Ian Cheeseman column: My take on Man City's derby defeat

In his latest column, Tameside Radio presenter and Manchester City fan Ian Cheeseman gives his reaction to the Blues' defeat to Manchester United in Sunday's derby at the Etihad Stadium.

As with most things in life, there are always lots of different ways you can look at the ups and downs we all go through.

Manchester City’s home defeat to Manchester United came at the end of an almost unprecedented run of successive wins in all competitions. Almost all of those wins were achieved quite comfortably. The team was changed frequently with the games coming every three days, but it didn’t seem to matter. 

I’ve described Pep Guardiola’s team as playing perfect football but I qualified that by saying that didn’t mean it couldn’t be beaten, which of course it was on Sunday evening. City’s style of football relies on controlling all aspects of the game. They aim for about 80 per cent possession and not allowing their opponents to win the ball in danger areas. When they lose possession their aim is to win it back very quickly be pressing, en masse, before they can settle comfortably. 

Against most teams, who just don’t have the answer to this, usually because the quality of their individual players is inferior, this works very well. Every now and again, though, City will come up against a team who can match them for quality and/or attitude. In the derby, United seemed to want the win more, and defended in more advanced positions, making it less comfortable for City to have long periods of unchallenged possession. 

Some might say that losing the Manchester derby didn’t matter to City and I have to agree, although losing any derby to a die-hard fan like me, always hurts. In terms of the title race, though, it will be a footnote when the trophy is handed out in April or May.

I expect City to resume their comfortable progress towards their third title in four years but the bigger question is whether this was a “bad day at the office” or a warning sign for the big cup games to come. A week on Saturday the Blues go to Everton in the quarter final of the FA Cup, a one off game against a team currently in the top five. 

I expect City to complete the job in the Champions League last sixteen second leg against Borussia Monchengladbach, who they already lead 2-0 from the first leg but things could become tougher after that with PSG and Bayern Munich the type of clubs who won’t be afraid of City’s possession based football. They will have the belief and quality to go toe to toe with City, like United did in the derby. 

The most worrying aspect of City’s derby defeat was not the fact that they lost, that can happen to any team. It’s not that there might have been penalty claims, that on other days might have given momentum back to City at crucial times in the game. It was the fact that once United got their second there was a phase in the game during which United could have added to their two goals.

It was a phase when City’s defence looked shaky and the Blues were rocking. Where was the fight and determination that it takes to win these big games. Are City too used to beating weaker opponents that put up little fight? 

Some City fans have suggested Pep Guardiola got his team selection wrong, suggesting Phil Foden, Bernardo Silva and Fernandinho should have started at the expense of Rodri, Marhrez and Sterling. That may or may not be true but during those 21 winning games the team was chopped and changed frequently and the system still won through. 

Hopefully the derby day defeat was just one of those days but I certainly wouldn’t argue that United didn’t deserve their win. The bigger questions have still to be answered as this most unusual of seasons heads towards it’s climax. Time will tell if City can deal with these challenges from clubs who won’t capitulate weekly. Even in defeat, though, it’s always great being a Blue!

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