Manchester City 5-2 Juventus Review

Club World Cup - Group Game 3

This was the performance we’ve all been waiting to see in the new season, but few would have expected it to come this early. On the ball and off it. In all phases of the game. Manchester City performs like a team that wants to return to the top and has seemingly learned from the struggles of last season. Setting up an exciting end to the tournament in the knockout stages.

MOTM: SAVINHO

Lots of players are coming out of this match with praise for their performances, so I thought it was worth mentioning someone who might not get the praise he deserves. Incredible goal outside the box, key in the buildup to the second and third goals, as well as assisting Foden for the fourth goal. Intelligent with his movement inside, pressing high, and getting across the pitch all game long. Good to see his runs into the box, always following up shots. Encouraging performance ahead of his second season at the club.

Other standout performances include: Rayan Ait-Nouri & Jeremy Doku

Notable Stats:

• Erling Haaland’s 52nd-minute goal against Juventus in the CWC was his 300th across his top-flight and international career.

• Manchester City is the only team to win all three of the group stage games at the Club World Cup.

• Tijjani Reijnders completed twenty-three passes from inside the half-spaces/zone 14 in the match against Juventus. The entire Juventus team completed four.

• Rayan Ait-Nouri did not misplace a single pass vs Juventus (53/53).

Game Stats:

Manchester City 5-2 Juventus

• xG: 3.03 - 1.08

• xThreat: 1.82 - 0.39

• Possession: 75.1% - 24.9%

• Field Tilt: 91.5% - 8.5%

• Penalty Box Shots: 15 - 3

• Deep Entries: 21 - 4

• PPDA: 6.5 - 21.4

• High Turnovers: 11 - 4

Minutes Sheet Updated  
Rodri makes his first start for Manchester City since Arsenal (H) on the 22nd of September 2024. Tijjani Reijnders, Manuel Akanji, Matheus Nunes, Savinho, and Ederson are the only players to have completed two full 90s so far in the CWC. Marcus Bettinelli and John Stones are the only players to have not played any minutes. First start for Ruben Dias in the CWC.

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. 👇

Here is how Manchester City sets up in possession against Juventus in the first half. Ait-Nouri was either holding width on the left side, or he’s tucked into midfield next to Rodri. Doku is either out wide or coming inside, even across to the right side in the second half. Similar rotations happened on the right side with Savinho, Nunes, and Bernardo. In the buildup, they’d use the full-backs to hold the width, but in the final third, you’d see the wingers out there, and they’d move inside.

They were maintaining a rest defense of 2-3 with Akanji/Dias as the central defenders, with Rodri in front flanked by fullbacks and/or midfielders. If Reijnders wants to push further forward, then Ait-Nouri would take his spot. If Savinho wants to move inside, Nunes would hold the width, and Bernardo would drop next to Rodri. You also saw at times Rodri pull out wide to the flank, and the team adjusts. One of the FBs in the centre circle maintains the shape.

Juventus was leaving five players at the back, something Manchester City would be used to from last season, but the team wasn’t trying to pin them back. Neither were Juventus players marking tightly. So it became easy for them to circulate the ball around the block with very little pressure.

The rotations on either flank, particularly the left side, between all of Doku, Ait-Nouri, Reijnders, and Marmoush coming across, were a nightmare for Juventus to track. It surprised me to see these so early in the rebuild and the tournament. Impressive how quickly they’ve begun to understand one another.

On the right side, Bernardo Silva is either drifting along the edge of the box, pulling wide, or dropping deeper in midfield. Nunes can hold the width, tuck into midfield, or make runs into the box. Savinho is either holding the width or moving inside.

We got another look at the team dealing with opposition that mark man-to-man. Reijnders, Rodri, and Bernardo are happy to bring their markers deep. Leaving the space for Doku and Savinho to pull their markets inside. Opening up space for Marmoush to make runs out wide, Ederson can pick out all game long.

Depending on how Juventus wants to adjust their press, Ederson can change the target. If you cover Marmoush and the midfield pivots, then Ederson can find Doku/Savinho inside the pitch. If you back off the midfield pivots, then the team can build up short.

