Manchester Metropolis certified robotically for the UEFA Champions League Spherical of 16 as they eased previous Galatasaray on the Etihad Stadium.
Erling Haaland acquired himself again amongst the objectives and Rayan Cherki additionally scored as Metropolis certified in eighth place, forward of the likes of Actual Madrid, Inter Milan, PSG and Newcastle United, who missed out narrowly.
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The one unfavorable on the night time was an obvious damage to Jeremy Doku, who sparkled earlier than going off injured within the first half, offering assists for each objectives.
Listed here are three issues we realized as Metropolis certified for the subsequent spherical:
Marmoush and Haaland – Pep’s newest tactical twist
Towards Galatasaray, we noticed one other tactical tweak from Pep Guardiola that ended up understanding exceptionally nicely for Metropolis.
In possession, Omar Marmoush partnered Haaland in an out and out entrance two. Metropolis’s quantity 7 was enjoying on the left with Haaland on the fitting – and each have been always on the shoulder trying to assault house in behind.
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Galatasaray’s pure response was to take a seat off a bit to disclaim them this house, which allowed the 2 “wingers” Cherki and Doku to play as two quantity tens.
Rayan Ait-Nouri and Matheus Nunes held the width, while Nico O’Reilly and Bernardo Silva held the fort defensively.
It paid off for each objectives. Doku obtained the ball in a pocket of house and instinctively slipped it via to Haaland, as David Silva did so usually for Sergio Aguero 10 years in the past.
Haaland was making an inside run off the fitting hand facet so the ball fell naturally onto his most well-liked left foot. He completed clinically.
The second aim concerned the 2 quantity tens combining, Doku a bit wider this time discovering Cherki, whose skill in tight areas is second to none. He took a contact in a crowd of our bodies and thumped the ball into the underside nook.
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Haaland is clearly the very best striker within the league when at his finest, and Marmoush is just too good of a participant to disregard fully from the plans.
Guardiola appears to have discovered an efficient approach to match them each into his beginning XI, which will probably be actually efficient in sure video games.
Khusanov is creating into one of many league’s finest centre backs
Metropolis’s enterprise below the ultimate years of Txiki Begiristain has earned some criticism from supporters, however not many can fault the signings Hugo Viana has made thus far.
Cherki, Gianluigi Donnarumma, Nico Gonzalez and Tijjani Reijnders seem like glorious items of enterprise, however maybe no more so than Abdukodir Khusanov.
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The 21-year-old centre again continues to be remembered for his poor first 10 minutes in opposition to Chelsea on his debut a yr in the past, and he’s usually considered as a weak hyperlink by many commentators within the media.
But it surely’s fairly the other. His solely actual weak point is that he could be rash at instances, however even then, his extraordinary tempo helps him get again into place if he overcommits right into a deal with.
He’s come on leaps and bounds aerially, and he all the time had the physicality in floor duels. His passing can also be superb, and in the previous couple of weeks he’s improved his vary, pinging a good few diagonal lengthy balls over to whoever’s on the left hand facet.
Khusanov is correct in the beginning of his Metropolis profession. He’s improved lots already in only a yr below Pep, and I can’t wait to see his improvement proceed throughout the subsequent few years.
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O’Reilly’s coming of age in midfield
With Rodri suspended and Nico solely match sufficient to play a handful of minutes off the bench, it fell to O’Reilly to do a job at holding midfield.
The academy graduate put in a very mature efficiency, and confirmed that he could be relied upon as an choice there shifting into the longer term.
O’Reilly’s finest video games for Metropolis have all come at left again, regardless of being a midfielder all all through his youth profession. He began as a ten, and moved additional again to the purpose the place Guardiola thought-about him as an choice to play because the pivot.
I felt just like the 20-year-old appeared extra comfy in vast areas. It’s troublesome for a person as tall as he’s to be as technically sound and agile as somebody a lot shorter like Bernardo, Cherki, Phil Foden or Rico Lewis.
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However he’s getting there, and even provides a unique aspect to these guys by way of field presence, which his peak and physicality permits him.
He was trusted to play as the primary holding midfielder (with assist from Bernardo) for the primary time in opposition to Newcastle, then once more in opposition to Galatasaray. Each instances Metropolis have saved a clear sheet and O’Reilly has carried out the easy issues completely.
Metropolis’s quantity 33 has a giant half within the membership’s future. He’s one among Guardiola’s most reliable gamers, and he appears to be going from energy to energy.