Manchester City’s 4-0 hammering at the hands of Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday has raised fresh questions about Pep Guardiola’s squad decisions this season. The defeat marked Guardiola’s first-ever five-game losing streak as a manager, with the Etihad giants appearing defensively frail and overly dependent on Erling Haaland for goals.
The lack of attacking support has placed the spotlight on City’s decision to sell Liam Delap in the summer for £20 million—a move that former City defender Micah Richards now finds baffling.
Speaking on The Rest Is Football podcast, Richards shared his surprise over Delap’s departure:
“He’s got a bit of everything. I think obviously it helps that his dad was a professional footballer as well just to guide him. But when he left City, I was quite surprised really because throughout the youth, he was always someone who was highly sought after.
“Like you mentioned, he’s a bit of a throwback, but he’s got good technique for a big lad. I think his hold-up play for someone so young is exceptional at times, and what’s he scored? Six in the Premier League already?”
Delap, now thriving at Ipswich Town, has already netted six Premier League goals this season. Richards compared the young forward to Brighton’s Evan Ferguson, stating:
“He reminds me a little bit, Al, of Ferguson at Brighton. He’s very similar. When I look at him, I’m like, the run’s similar, they do similar things. Maybe Ferguson’s a little bit better technically, but, yeah, Delap’s really impressed me this season.”
What to Expect 🙂
City’s Striking Problems
City’s overreliance on Haaland has become glaring, with Richards noting that key attackers like Phil Foden, Jack Grealish, and Savinho have yet to score a Premier League goal this season. The absence of a reliable backup striker, especially after the summer departures of both Delap and Julian Alvarez, has left Guardiola’s team vulnerable.
As Richards highlighted, Delap’s hold-up play and physical presence could have provided much-needed diversity in City’s attack, particularly when Haaland isn’t firing. While the £20 million fee for Delap was considered reasonable given his limited top-flight experience, his rapid development at Ipswich has raised eyebrows.
The Case for Regret
Statistics paint a clear picture of City’s potential misstep:
Manchester City: First-Team Appearances: Delap made 6 appearances for Manchester City’s first team, scoring 1 goal.
Ipswich Town: 2024/25 Season: Since joining Ipswich Town, Delap has made 12 appearances in the Premier League, netting 6 goals.
Delap’s strong start at Ipswich contrasts with City’s struggles to find consistent support for Haaland. Richards speculated that Guardiola might already be rethinking the decision to let Delap go:
“It was suggested recently that Man City may seek to try and re-sign Delap at some point. It remains to be seen if an approach will be made, but Guardiola may well wish the sale had never been sanctioned in the first place.”
With City’s season on shaky ground, the lack of a secondary striker option looms large. If Haaland were to face an injury, the consequences for Guardiola’s side could be catastrophic. According to Richards, the decision to part ways with Delap might come back to haunt Manchester City.
