What Jannik Vestergaard gestured to the Kop as Ruud van Nistelrooy given proof of best quartet
When Jannik Vestergaard slightly underhit a pass through the lines to Harry Winks near Leicester City’s own box in the first half, there were groans of nervousness from the stand behind him.
But Winks reached the ball first and managed to get a pass out to James Justin. Danger averted. Vestergaard then turned around to the Kop, gestured to the City fans with the universal symbol for ‘stay calm’, then pointed to the pitch as if to say: ‘Trust us, we’ve got this.’
In a sense, they did have it. This was arguably City’s best, most complete performance of the season. They were confident in possession, playing better football than they have all campaign, working it thrillingly from back to front at times, creating more chances than they usually do and conceding fewer than normal too.
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Initially, City appeared as if they would play how they did at Liverpool, in a low block. But they finished the game with 54 per cent possession. That was a shock. Even with Man City on a run of one win in 13, this was the first time this season their opponent had had a greater share of possession. In fact, no side has had this much of the ball against Man City since Bayern Munich in the Champions League in April 2023, exactly 100 games ago.
Of course, possession is not the be all and end all. You have to do something with it. And City did. In attack, despite not scoring for the third time in six matches under Ruud van Nistelrooy, they mustered 10 shots from inside the box, their highest tally against 11 men this season, hitting the woodwork twice, seeing one effort cleared off the line and creating the sort of opportunity Jamie Vardy usually gobbles up.
Keeping the ball away from Man City’s feet restricted their ability to create. They managed eight shots from inside the box, lower than Leicester’s season average of 13 conceded per match.
Van Nistelrooy deserves credit in two parts. Firstly, for the confidence his team showed in attempting to play as they did. Keeping spirits high and nerves low after a run of three straight defeats and an aggregate score of 10-1 is good going, especially as they were coming back to the King Power Stadium, scene of a tirade of boos only a week prior.
Secondly, it’s for the patterns of play. City worked the ball like they knew what to do and how to do it. It was both really nice to watch and effective at getting the team into dangerous positions. Keep that up and it can be said definitively that van Nistelrooy’s coaching is making an impact.
It’s not unusual for Pep Guardiola to spend time after a game chatting with opposition players. But he was deep in discussion with Winks and Vestergaard and after the final whistle and his body language suggested he was impressed with what City produced.
Of course, there are all these positives and yet City still ended up with the square sum of zero points. The trick is to play that way every week. This has to be the standard to aim for, and perhaps to exceed.
It’s easy to say that repeating that display is certain to yield results against lesser sides. The truth is that Man City really have lost their way. They press, but not totally effectively, and Mateo Kovacic deserts his post to leave big gaps for the attacking midfielders. Against teams that press more effectively, or those that don’t press at all, it will be more difficult.
But that should not take too much away from what was a very promising showing. If they play to that standard, they will at least give themselves a fighting chance.
Van Nistelrooy gets crowd reaction he craved
The fans think that too. Their reaction throughout the match told that story. When Man City’s first goal went in, the home fans roared back. That was true when the second was scored as well, although it was less enthusiastic, in the knowledge that 15 minutes to overcome a two-goal deficit was unlikely.
When the full-time whistle came, rather than trudge back down to the concourse, plenty of fans stuck around to chant the players off the pitch. That’s a real rarity after a defeat.
It was exactly what van Nistelrooy had wanted. His programme notes were dedicated to building a relationship between the players and fans after the debacle against Wolves, when the players were not only roundly booed, but individuals like Danny Ward were targeted for jeers.
Van Nistelrooy wrote: “That connection between the pitch and the stands can make all the difference and we know we have a responsibility to provide the moments on the pitch that can build that. That’s what we’ve been talking about since the game with Wolves.”
The bravery and endeavour in the performance won fans over quickly. It led to a point in the first 25 minutes of the second half where the noise from the stands spurred City on and helped them dominate.
That’s what the King Power Stadium should be about: the fans responding to the players, and the players responding to the fans, generating a positive cycle that should lead to more positive results. Because what happened against Wolves is not conducive at all to keeping the club in the division.
