – 7/10
The Argentine marksman came off the bench to score the winner. His presence in the final third caused a lot of headaches for the Sheffield defenders.
CB: Eric Garcia – 7/10
The youngster made a vital interception late in the game.
CM: Bernardo Silva – N/A
The Portuguese playmaker did not have enough time to influence the game.
