Man City have found the partnership that could win them the treble - but it's not perfect
When Manchester City return from the international break, they face 10 finals in the Premier League, a Champions League quarter-final and another Wembley FA Cup semi-final. To get through their treble run-in, Pep Guardiola will need to land on a system that balances control with enough attacking freedom to win those games.
Last season, Guardiola settled on a possession-based wing-pairing of Bernardo Silva and Jack Grealish, with Ilkay Gundogan and Kevin De Bruyne operating behind Erling Haaland. There is no Gundogan this term, and there are a few additional complications in the form of Phil Foden's brilliant form as a number ten, De Bruyne's injury record, and Julian Alvarez's emergence as an option behind Haaland.
City's tactics have changed, too, with Kyle Walker providing width instead of Bernardo on the right, and Bernardo or Foden coming inside as an inverted number ten. Grealish hasn't hit the heights of last year, with Foden looking dangerous on the left, as well as Jeremy Doku at the start of the campaign.
Man City want more from fans but can't have it both ways after latest ticket price rise
'That's what he says but it wasn't like that' - Aymeric Laporte slams Pep Guardiola transfer policy at Man City
Whether it is Alvarez, Doku, Grealish or Bernardo who gets the nod to complete that front three is a matter for Guardiola to decide. Bernardo can play in midfield if Kevin De Bruyne is injured, with Rodri anchoring the operation as ever from midfield.
If Guardiola wants control, though, he could do worse than putting his faith in Mateo Kovacic, who came on to steady the rocky ship successfully at Anfield and followed that up with a composed performance next to Rodri against Newcastle.
Kovacic started the
Read on manchestereveningnews.co.uk
