Manchester City lost the opportunity to make up ground in the title race as individual mistakes cost the Blues all three points against Crystal Palace.
City fell behind early on through Daniel Munoz and in the second half from Maxence Lacroix’s header after Erling Haaland had drawn the score level. But Rico Lewis popped up late on with a goal to ensure City took a point home.
The 19-year-old was then sent off late on for a second yellow card offence, which on second viewing appeared to show Trevoh Chalobah fouling Lewis and not the other way around.
Here are three things we learned from the draw at Selhurst Park:
A new defender is needed more than a new midfielder
Crystal Palace FC v Manchester City FC - Premier League Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images
Arguably the biggest cause of City’s recent poor form has been a lack of options in defence.
It’s generally accepted that Pep Guardiola’s side will go for a new midfielder in January to compensate for Rodri’s absence until the end of the season, but the money may be best spent on a new defender.
John Stones and Nathan Ake can’t be relied upon to consistently stay fit, and meanwhile Kyle Walker and Rico Lewis are bang out of form, with the former’s age meaning his future is a great cause of concern.
With Lewis’s suspension and Manuel Akanji’s injury on top of Stones and Ake’s absences, City are set to face Manchester United next weekend with just three fit senior defenders: Walker, Ruben Dias and Josko Gvardiol.
Jahmai Simpson-Pusey isn’t first-team football ready, and none of City’s other players have any real experience of playing in defence, which means there’s very little they can do.
Sergio Gomez wasn’t replaced; he didn’t play often but was signed to do so, and the days where City had Walker, Stones, Akanji, Dias, Ake, Lewis, Gomez, Aymeric Laporte and Joao Cancelo to call to during the treble season seems a long time ago.
The last time City didn’t win the league was the 2019/20 season, and a big reason for that was a lack of defensive options.
It’s unclear as to how much money City will spend in January and who would solve the issue, but the Blues are short at the back and it’s starting to cost them on the pitch.
Gundogan and Bernardo doesn’t work in midfield
Manchester City FC v Tottenham Hotspur FC - Premier League Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images
Ilkay Gundogan and Bernardo Silva are legends of the club, but as a double pivot in their thirties they’re showing that they don’t work together.
Both have many tremendous qualities - both are hardworking, versatile, technically superb, popular with the fans and fairly frequent contributors of goals and assists.
But they have the same weaknesses as well. They’ve never been particularly physical and have both lost a yard of pace in their old age, and both lack the aerial presence and positional awareness that Rodri has.
Someone with a better ability to defend transitions (namely Jack Grealish or Matheus Nunes) would be best playing to cut down on the number of soft goals City are giving away.
If this midfield pivot keeps playing, the Blues will continue to fail winning matches and will keep their run of poor form going, so it’s imperative that City make a change in personnel in order to regain momentum.
Dias and De Bruyne are such difference makers
Crystal Palace FC v Manchester City FC - Premier League Photo by Sebastian Frej/MB Media/Getty Images
Part of the reason for the (slightly) better results is the return of Dias and Kevin de Bruyne to the side.
It’s a miracle that the 27 year old Portuguese international isn’t City’s skipper, as he poses such a strong presence at the back and holds the defence together with his organisation and individual excellence.
At the other end of the pitch, De Bruyne is a difference maker. He was unfortunate to not get an assist for Haaland in the first half and overall invigorated the attack with his creativity and directness.
They’re both world class and as long as they remain fit, they’ll keep City’s game at the top level and give them a fighting chance at getting back to consistently winning games again.