It’s arduous to disclaim the benefits that Manchester Metropolis carry into the second leg of the EFL Cup semifinals – a two-goal lead is a wholesome cushion to take into Wednesday’s match towards Newcastle United, and enjoying at house cannot harm. Metropolis, although, have greater than clichés about 2-0 results in fear about with a cup closing inside touching distance. Few issues appear to be going proper for Pep Guardiola’s aspect today, victory on Wednesday no positive factor for a staff that was as soon as the definition of utter dominance.
The skid that basically started with a weeks-long shedding streak within the fall of 2024 has not precisely dissipated within the year-plus since, regardless of Metropolis’s makes an attempt to vary issues up. A whole bunch of tens of millions of {dollars} spent on switch charges and a few stylistic adjustments from Guardiola haven’t stopped the bleeding simply but, victories slipping out of attain in shocking methods. Sunday’s 2-2 draw at Tottenham Hotspur, a recreation during which they boasted a 2-0 lead at halftime, leaves them with simply 4 wins of their final 10 and a variety of questions as to why this retains occurring, questions Guardiola doesn’t precisely have solutions to.
The weirdest factor about Metropolis’s stoop is that it’s arduous to elucidate at instances, partly as a result of the reimagining of the squad is smart in a whole lot of methods. A handful of the gamers they’ve signed within the final yr tackle real points like Marc Guehi, the ex-Crystal Palace defender who ought to assist shore up a weak protection. The headlining acts of Metropolis’s refreshed roster, although, are in assault – summer time addition Rayan Cherki and January signing Antonie Semenyo, every of whom have shortly turn into reliable throughout an surprising tough patch.
Find out how to watch Manchester Metropolis vs. Newcastle United, odds
- Date: Wednesday, Feb. 4 | Time: 3 p.m. ET
- Location: Etihad Stadium — Manchester, England
- Stay stream: Paramount+
- Odds: Manchester Metropolis -135; Draw +285; Newcastle United +310
Metropolis are nonetheless the Premier League’s finest attacking aspect however their offense is overly reliant on Erling Haaland, who runs cold and hot like many strikers do. He nonetheless has 20 objectives within the league however has simply two throughout all competitions in his final 11, It’s not precisely all the way down to a scarcity of productiveness on Metropolis’s half – the staff’s anticipated objectives per recreation common has slipped throughout Haaland’s chilly streak to 1.6, however solely barely from their general season common of 1.8, and so they rating at roughly the identical frequency they all the time have. Haaland himself, although, is extra absent than he was at the beginning of the season – he has averaged 0.4 anticipated objectives per recreation in his final 11, down from his season common of 0.7.
Cherki and Semenyo have completed their finest to fill within the gaps, alongside academy product Phil Foden and one other summer time signing in Tijjani Reijnders. The quartet have collectively scored 29 objectives throughout all competitions – simply two extra as a bunch than Haaland on his personal, a reminder that an overreliance on a participant of his caliber generally papers over the cracks. Cherki, Reijnders and Semenyo have picked up the slack throughout Haaland’s chilly streak. France worldwide Cherki has shortly turn into the star of Metropolis’s present with 5 objectives and three assists within the staff’s final 11 video games, filling in as a reliable goalscorer when Haaland can not and guaranteeing his first season with Metropolis is off to a powerful begin regardless of being sidelined with an damage originally of the season. Semenyo, too, has hit the bottom operating since becoming a member of final month with 4 objectives and one help to start out his Metropolis tenure.
“I feel it stems from the gamers,” Semenyo advised CBS Sports activities Golazo Community’s Morning Footy this week. “The gamers made me really feel very snug. They helped me make it really feel simpler for myself and then you definately’ve clearly bought the coaches, as nicely. They’re guiding me daily, giving me little recommendations on bettering my recreation and clearly getting used to the system but it surely’s been very, very straightforward. Everybody’s made it very straightforward for me to settle in and you need to be taught on the go. I imply, I’ve had to do this virtually all my life – my soccer profession, I ought to say so it isn’t something new to me.”
That features Haaland, even when he joked upon Semenyo’s arrival that the ex-Bournemouth participant was “coming for my golden boot.” The newcomer stated his new teammate has been very welcoming, whilst a way of pleasant competitors begins to outline their relationship.
“He is made me really feel so snug,” Semenyo stated. “He is a loud character within the altering room, very vocal however he is made me really feel probably the most snug, I ought to say, from day one. Earlier than that clip even got here out, he was simply saying, ‘It is nice to have you ever right here’ … [We’ll] compete for prime goalscorer as nicely so it is good, pleasant competitors however I am glad he is my teammate.”
At the same time as issues go sideways for Metropolis within the Premier League, Semenyo is shortly proving his value whereas he and Cherki add much-needed dimension to an assault that’s generally one-note when Haaland does all of the work. It’s not precisely a foolproof technique to survive Haaland’s stoop – they’ve gone goalless twice of their final 11, their 2-0 loss to Manchester United probably the most clear instance of the Norway worldwide’s outsized presence in Metropolis’s assault.
The pair, although, guarantee Metropolis have an opportunity in most of their outings, with or with out Haaland. Defensive resilience – or a scarcity thereof – is rising as the subsequent main space of enchancment for Guardiola’s aspect, Guehi merely one step in addressing a difficulty exacerbated by a batch of accidents. Newcastle will like their probabilities towards a weak Metropolis, who’re undoubtedly in a funk however in Semenyo and Cherki have the kind the gamers to snap out of this run, at the least within the quick time period.
