Manchester City lost again as they fell at the hands of Liverpool at Anfield.
Cody Gakpo and Mohammed Salah got the goals in a game which looked like it could’ve been much worse for City after an awful first 20 minutes.
City actually looked steady for the majority of the game after their horrendous start, but a mix up at the back allowed Salah to score his eleventh Premier League goal of the season from the penalty spot.
The Blues are now eleven points behind Liverpool and have a fight on their hands to get back in the reckoning for the Premier League title.
Here are three things we learned as City lost again:
The return of Ake and Dias is crucial
Liverpool FC v Manchester City FC - Premier League Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images
City were better defensively (other than the mix up at the back) after the first twenty minutes and this was largely due to the performances of Ruben Dias and Nathan Ake.
Dias commands such a presence at the back that it was always likely that City would look better as a team with him on the pitch, and that proved the case.
Meanwhile, it was a big call to drop Josko Gvardiol after he was culpable for a few goals against both Tottenham Hotspur and Feyenoord, but Ake more than justified it.
Salah may have come out of the game with a goal and an assist, but that doesn’t reflect the way the game played out.
Ake kept him quiet, defending aggressively and limiting his touches of the ball which ultimately meant Liverpool weren’t as much of a threat as they could’ve been.
This pair fit and firing again at the heart of City’s defence will really help them compete on all fronts for the rest of the campaign, with the opportunity now for Gvardiol to perhaps have a go in the John Stones role next to Dias allowing Ake to continue his form at left back.
Lack of goals is concerning
Liverpool v Manchester City - Premier League - Anfield Photo by Peter Byrne/PA Images via Getty Images
Of City’s eleven against Liverpool, only Erling Haaland had scored a Premier League goal so far this season after 13 games.
Since the treble winning season, we have seen regular sources for goals in Ilkay Gundogan (before he returned as a makeshift six,) Riyad Mahrez and Julian Alvarez leave the club, which leaves the goal burden on a few players particularly heavy.
Kevin de Bruyne’s continuous struggle for fitness, combined with Phil Foden’s poor form has meant that whilst Haaland has 17 in all competitions, the next best player has just three.
City need their attackers to step up to the plate, and it may be something they choose to address in the next transfer window.
The team is (slightly) improving
Liverpool FC v Manchester City FC - Premier League Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images
This was much better than against Tottenham and Feyenoord, a low bar to surpass that may be.
City are getting better and are beginning to show signs of what has made them brilliant, there were periods of the game where City strangled Liverpool and didn’t allow them any control or dominance.
Jeremy Doku and Savinho came flying out of the blocks when they came on, and made a difference in terms of energy and threat, although they weren’t able to make anything of the promising situations they got themselves into.
The clinicality in both boxes must improve, but it will with fitness, form and signings.
Pep Guardiola is the right man to carry City forward (if there was even the slightest doubt) and before we know it, City will be back.