Go for the kill, get angry… and two players Pep Guardiola could target in January: Five ways shambolic City can stop the rot, writes JACK GAUGHAN
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Manchester City were cruising at the Etihad on Sunday — or cruising as comfortably as a team that had lost seven of their last 10 matches could. Much of the ball, a goal up and Manchester United not threatening in behind as much as expected. But they came out after half time looking to contain rather than press home an advantage. One attempt on goal from inside Andre Onana’s box in the second half doesn’t suggest a team that smelt blood.
![[Once again the Premier League champions stood idly by as victory slipped through their fingers]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/12/16/00/93179187-14195817-image-a-3_1734308579019.jpg)
City were tentative in possession, a first instinct to look backwards rather than forwards. That is what comes from a wretched run of form and a severe hit to confidence. Only scratching a win or two from somewhere can change this. Pep Guardiola needs to be decisive in the coming weeks in order to stop the rot at Man City.
![[Amad Diallo's late winner in the Manchester derby continued the club's worst-ever run since Guardiola took the reins]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/12/16/00/93173283-14195817-image-a-4_1734308607283.jpg)
Once again the Premier League champions stood idly by as victory slipped through their fingers. Amad Diallo's late winner in the Manchester derby continued the club's worst-ever run since Guardiola took the reins. The fear over starting Matheus Nunes at left back would have been how he dealt with Amad Diallo, not his use of possession.
![[Matheus Nunes looked out of his depth filling in as a makeshift left back amid the club's injury crisis]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/12/16/00/93179241-14195817-image-a-5_1734308762366.jpg)
The lapse in concentration in under-hitting a back-pass to Ederson is inexcusable from a midfielder. Gvardiol and Ederson were also the ones culpable for Diallo’s winner, but the players believe there is a collective, underlying issue. ‘It’s not just the pass from Matheus to the keeper,’ said Bernardo Silva. ‘It’s everything, how the ball ends up from Ruben (Dias) to Matheus and Kyle (Walker), that we have to do better. Be more experienced, smarter.’.
![[Bernardo Silva insisted individual errors throughout the team cost them the game at the Etihad]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/12/16/00/93179251-14195817-image-a-6_1734308842810.jpg)
