Manchester Metropolis dropped extra factors in irritating circumstances as they had been held by Brighton and Hove Albion within the Premier League.
Metropolis had been forward at half time due to Erling Haaland’s penalty, however Karou Mitoma’s glorious equaliser meant the Seagulls left the Etihad Stadium with a degree.
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The Blues missed a number of obtrusive second half possibilities, most notably from Bernardo Silva and Haaland when Metropolis had been introduced with the ball within the Brighton penalty space on two separate events.
Pep Guardiola’s facet at the moment are 5 factors behind league leaders Arsenal, who’ve a sport in hand over the Blues towards Liverpool on the Emirates Stadium.
Metropolis are in cup motion for his or her subsequent two fixtures, internet hosting Exeter Metropolis within the FA Cup and going through Newcastle United within the Carabao Cup semi ultimate first leg, earlier than going through managerless Manchester United at Previous Trafford of their subsequent Premier League sport.
Listed here are three issues we discovered as Metropolis drew but once more:
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Alleyne/Khusanov is a promising partnership
There was a shock within the Metropolis lineup as Max Alleyne was thrown straight in on the deep finish with a begin towards Brighton, permitting Nathan Ake to shift to left again and rewarding Nico O’Reilly with a protracted awaited relaxation.
The 20-year-old solely skilled as soon as with the primary group having been recalled from his mortgage spell at Watford, however obtained the prospect and impressed in his first senior Metropolis look.
He was significantly good on the ball – you may inform he was educated in soccer at Metropolis. Aside from one event, he was composed and competent in possession, shifting the ball ahead and between the strains in addition to simply maintaining it easy like most centre backs do.
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Defensively there have been a few indicators, significantly early on, that he might be each outpaced and outstrengthened, however that’s comprehensible and in addition the place Abdukodir Khusanov is available in.
The Uzbekistan worldwide, solely 21 himself, is among the quickest gamers within the Premier League and in addition doesn’t get shrugged off the ball simply.
He’s enhancing aerially and must proceed taking accountability subsequent to an much more inexperienced participant in Alleyne subsequent to him, however I believe he was the perfect participant towards Brighton and till Ruben Dias returns from harm or a brand new participant, reminiscent of Marc Guehi, indicators, this needs to be Metropolis’s centre half partnership going ahead.
Semenyo can’t come quickly sufficient
Metropolis are desperately missing high quality up entrance proper now.
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4 with out an open play purpose for Haaland; he tucked his penalty away properly however ought to have scored extra, and doesn’t actually pull his weight sufficient bar scoring objectives (which he’s clearly the perfect participant on the earth at doing.)
Phil Foden was very poor, as he has been for the previous few video games. Like many round him, he’s having to play quite a bit with choices on the bench sparse so he can’t be held totally in charge for that, although he actually deserved to return off when he did.
Rayan Cherki was vivid off the bench and is sensible at occasions, however can even go lacking. Tijjani Reijnders wants time to adapt, Omar Marmoush is on worldwide responsibility and doesn’t actually match the system, Bernardo Silva isn’t fairly the participant he as soon as was, Jeremy Doku nonetheless blows cold and hot regardless of taking an apparent step up this season and Oscar Bobb and Savinho are injured, in addition to not being ok in most followers’ opinions.
However step ahead Antoine Semenyo.
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As Metropolis followers had been submitting out of a freezing chilly Etihad Stadium, the Ghanaian ahead bagged a surprising final minute winner in his ultimate efficiency for Bournemouth, forward of him finishing a medical in Manchester earlier at the moment forward of his a lot awaited transfer to Metropolis.
Semenyo is the third high scorer within the Premier League this season behind simply Haaland and Brentford’s Igor Thiago, and can provide loads of freshness, tempo and high quality to the Metropolis frontline.
He’s set to be concerned towards Exeter on Saturday (assuming he will get introduced tomorrow) and can then be good to go towards Newcastle and Manchester United, and Metropolis want him to make an instantaneous impression to get them out of this present rut.
It’s not as unhealthy as final season
Nonetheless, in the event you look again to 12 months in the past, Metropolis are a a lot, a lot better group than they had been then.
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They’re 11 matches unbeaten, which is a whole distinction to final yr and might’t be neglected regardless of the final three video games being disappointing attracts.
The vitality appears to be there too in comparison with final season – all three of those video games may’ve been received by Metropolis on one other day however because it was, they simply couldn’t end off their possibilities. If that they had achieved, then it could have been sufficient.
They should step up one other stage with a purpose to recover from the road they usually’re nonetheless three signings or so from changing into an excellent group once more. However indicators are there and Metropolis aren’t slipping again into unhealthy habits from final season simply but.
