Manchester City’s Premier League title defense took another brutal hit as they were thrashed 5-1 by Arsenal in a catastrophic display at the Emirates. From Manuel Akanji’s early blunder to Phil Foden’s ghostly performance, Pep Guardiola’s side looked completely out of their depth.
Here’s how City’s players rated after an evening to forget:
Goalkeeper & Defence
Stefan Ortega (5/10) – Gifted Arsenal a golden chance with a poor pass that Kai Havertz failed to punish. Could have done better with some of the goals.
Matheus Nunes (5/10) – Weak defensively and failed to contribute much in attack. A forgettable outing.
Manuel Akanji (3/10) – An absolute disaster. Gifted Arsenal the lead with a shocking mistake and never recovered.
John Stones (4/10) – His reckless pass put Akanji in trouble early on, and he offered zero resistance for Lewis-Skelly’s and Havertz’s goals.
Josko Gvardiol (5/10) – Had some decent moments, but was repeatedly exposed by Arsenal’s relentless attack.
Midfield
Bernardo Silva (5/10) – Usually a maestro, but offered little creativity and struggled to cope with Arsenal’s midfield intensity.
Mateo Kovacic (4/10) – Looked out of his depth against Arsenal’s press. Couldn’t control the tempo and barely made an impact.
Phil Foden (4/10) – Completely anonymous. Struggled to find space and made little impact going forward. Needs to step up in big games.
Attack
Savinho (6/10) – The only bright spot in City’s attack, setting up Haaland’s goal with a perfect delivery. However, he faded as the game went on.
Omar Marmoush (5/10) – Had moments of promise but lacked the cutting edge to trouble Arsenal’s defense.
Erling Haaland (6/10) – Starved of service but still managed to score with a brilliant header. Couldn’t do much beyond that.
Substitutes & Manager
Jack Grealish (5/10) – Came on but made no real impact as Arsenal ran riot.
Kevin De Bruyne (6/10) – Too little, too late. Showed glimpses of quality, but the damage was already done.
Pep Guardiola (4/10) – Tactically outclassed. Arsenal pressed high, dominated midfield, and exposed City’s defensive frailties. Guardiola’s side lacked fight, energy, and a plan B.
Final Verdict
City’s defensive horror show and midfield collapse made this one of their worst performances under Guardiola. If they continue like this, even a top-four finish could be in jeopardy.
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