Ally McCoist has spotted the biggest problem at Manchester City after their FIFA Club World Cup exit.
The Premier League giants exited the competition on Monday night in Orlando after suffering a 4-3 extra-time defeat to Al-Hilal, leaving Bernardo Silva to rue Man City’s inability to control transitions.
Pep Guardiola’s side will believe they should have advanced to the quarter-finals, given the number of chances they created, although Alf-Inge Haaland believes Al Hilal deserved to beat Man City on the night.
McCoist have been discussing the contest on Tuesday morning, and the pundit believes the defeat has helped Guardiola identify City’s biggest weakness ahead of the new Premier League season.
Ally McCoist working as a pundit for Manchester City v FC Internazionale Milano.
Photo by James Gill – Danehouse/Getty Images
Ally McCoist thinks Man City’s defence is a big problem
Man City’s defence was a big worry for a large part of the 2024/25 campaign before Guardiola found a solution towards the end of the season; however, the problem returned against Al-Hilal as the Manchester club conceded easily preventable goals.
Having watched the highlights of the contest, McCoist has now stated that City’s defence is a big problem for Guardiola ahead of the new Premier League season, while also suggesting that Ederson is also an issue.
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“I’ve watched the highlights and I’ve watched the goals, and I think you’re right to flag up defensively, because looking at it, they still scored three goals City. You think normal circumstances, it should be enough to win a game of football,” McCoist said on talkSPORT.
“Was it the second goal? I think you mentioned straight through? Was it Leonardo? It’s just a simple ball over the top, and he’s actually through with the goalkeeper to beat, which he does.
“But on top of that, I don’t think the goalkeeper looked clever. There were crosses where they were losing so many headers with crosses into the box. I think defensively would be his biggest problem, and it has given him (Pep Guardiola) a little bit of a headache, hasn’t it?”
Man City fans have criticised Ederson in the aftermath of the defeat, but the Brazilian is not the entire problem, which could lead to Guardiola bringing in a new defender before the summer transfer window shuts.
Pep Guardiola during Manchester City vs Al-Hilal.
Photo by Richard Sellers/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images
Will Manchester City sign a new defender
Man City’s backline looks like it will pick itself throughout the 2025/26 campaign as Ruben Dias and Joski Gvardiol will be Guardiola’s best centre-back pairing after impressing towards the end of last season.
Rayan Ait-Nouri showed what he can bring to Man City at left-back during the Al-Hilal clash; therefore, the Manchester club are to sign a new defender, and it will certainly be at right-back.
Fabrizio Romano believes Man City will target a right-back next, with Newcastle’s Tino Livramento believed to be Guardiola’s top target for the role.
The Manchester club will find it very difficult to lure the Englishman away from St James’ Park this summer, and only time will tell if City are successful.