Manchester City struggled last season but can prove they will hit the ground running in 2025-26 with a solid performance over a Champions League rival at the Club World Cup
Michael Ham
21:00, 21 Jun 2025
Pep Guardiola
Pep Guardiola's players made too many mistakes last season(Image: Alex Broadway/Getty Images)
Shaun Wright-Phillips says simple mistakes cost Manchester City any chance of silverware last season – but expects Pep Guardiola to put that right, starting at the Club World Cup.
City got off to a fast start in the USA against Wydad Casablanca on Wednesday, Phil Foden scoring inside two minutes before setting up Jeremy Doku to make it 2-0 before the break. Foden, like City, endured a tough campaign in 2024-25 and the City faithful will hope his bright beginning at the Club World Cup will be a sign of things to come heading into the 2025-26 campaign.
Wright-Phillips, who played more than 200 games over two spells at the club, says Guardiola and his side must cut out errors to get back on top. City face UAE Pro League side Al Ain in the early hours of Monday morning, before facing Italian giants Juventus on Thursday night.
And Wright-Phiilips believes City have the opportunity to show how far they've come since their torrid spell last season with a win over Juve, who they lost comfortably to in last season's Champions League.
He said: "This time around, I think Manchester City’s game with Juventus is going to be completely different. When they got beaten by Juve, City were just pressing the self-destruct button.
Phil Foden celebrates his goal against Wydad
Phil Foden celebrates his goal against Wydad(Image: Getty Images)
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"There were so many individual errors which cost them. It didn’t just cost them that match, it cost them the league.
"Too many games they dominated possession, played almost exactly as they wanted, then they’d just make an error in transition or at the back, and it would cost them a goal, maybe the match too. Those things just weren’t happening under Pep before then.
"So I think this City wouldn’t be making the same mistakes after they have put last season behind them. Even now, they’re a different beast at the Club World Cup."
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The FIFA Club World Cup will see 32 of the world's best club teams including Man City, Chelsea, Real Madrid, PSG and Bayern Munich play across 63 games from June 14-July 13.
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Crowds, or the lack of them so far, have been a big topic of conversation so far at the Club World Cup and Wright-Phillips, who played for New York Red Bulls and Phoenix Rising to end his career, says football in the USA needs some more rivalries to boost the atmospheres ahead of next year's World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the US.
"Football in the US is different," Wright-Phillips told Prime Casino. "Of course, every country will be bringing their own sets of fans with their own traditions, but the American supporters and sport are more based on it being a family event.
"There’s still noise and singing, but it’s not quite as ferocious as other countries are used to. I am not too sure what the USA fans have in terms of chants, because when I was there, it was only really the Seattle and Portland crowds who could get close to a European-style atmosphere.
Ederson was beaten by Dusan Vlahovic's close-range header for Juventus
Ederson was beaten by Dusan Vlahovic's close-range header for Juventus
"I think the most important thing for next year is that the games all sell out. But looking back, there are definitely times where the games have had a bit of an edge.
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"At New York FC, when it started up, when we came there with New York Red Bulls, you could see the rival fans getting into it. I think what the US game needs is some more rivalries. If they were more frequent, that could help the World Cup atmosphere."
Shaun Wright Phillips was talking to Prime Casino, read the full interview here.