Manchester City 1-0 Sheffield United: Pep Guardiola’s side stay top as Gabriel Jesus nets only goal
If the title race is compelling, the lead switching from team to team, then the general rule is that the football is probably of lower quality. Certainly in recent years, when Manchester City and Liverpool have dominated, we have been privileged to witness some of the finest football seen in the Premier League.
That’s clearly not the case this season. Manchester City are four points clear the top of the Premier League. And they were fine here against Sheffield United Nothing more. Just fine. No superlatives need to be employed, If they are steeling themselves for a third title win in four season, then it will be the most underwhelming one yet.
Still, twelve consecutive wins in all competitions is not be sniffed at. Whilst others falter, they keep going. Their may have started slowly, but they are finding their range now.
Manchester City beat Sheffield United 1-0 to keep their place at the top of the league table
Gabriel Jesus gave the hosts the lead in the ninth minute on his return to the starting XI
Ferran Torres pulled the ball back for the striker to finish comfortably from close range
Pep Guardiola’s side have now won all of their last eight Premier League games
The depth of City’s squad is often cited as a reason to favour them for the title. And yet take out Kevin de Bruyne (injured), Sergio Aguero (covid) and Raheem Sterling (rested) and its cutting edge is severely blunted.
Foden and Bernardo Silva did well here but there was precious little of the high-sped link-ups that have so characterised City at their best. No-one was quite on the same wavelength. At their peak, City’s sense of cohesion was near telepathic.
Much credit should go to Sheffield United. They simply didn’t allow City time and space. They permitted their opponents to have possession but only in areas that weren’t especially dangerous. As such, the game had a relentless rhythm of possession without incision.
And yet if Sheffield United cease to do the things that define them, that created their identity last season, then there really is little hope. They had started this game well, showing solidity and determination. So when the excellent Ruben Dias picked out Ferran Torres on the right with a superb long pass in the eighth minute, there wasn’t an immediate worry.
The Blades couldn’t find an equaliser as City kept a clean sheet for the fifth game running
Torres showed determination to create the only goal of the game for Jesus in the first half
Torres attempted a run at goal but there was Jayden Bogle to block his way. Except that, somehow, Torres seemed more intent on pursuing the matter than Bogle. It was simple task merely to block the attacker but Bogle allowed him to muscle his way through. No matter, Ethan Amapdu was covering and was immediately upon Torres. And yet again, Ampadu didn’t have the physicality or desire to stop Torres who powered on. Now with a clear view of the box, panic ensued as he played in Gabriel Jesus.
The Brazilian hasn’t scored since November in the Premier League and has been having a wretched time finding the net. But now an opportunity presented itself, three yards out from goal and he even had time to get his legs in a tangle and still prod the ball into the net for simplest gaol of the season.
On the bench, Chris wilder turned away, no doubt rolling his eyes but attempting to convey encouragement. Conceding such soft goals must be intensely frustrating. And thereafter, United did well to frustrate City. Bogle was back to being a redoubtable wing back , tracking back and denying Torres and Bernardo opportunities to repeat those runs inside.
All City could muster in the reaming minutes of the first half was a lovely chipped ball from Fernandinho which Jesus couldn’t quite get under control land a strike from Torres from that far right posit in which Ramsdale gathered.
Sheffield United managed still less; a tame shot from Brewster easily collected by Ederson was the sum total of their first half offering. But had it not been for that awful early lapse, you might have been able to say that they had performed admirably in a defensive block.
Aaron Ramsdale tipped Aymeric Laporte’s header over the bar as City pushed for a second
John Fleck missed Sheffield United’s best chance of the game in the 84th minute
Chris Wilder’s team were unable to cause another upset in Manchester and stay bottom
We were limited to Torres’ header across the face of goal on 50 minutes and the splendid move on 72 minutes down the right from Silva, which saw the ball worked across to Foden, who fed Zinchenko, whose shot brought a fine save from Ramsdale. That would have been one of the goals of the season and was one of the rare occasions when City really looked themselves.
And come the final 15 minutes, Chris Wilder determined to engage. Switching to 4-4-2. Billy Sharp and Olly McBurnie came on. And a different dynamic ensued, with the threat to City more pronounced.
That said, it resulted in one genuinely good chance, A long ball was shielded down Sharp on 84 minutes to tee up John Fleck. He hit it well enough, crisply and firmly but his half volley flew just wide of Ederson’s post. There would be no point, after all.
