What We Learned From Man City 2-0 Everton

Man City and Everton have had interesting starts to the season, both arguably overperforming expectations.

After a poor season last year I don’t think anyone was predicting the title being brought back to Manchester, yet they currently sit in third and only three points of the leaders Arsenal. There’s never really been any doubt on their ability going forward, obviously due to the large Norwegian man they have upfront but also last season they were still the second-best attacking side according to xG last season. However, defensively they have been suspect, the conceding the 7^th least xG last year has now been transformed into the join third. After a slightly awkward start with two losses to Spurs and Brighton, they’ve now only conceded two in their last five Premier League games. A back five or Trafford, Rico Lewis, John Stones, Khusannov and Ait-Nouri has now been transformed to a much more solid and experienced defensive line of Donnarumma, O’Reilly, Dias, Gvardiol and Nunes.

Across the North-West, Everton this season have shown flashes of real quality, especially at home; where they remain unbeaten after an impressive win against Palace. However there away form has been underwhelming and expectations before the Man City match were particularly negative. However, despite what the scoreline might suggest, Everton compete at the Etihad without 2 of their five best players in Grealish ad Branthwaite. The away sides chance creation without their main assets was decent and as it seems to be every week the strikers disappointed.

Phil Foden is quietly making an impression

There is an interesting conversation to be had regarding what Thomas Tuchel is likekly to do with his midfield three next summer. There’s an array of options, I’ve seen suggestions from Eze to Bellingham to Rodgers for example. However, and I know we’ve been here before and he has been underwhelming but Phil Foden is quietly displaying real quality in a midfield three.

23/24 Premier League season.

24/25 Premier League season.

The above shows how his role on the pitch has changed compared to his PFA Player of the year winning season. He made the 5^th most touches on the pitch against Everton playing in a much deeper role where he was tasked to progress the ball through to attacking areas (7 progressive passes, 3^rd most on the pitch). Obviously, Phil Foden is a magnificent player to watch, however a year of incontinency’s does lead to a necessity of top form for him to truly return to these conversations, however he’s on his way.

Welcome to the mainstream, Illiman Ndiaye.

Ndiaye has always been a wonderful footballer, in my onion he’s one of the best dribblers in the world yet he often looks slightly limited from a creative aspect. He only registered his first ever assist for Everton against Liverpool this season, yet he has already matched his Xag (expected assists) from last season’s premier league campaign to this, 1.8. At 25 years old it does seem now he’s fully developing into a more rounded player; I spoke to someone who played with him during his season at Boreham Wood and he never passed, why would he? However if he can add these elements to his game then I really don’t think there’s a limit to where he can play. He’s take a shift to the right hand side in his stride and after a rejected bid from Inter Milan, I am sure Everton receive much more of the same in the summer.

So how did City come away with the win?

Like many sides away at the Etihad Everton looked to sit in a compact block that prevented progression through central areas. Both goals came from Everton’s lack of coverage in wide areas.

Jake O’Brien was tasked to man mark Doku, whilst Ndiaye would share responsibilities marshalling both O’Reilly and Foden depending on the positions they took up. The above shows a very simple but crucial movements from City’s triangle on the left hand side. Doku would first move inside drawing O’Brien with him creating an open wide channel, Foden would then attempt to draw N’diaye towards him by dropping deep allowing O’Reilly to have full autonomy to move across the left flank. Once he’s received the ball in an open crossing position with Haaland in the box there’s only ever so much a defence can do. This seems pretty basic from Everton and they almost looked like easy goals to score, however if you focus on defending that wide left area, then Foden would have had the entire half space to play in, ultimately a Guardiola side will find a way to engineer chances, especially with 71% possession.

So what next?

I think for both sides there were positives to take away from not brilliant performances, Everton were allowed to create chances and maybe on another day they score, however City are now looking like the side of old who can go on and win 10 games on the bounce comfortably, I now believe they’ve entered the title race.