Neil Warnock appears to have criticised three Manchester City players for “not thinking enough” on the pitch.
The atmosphere is low among the Manchester City fanbase after two defeats from their opening three Premier League games.
To make things worse, City were on course to win at Brighton & Hove Albion, but they conceded twice to leave the Amex Stadium with no points.
Neil Warnock, speaking on talkSPORT, pointed out what he felt was the main point of concern from City’s loss against the Seagulls.
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Neil Warnock says Manchester City centre-backs ‘are not thinking enough’
When asked where City went wrong against Brighton, Warnock pointed the finger at the three centre-backs who took part in the game.
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John Stones and Abdukodir Khusanov started the game, and the latter gave away a silly foul which led to a free kick from which they won their penalty.
Later on, Stones’ failure to cut out a forward pass led to Brighton scoring their winner, and Ruben Dias could not get across quickly enough to stop them from doing so.
“I just think the centre-halves are not thinking enough really,” Warnock said on talkSPORT.
“It’s alright having all the possession etc, but you’ve still got to defend.
“The winning goal, to say how quickly they just went through the team… I don’t think there’s enough communication from the centre-halves.”
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The problems Manchester City have at the back
Although Man City are short of numbers on the flanks – they really could have done with a new right-back – they are well stocked at centre-back.
Dias, Stones, Khusanov, Josko Gvardiol and Nathan Ake can all play at centre-back and, with Guardiola wanting a small squad, he was never likely to bring in another centre-back.
Admittedly, Dias has been out of form for a while now, Stones and Ake are in their 30s and injury-prone, and Gvardiol and Khusanov are still listed as injured ahead of the derby.
Hopefully City’s centre-backs can all return to fitness and find form, otherwise it will be another tough season for Guardiola’s side.