Manchester City 3-1 Club Brugge Review

Champions League - League Phase GW8

Manchester City never do it the easy way, whether that’s the Champions League final against Inter Milan or taking it to the second half of the last league game to make it into the knockout rounds. We got another reminder of the holes in the team, along with how little Guardiola trusts the team with certain situations on the pitch. But in the end, they’ve managed to get through to the next round where recruits and injured players will be back to support the team.

MOTM: JOHN STONES

You can make an argument for other players, Savinho for his influence in the second half, and Mateo Kovacic for starting the comeback with his goal. But it’s John Stones who made Manchester City look calm and composed throughout the match, whether it’s in midfield or the backline, giving the team the foundation in the second half to go win it.

Notable Stats:

• There were 42 passes in the build-up to Savinho's goal against Club Brugge last night, the most on record (since 2003-04) for a UEFA Champions League goal.

• Manchester City are unbeaten in their last 35 UEFA Champions League home games (W30 D5), with only Bayern Munich (43 – 1969-1991) and Barcelona (38 - 2013-2020) recording longer streaks without a home defeat in the European Cup.

• Jack Grealish has not started in the last five matches whilst being on the bench. The last time he managed this was during the 23/24 title run-in for the final five matches.

Game Stats:

Manchester City 3-1 Club Brugge

• xG: 2.30 - 1.31

• xThreat: 1.64 - 0.68

• Possession: 73.5% - 26.5%

• Field Tilt: 90.3% - 9.7%

• Penalty Box Shots: 7 - 7

• Deep Entries: 14 - 6

• PPDA: 13.8 - 47.7

• High Turnovers: 10 - 1

If you want to stay up-to-date on individual player minutes, back four combinations, underlying numbers, and more, check out the live Google sheet below. 👇

When the team news broke, I was partially surprised at Savinho being on the bench, but also wondering if the system would be changed from what we saw against Chelsea. If it stayed the same, then you’re wondering whether De Bruyne has the movement anymore to make runs in behind. Otherwise, he’s going to be easier to close down, drifting across the final third. As clever as Gundogan is, the movement is not the same as it once was.

As it turns out, Guardiola had the only two players he could depend on to control the ball out wide: Bernardo and Foden. This also puts Foden and Bernardo into zones they don’t operate as well in. Especially when they are both often isolated 1v1 in this game.

John Stones stepped into midfield next to Mateo Kovacic, and Matheus Nunes was part of a back three with Akanji and Gvardiol. Without asking Guardiola directly, I guess that he wanted to ensure control of the first half, use Nunes in the back line to provide a recovery pace and keep Savinho on the bench as his genuine game-changer if needed. The team can always be more aggressive in the second half, but let’s keep a three-man rest defense that’s quick enough to get back for now. Not that I agree, but it’s the rational.

Side note: if it’s not clear already from his minutes, Jack Grealish isn’t an option for Guardiola, or at least a serious one anymore. Last season, we had matches like Real Madrid (A) where you’d say that suits Grealish, and despite being in poor form at the time, Guardiola gave him a chance by starting. This season, that’s all gone. It could be difficult to find him a buyer in the summer. James McAtee, on the other hand, had not been given enough opportunities during the losing run, and then when given more minutes, he’s not particularly stood out as deserving of a start ahead of Foden, Marmoush, De Bruyne, Savinho, and so on.

All of which you can see in the passing network highlighted below by Mark Stats Bot. Manchester City had both Bernardo Silva and Phil Foden as their two wingers, Gundogan/De Bruyne as the two eights in midfield moving around to find space and make runs. John Stones inverted into midfield next to Mateo Kovacic. If Brugge was playing out, it was out to full-backs before looking for one of their outlets running in behind.

The problem was how little Manchester City created, this chance below (Gundogan shot) that was later ruled out for offside being the most memorable opportunity from the first half is not a good sign. Six shots in total, three inside the box, none of them were greater than 0.10xG, and zero were on target. You compare that to the second half when City had eleven shots, six on target, six inside the box, and four of those were above 0.15xG.

R. Onyedika 45' 0-1 

Just to make matters slightly worse, Brugge scored before half-time. One of the more frustrating counter-attack goals that Manchester City has conceded this season, given the 6v4 and how simple it would have been to manage. Nor was Brugge consistently threatening with dangerous transitions in the first half. Kovacic drives forward, passes to Gundogan on the edge of the box, between a few players, and his shot is blocked. Falling into space for Brugge to break, the same space you'd ideally see your defensive midfielder be to win the ball.

