Manchester City have gone through another incredible campaign which ended in bitter disappointment last weekend as they missed out on their first UEFA Champions League win after they suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat at the hands of Chelsea in Portugal. However, they still deserve a lot of credit for completing a domestic double.
Manchester City’s 2020-21 Season Review: Major Talking Points
Pep Guardiola’s men made a solid start to their campaign by picking up two wins on the spin against Wolverhampton Wanderers and Bournemouth. However, an unexpected 5-2 loss against Leicester City put the Mancunian outfit under some pressure. However, they responded positively and went unbeaten in the month of October, picking up impressive wins against Arsenal, FC Porto and Marseille along the way.
However, a 2-0 defeat away at Tottenham Hotspur raised some question marks over whether they would be consistent enough to catch Liverpool in the Premier League title race. The big showdown against Liverpool in November ended in a 1-1 stalemate but Man City quietly gained momentum in the busy winter months and made their way back towards the top of the league table.
Guardiola’s men were also going strong in both domestic cup competitions and in Europe but their FA Cup hopes were dashed as they lost to Chelsea by a 1-0 scoreline. However, they bounced back quickly and managed to bag their first silverware in the form of the EFL Cup back in April.
Liverpool’s growing injury concerns and Manchester United’s inconsistency in terms of getting results saw Man City build a healthy lead at the top of the Premier League table. They also managed to give a good account of themselves in the Champions League as they booked a place in the final by securing a 4-1 aggregate win over Paris Saint-Germain. Guardiola’s players were soon confirmed as the new champions of England after Man United lost their home game against Leicester City in May. However, as mentioned earlier, their season finished in a heart-breaking fashion as they lost against Chelsea in the cup final last weekend.
Man City’s Best Players Of The 2020-21 Campaign
Ilkay Gundogan
The German midfielder ended the season with 17 goals and five assists to his name in 46 matches across all competitions. Gundogan has transformed himself into a fantastic two-way player under Pep Guardiola’s stewardship and deserves a mention on this list for his outstanding contributions in the final third.
Ruben Dias
Dias has been a rock at the back for the Mancunian giants this season after catching the eye by averaging 0.8 tackles, 1.1 interceptions and 2.8 clearances per game in Premier League football (stats via whoscored). He managed to form a dominant centre-back partnership with John Stones which was the pillar behind Man City’s success this season.
Phil Foden
The English youngster came of age with his performances as a key member of Guardiola’s frontline. He showed plenty of signs of maturity as he banged in 16 goals and secured ten assists in 50 matches this term on all fronts.
Key Moments
Ilkay Gundogan’s Brace In The 4-1 Victory Vs Liverpool At Anfield: 7 February 2021
Gundogan’s brilliant brace versus the Reds helped Man City finally exorcise their Anfield demons in what turned out to be a statement win for Pep Guardiola’s men in the Premier League. It was a pivotal day for the Mancunian outfit as they went on to end the campaign with the league title in the bag.
Man City’s 1-0 Win Over Tottenham Hotspur In The EFL Cup Final: 25 April 2021
Man City responded to their unexpected 1-0 defeat versus Chelsea in the FA Cup by producing a solid display against Spurs in the EFL Cup final back in April which kept their treble hopes alive.