J. Doku 9' 1-0  

Excellent opening goal from Manchester City as we see them move the ball back across to Ait-Nouri tucked inside, Doku holding the width. He makes a run in-behind, picked out by a well-weighted Ait-Nouri pass, which allows him to take a touch inside. Losing the defender and getting into a better position to shoot. Going across the keeper to the far post. The off-ball movement from Jeremy Doku, across both matches in the tournament, has been really good.

T. Koopmeiners 11’ 1-1

There is no dressing up what was a poor mistake by Ederson with his pass to Bernardo Silva as he was dropping in the buildup. Allows Juventus to intercept and get back level just after Manchester City got the opening goal.

P. Kalulu (OG) 26' 2-1  

Fortunate that this cross was tipped in by Kalulu, but everything else before that was excellent from Matheus Nunes. Making the run from deep and playing the pass across the 6-yard box. Poor from Manchester City not to have a player attacking that cross. Also noticed across the match that RAN/Nunes were good at tucking inside to allow Rodri/Reijnders to drift either out wide or into the box.

E. Haaland 52' 3-1  

This goal is all about the movement down the right side to open up space. Dias passes out to Savinho, who moves inside as Nunes makes the run out wide. Both pull opposition players with them. Tijjani Reijnders spots the space and moves across to receive the ball from Savinho. Now, he can use his quality to drive forward. Nunes continues his run behind and towards the box. Eventually, getting the pass played through to him by Reijnders.

Well-weighted pass across from Nunes, Haaland can't miss, even with not the best finish to make it 3-1.

Foden and Gundogan (66’) came on for Doku and Rodri in the second half. Savinho moved over to the left wing, Gundogan as an eight, and Reijnders dropping back to six as Foden played on the right.

P. Foden 69' 4-1 

As the City midfielders drop deep and the forwards move inside, Juventus players follow and leave space out wide for Erling Haaland to attack long passes from Ederson. Excellent first touch from him to bring it down. He dribbles inside and plays the pass inside for Foden. Just missing the ball, Savinho passes back across for Foden to score. Supporting Haaland with the runners in these transition moments was lacking for most of the past season. Something to watch going forward.

O’Reilly and Cherki (75’) came on towards the end of the second half for Bernardo Silva and Ait-Nouri. Like-for-like in their positions/roles in the team for the rest of the game.

Savinho 75' 5-1  

Incredible goal from Savinho, finishing with his weak foot from outside the box. That's also at least one goal in each of the CWC matches in set-piece situations.

D. Vlahovic 84’ 5-2

Poor goal for Manchester City to concede with Nunes allowing Yildiz to cut inside and play a pass through to Valhovic. Akanji was in a bad position playing him onside. Both goals the team conceded come down to two poor individual mistakes.

Great to see Rodri get his first start since Arsenal (H) last season, alongside Reijnders, who not only had a good performance but fit in seamlessly with the team. That’s the pairing we’ll see the most this season, in my opinion. You saw throughout the game how versatile Reijnders can be within it. Whether it’s pulling out wide to support Doku, drifting between the lines like a ten, and in the second half, making runs in behind next to Haaland.

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Moving Forward

Next up for Manchester City is Al-Hilal in the round of 16 on the 1st of July, 02:00 am (UK). João Cancelo will get to play against City, and they are coached by Simone Inzaghi. Below are the brackets for the knockout stages of the CWC. The win against Juventus puts Manchester City on the more favorable side of the draw, although as Bernardo Silva said post-match, “It’s kill or be killed now”. It’s Inter Milan or Fluminense should they beat Al-Hilal.

Coming on at half-time, Haaland slotted right into the team, taking up the role Marmoush had to run in behind, and providing more holding up the ball in/around the box. This was an interesting quote by Guardiola when asked about Erling Haaland looking more involved in this match.

That reminds me of this quote after West Ham (A) last season. Guardiola is talking about getting more from Haaland. It was a different angle on how to better support him with small space players around him.

This season, it will be about doing both of these to see the very best from Haaland. Players who support him when pressing and in transitions. The likes of Foden and Cherki around Haaland in central positions.

Final point to finish on, if you haven’t already, check out the recently launched YouTube channel linked below. Passed 270 subscribers earlier today. Thank you to everyone who’s subscribed so far and commented on the videos! 👇