Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola looks on during the match against Liverpool
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola looks on during the match against Liverpool
Manchester City didn’t pay a penny to bring back Ilkay Gundogan from Barcelona.
If you watched him at Anfield on Sunday, you might think they were still ripped off. Maybe a few alarm bells should have been ringing when the Catalan giants were happy to tear up the German midfielder’s contract and let him waltz back to England.
Barcelona cited their ongoing financial difficulties but City should have been wary. He is an iconic figure of their success under Pep Guardiola. A Treble winner. But he should have remained in their past.
Gundogan is one of the symptoms of Guardiola’s few failings. He’s not regenerated this City side in time and bringing him back was not the right decision.
[
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He was the master of tweaking and evolving them to continue their domination of English football. But without Rodri, they’re crumbling under cracked foundations and Liverpool demolished them here.
It was 2-0 but it could - and perhaps should - have been five or six for the hosts. Gundogan was sloppy on the ball throughout, surrendered possession in dangerous areas and struggled to get back to recover the ball.
Ilkay Gundogan had a tough night and is starting to look his age
Ilkay Gundogan had a tough night and is starting to look his age
It added to the Liverpool onslaught as it allowed them to get the crowd behind them as red shirts marauded forward while Gundogan often ambled back. He was finally subbed before the hour mark but, in truth, he was lucky to last that long.
This was not the player who helped City to five Premier League titles, two FA Cups, four League Cups and a Champions League.
There’s a big debate here on Merseyside on whether Liverpool can risk giving Virgil van Dijk and Mo Salah long-term deals given their ages. But Salah, at 32, and Van Dijk, at 33, looked like energetic teenagers in comparison to the 34-year-old Gundogan.
City’s Premier League title race looks run and Gundogan’s time at the top level may also be over.
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