They say that a week can be a long time in politics. A lot can change in just seven short days and that was perfectly illustrated by Manchester City.

My column a week ago was a description of the perfect football Pep Guardiola’s men had demonstrated during their impressive, high scoring wins in Bruges and Brighton. Nine goals scored and just one conceded. There was a gulf in class that was there for anyone to see.

The next two games for the Blues were at West Ham, in the Carabao Cup, and then at home to Crystal Palace in the Premier League. On paper two very winnable games for City, especially after the stunning displays in Belgium and East London. Both matches turned out to be disappointing for Guardiola’s team.

City didn’t score in either game, prompting the inevitable questions about why the Blues didn’t recruit a specialist striker in the summer. We know that they went all out to sign Harry Kane and spent a lot of time and effort in their pursuit of the England man with seemingly no back up plan if they failed.

There’s an argument to say that having a multi-dimensional threat from their highly talented midfielders is actually harder to defend against, but after the 2-0 home defeat against a dogged Palace side, those weren’t the muttered comments I heard from the City fans as they headed home.

The Blues spent a huge £100 million on Jack Grealish in the summer and while his unconvincing start to life at the Etihad Stadium might get better under the expert coaching of Pep, so far he’s failed to impress. He’s slowed things down, has been safe and shy in his passing but just as crucially has resulted in Raheem Sterling’s absence from the team and rising start Phil Foden from also being moved away from the position where his skills have been at their best.

That left hand side has already been a problem area with Mendy no longer available and Cancelo, ideally a right back, getting the regular start ahead of Oleks Zinchenko.

Grealish lacks pace and threat and certainly doesn’t offer the slick mobility of those he has displaced. Add to that the dramatic drop in form of Kevin De Bruyne and therein lies a problem that needs to be solved, in my opinion.

I still believe that against most teams City face there is more that enough quality to brush them aside, but Palace came with a plan and were prepared to rough up City’s stars and do everything to upset the rhythm that they rely on when they’re at their best. Football is a game of fine margins.

I’ve outlined my opinions, above, as to why things didn’t go so well against the two London sides.

This coming weekend it’s the first Manchester derby of the season. The Reds have certainly ridden their own rollercoaster during the last few games with a battering by Liverpool followed by an emphatic win at Spurs.

Which United will turn up at Old Trafford on Saturday lunchtime? The psychology says United have had their game to bounce back and that City will be hurting after dropping points to Palace.

Maybe that will all favour the Blues but then again Ole Gunnar Solskaer appears to be fighting for his job and a win in their next game after that shocking performance against Liverpool would indicate that the Reds are right to keep Ole at the Wheel. Pep’s team rarely produces two under par performances in a row so it seems things have been set up perfectly for the Red v Blue showdown at Old Trafford.

I never predict scorelines but I have a feeling that at least one player will be sent off in the game, which I expect to be passionate and full of commitment. The Blues should win, but that’s what I was thinking as I headed to the Etihad Stadium for the Palace game, so what do I know?

We’ll build up to the game on Tameside Radio 103.6FM this Friday in Sports Talk from 7pm. You can also download our free app for your smartphone or listen live online. 

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