MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 15: Josep 'Pep' Guardiola, manager of Manchester City, consoles Matheus Nunes of Manchester City after the Premier League match between Manchester City FC and Manchester United FC at Etihad Stadium on December 15, 2024 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Alex Livesey - Danehouse/Getty Images)
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 15: Josep 'Pep' Guardiola, manager of Manchester City, consoles Matheus Nunes of Manchester City after the Premier League match between Manchester City FC and Manchester United FC at Etihad Stadium on December 15, 2024 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Alex Livesey - Danehouse/Getty Images)
Matheus Nunes held his hand up to the Manchester City fans as he made his way around the Etihad pitch on Sunday. 'My fault,' he mouthed.
Bernardo Silva is close with his Portugal teammate, but called him out by name for his role in playing Amad Diallo through from a City corner, before barging him over for an avoidable penalty. Both Bernardo and manager Pep Guardiola refused to place blame for the defeat against Manchester United on Nunes, but also couldn't excuse the error.
Nunes was playing out of position for City at left-back in at least his third position of the season. 'We have no other option,' Guardiola said before the game.
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Guardiola had his head in his hands as soon as Nunes made contact with Amad, before the penalty was given. Anthony Taylor wasn't going to save him and neither was VAR.
Taylor booked Kyle Walker earlier in the game for simulation as he decided to try and get Rasmus Hojlund sent off in the first half. The captain fell to the floor unnecessarily and was roundly criticised for his actions.
As Guardiola admitted last week that City may need to go to the transfer market in January, later saying that he may need a squad of 25-30 to cope with the added demands of the global football schedule.
A full-back on either side could have just risen higher on the shopping list in January. Guardiola hasn't signed a proper full-back since Joao Cancelo in 2019 and even he was soon moved away from that position. Aleks Zinchenko, Nathan Ake and Josko Gvardiol have won titles for City playing out of position and Rico Lewis will be a City player for years to come.
Maybe the time is right, though, to bolster the full-back areas to offer a succession plan for Walker and finally address the left-back issue.