The frustration with this one comes with the decision of Nunes to try to win the ball too early whilst not positioned well to react if the winger goes down the line. It's a 6v4 in City's favor; other players are recovering, and if Nunes can delay longer, Bernardo will come to support. Although this isn't a surprise, see PSG (A). It is the area of his game playing as an FB that has to improve if that's to become a long-term position. After that, we see the usual issue when arriving into the box-defending transitions: midfielders not picking up the runners arriving at the top of the box for cutbacks.

The question at half-time was not if Guardiola would make a change but when he’d do it. Well, straight away Gundogan (46’) came off for Savinho who was already out warming up before the rest of the players were out.

Savinho came out to the left-wing, Nunes resumed his usual RB role that pushed up high to allow Phil Foden to move inside, and Bernardo Silva then took over centrally from Gundogan to try to move around the Brugge midfielders. Man City took more risk, leaving only Akanji and Stones in the backline as rest defense, Kovacic sitting in front but would also drive forward on the ball. Gvardiol is looking to make runs into the box and support Savinho as the team tried to get him isolated. Playing either narrow or on the right side, before looking to switch or pass behind the backline.

This was similar to the approach in the first half against Aston Villa (A) this season when Stones worked the ball to Grealish several times, isolated in space to attack the box, as Gvardiol made underlapping runs from deep.

Just to highlight the big shift Guardiola made at halftime, this is Matheus Nunes's touch map vs Club Brugge. The first half (top) played as a RCB in possession, and the second half (bottom) pushed higher holding width as a RW in possession.

Savinho quickly helped to build momentum, winning a couple of corners, with one of them leading to this huge chance John Stones had inside the 6-yard box and should have scored.

M. Kovačić 53' 1-1 

Kovačić, Akanji, and Stones deal with a loose ball on the halfway line before Mateo Kovačić then makes his drive forward through the 1st line of pressure. Continuing his run centrally, with Brugge not able to close him down, and the back line more focused on the runners as well as keeping two players on Haaland. Shooting from the top of the box low into the far bottom corner.

J. Ordóñez 62' (OG) 

Whilst Brugge had filled out the middle of the pitch, they left Gvardiol and Savinho with a 2v2 on the LHS. Seys is not tight enough to Savinho and as he comes inside, Gvardiol makes his run behind the midfielder tracking him, into the space left as both Club Brugge CBs are focused on Haaland. Lovely pass-through by Savinho and the low cross from Gvardiol is tipped in for an own goal.

Savinho 77' 3-1 

Before getting to the excellent finish by Savinho in the box, Bernardo makes a simple and smart run around the back of Stones, which means the Brugge player shifts over, expecting that pass and opening up space for Stones to drive into.

Stepping into that space, Stones plays a ball in behind after spotting the run of Savinho. Similar to the Bobb goal against Newcastle 23/24. Receives with his chest into the space in front of him and shoots straight through the keeper. With that excellent first goal in the Champions League, despite struggling earlier in the season, the quality/potential is clear to see with Savinho.

The Savinho goal highlights the approach by the team to isolate Savinho and Gvardiol on the LHS in a 2v2. Building up from the back, shifting the ball over to the right side a couple of times before the space opens up for John Stones to play the pass into the box for Savinho.

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Moving Forward

On Friday, there will be a draw to determine the opponent for Manchester City in the preliminary knockout round. Those fixtures will take place 11th - 12th February for the first leg and 18th - 19th February for the second leg. Manchester City will play either Bayern Munich or Real Madrid.

New signings will be available for the next round of the Champions League, in which only three can be included, so unless the club makes more signings before the window closes (I hope) then those three will be involved in some capacity.

Refreshing to hear from the players, Kovacic's quote below, as well as Guardiola, being honest about the team's performances this season. They’ve not been good enough, so they cannot complain about the draw; instead, they just need to improve and move forward. I would add that although Real Madrid is top in La Liga, it’s not been straightforward for them in the league, and in the Champions League, they’ve lost three times (Lille, AC Milan, Liverpool). That extends to Bayern Munich, who have been brilliant in the Bundesliga, they have also lost three times in the Champions League (Aston Villa, Barcelona, Feyenoord).

Next up for Manchester City is Arsenal (A) in the Premier League on the 2nd of February at 16:30 (GMT). Any points dropped by Arsenal put a big dent in their title hopes, and Manchester City needs whatever points they can to make the top four this season.