BBC Sport pundit Shay Given has claimed that Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has done something that would have left him absolutely “raging”.
The Citizens have got their season back on track after two consecutive defeats by hammering bitter rivals Manchester United 3-0 last time out.
Manchester City are now set to face Napoli in the Champions League, which means a likely reunion with City legend Kevin De Bruyne.
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But despite things looking up at the Etihad, Shay Given believes Pep Guardiola’s man-management has not been great towards one City player in particular.
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James Trafford of Manchester City looks dejected during the Premier League match between Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur at Etihad Stadium
Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images
Shay Given says he would be ‘raging’ if he was in James Trafford’s situation
Given, who was Man City’s first-choice goalkeeper before Joe Hart’s breakthrough, has admitted that he is feeling sorry for James Trafford.
Man City re-signed Trafford from Burnley this summer, but later on in the window, the Citizens snapped up Gianluigi Donnarumma.
Trafford may well have thought that he would have been competing with Ederson with a view to taking over from him in a year or two.
Instead, he now effectively finds himself in second place behind arguably the best goalkeeper in the world, who has only just arrived at City.
Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live’s Monday Night Club, Given said Trafford has every right to be frustrated:
“James Trafford’s a brilliant goalkeeper,” he said. “In the year of a World Cup, I think Pep’s given him the full sales pitch.
“Fast forward two weeks and the big man Donnarumma comes in from Italy and he’s parked up for the season. If it was me, I’d be raging.”
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How James Trafford situation is a case of history repeating itself at Manchester City
Given is not the first pundit to be annoyed on behalf of Trafford and he probably won’t be the last.
However, it’s not the first time that a City player has found his role in the squad changed almost immediately after arriving.
Back in January 2022, City struck a deal with River Plate over Julian Alvarez, who would see the season out in Argentina before joining in the summer.
However, City signed Erling Haaland that same summer, and Alvarez found himself playing second fiddle to the Norwegian striker.
Alvarez was a great servant for City, but perhaps it was not particularly surprising that he decided to leave two years later.
Now, Alvarez is lighting up La Liga with Atletico Madrid.