Mateus Nunes' failure. Player ratings for Man City in the Manchester derby
Alex Olise
Dailysports's expert
Translated by the editors
If you checked the bookmakers' websites before the match, you would have seen that despite Manchester City's poor form, analysts still believed in Guardiola and his team. And they believed with a huge margin: the odds for a City win were 1.50, while United’s victory was at 5.75 (even a draw was priced at 4.75).
Unfortunately, that belief was not justified. Although, to be fair, by the end of the second half, everyone expected City to win. The decisive moments came in the final minutes of the game. First, Nunes made a poor pass to Ederson, which was intercepted by Diallo. Mateus panicked and fouled Amad in the penalty area. A penalty. Fernandes. Goal. Then Amad made a magical run, one that Manchester City couldn’t stop…
Before the match, Guardiola even mentioned the possibility of his own dismissal. But he also made it clear that he had no intention of leaving the club in its difficult moment.
But let’s focus on the heroes of this match…
Phil Foden
Foden is a machine that can dribble past the entire team. Surrounded by defenders, he knows how to position the ball for a shot and does it with such ease, as if playing for fun. Although there are talks about a dip in his form, today Foden was at his best, showing his magic. Even though the era of "jogo bonito" (the "beautiful game" in Portuguese) is considered long gone, Foden is the magician who still brings us those vibes.
Kevin de Bruyne
Kevin is still playing a crucial role in Manchester City's attacks. While Doku is in charge of attacks on the left with his tricks and dribbling, Kevin remains the key player on the right, primarily due to his crosses (today, he had 6 crosses, no one had more). It was Kevin's actions that led to City’s goal: a well-executed corner (even though from the left flank) and a graceful delivery to Gvardiol’s head. It's also worth mentioning his efforts in pressing: Kevin could often be seen deep in the field, near the opponent’s defenders. Very impressive for a 33-year-old.
Josko Gvardiol
Gvardiol has a wide range of responsibilities. In addition to his main function as a defender, which he handled excellently today (3 clearances, 6 recoveries, 3 interceptions), Gvardiol’s role also involves stepping up to join the attacks and trying to suffocate the opponent before they cross the halfway line. Today, his efforts and results were complemented by a goal scored from de Bruyne’s elegant cross.
Noteworthy mentions:
Mateus Nunes’ nerves – Mistakes happen, but the penalty was a result of Nunes’ nerves, as he rashly tackled Amad Diallo. Immediately after the whistle, Mateus dropped to his knees, realizing the referee's decision, even without looking at him. A dramatic scene where fear, anger, and regret were displayed in a matter of seconds.
Player Ratings:
- Walker K. – 6
- Gvardiol J. – 8
- Grealish J. – 6
- Gundogan – 7
- de Bruyne K. – 8
- Dias R. – 6
- Doku J. – 6
- Ederson M. – 6
- Kovacic M. – 6
- Savinho – (played too little, no rating)
- Nunes M. – 6
- Silva B. – 7
- Foden F. – 8
- Haaland E. – 7
