Manchester City v Manchester United: Issues Pep Guardiola Must Address
Ahead of Sunday’s Manchester derby, Pep Guardiola faces key challenges as Manchester City trail Manchester United in the Premier League.
Manchester City enter Sunday’s derby at Old Trafford a point adrift of rivals United, revealing early-season concerns for Pep Guardiola’s side.
Early-season slump and squad turnover
After a trophy-less 2024–25 campaign, Guardiola has rebuilt his squad, spending around £350m on ten signings since January. Departures of veterans such as Kevin De Bruyne, Ilkay Gündoğan and others have stripped the dressing room of experience, while injuries have compounded selection challenges. New arrivals like Rayan Cherki and Omar Marmoush face months on the sidelines, leaving City short-handed ahead of a crucial run of fixtures.
Defensive and tactical struggles
Back-to-back defeats to Tottenham and Brighton have underlined defensive frailties. City have conceded to direct long balls and wide overloads, areas Manchester United may target with their direct style and wide runs. Guardiola’s midfield, lacking its usual balance, has also lost key duel-winning presence in recent games.
Goalkeeping roulette
A summer of upheaval between the posts has left City with four senior goalkeepers. Ederson’s unexpected departure to Fenerbahçe, Stefan Ortega’s decision to stay, and the arrivals of Gianluigi Donnarumma, James Trafford and Marcus Bettinelli have created uncertainty over Guardiola’s No. 1. Donnarumma’s arrival adds experience, but the constant rotation raises questions about stability at the back.
Early defensive lapses, a high turnover of experienced players and instability in goal have left Manchester City vulnerable as they chase a fourth straight title.
This topic was reported by BBC Sport.
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