Majestic El Khannouss helps show quartet van Nistelrooy must start
No player earned more rounds of applause from the stands than Bilal El Khannouss. This was a majestic performance.
The Moroccan rose to the occasion. On a pitch against serial winners, he was the best player. His confidence was sky-high and he backed that up with his display. His close control, his willingness to take the ball in pressure positions, his vision, his crisp forward passing, his work-rate, his creativity – except for a goal involvement, his display had it all.
When a player performs that well for a team like City, especially at the age of 20, there’s always going to be that niggling downside that he’s simply going to get poached by one of the wealthiest clubs. He showed his superstar potential and that gets the big boys sniffing around.
But that is not for City to worry about now. They must focus on getting the best out of him while he is a part of their side.
Van Nistelrooy could not keep the smile off his face when asked about El Khannouss, saying: “A decent performance! He was excellent. It suits him as well, the way we’re trying to play. Kicking the ball up the park, he won’t be the one to hold it up for you but when we start to play through the middle, finding the half-spaces, finding Facundo (Buonanotte) and Bilal, these players can flourish.
“That’s what the team did today. They made each other strong. Players were playing in their roles and reaching their top levels. That’s what you want from the team and I think Bilal deserves a big compliment today, for his work-rate off the ball and on the ball for how skilful and technical he is.”
The manager is exactly right. All of the players in the box of four that forms when City have the ball – with Winks and Boubakary Soumare at the base and El Khannouss and Buonanotte further forward – made each other better. It’s simple to say, but it feels like those are the personnel van Nistelrooy has to stick with.
That quartet are the best four options for quality on the ball. Yes, City miss the defensive coverage Wilfred Ndidi provides when he’s one of the deeper midfielders, and whether he should replace either Winks or Soumare will be the biggest debate when van Nistelrooy has a fully-fit squad to choose from.
But it’s difficult to think of any reason why Jordan Ayew should start over Buonanotte when the Ghanaian returns from suspension. His inclusion alongside El Khannouss for just the third time this season helps City’s attacks flow, and gets the best out of the Moroccan, something the club must do while they have the chance.
Choudhury pushes with three transfers needed
The final match before the January window meant there was an even greater consideration of which positions need strengthening. Once again, the focus was on the defence.
Despite van Nistelrooy sticking with the same back four across his six matches in charge, a centre-back and a full-back are wanted. It’s not clear which of the two starting centre-backs a new man would replace, but Conor Coady was perhaps guiltiest of an error on Sunday. For Haaland’s goal, he chose to position himself in his usual spot for crosses from City’s right, near the front post, rather than adjust to where the danger was, leaving the Norwegian free at the back post.
At full-back, Justin again underwhelmed on the right, and wasn’t up to the same standard on the ball as his team-mates. With Hamza Choudhury slowly shaking off the rustiness, there are growing calls for the academy graduate to start at right-back at Aston Villa.
Again, the opposition’s left-sided winger scored, but Savinho’s goal was more indicative of a problem City have had throughout the season, which has often seen Justin unfairly criticised. So often, there are moments where City’s full-backs have to come inside, or feel they have to, because the centre-backs and deeper midfielders are not dealing with a situation or not tracking runners. That leaves space out wide from where the opposition profit. A new right-back is not necessarily going to solve that issue.
Will Alves’ Premier League debut off the bench was a nice moment, but was perhaps also a sign of City’s limited options for the three roles behind the striker. With Ayew suspended and Abdul Fatawu and Kasey McAteer injured, there was just Alves and Bobby De Cordova-Reid on the bench. A flying winger in a similar mould to Fatawu, even on loan, still feels like a deal City should be doing.
That’s at least three signings for next month, then. The recruitment team best get down to business.
Hope for the new year
It’s been a bumpy 2024 for City, with three managers, one promotion (that briefly looked like slipping away) and the first throes of a relegation battle. It’s been dramatic, but that’s not unusual at the King Power Stadium.
The turn of the year is often a period of hope and after this game, it’s pleasing that fans will enter 2025 hopeful over their football team too. It’s a fragile hope for now – one that will be dashed if the performance against Villa is anything like those seen against Newcastle and Wolves – but at least the hope is there.
