After the magical Old Firm, in Scotland, I had lunch and left, as if by magic, for England to watch Southampton v Manchester City. I make it clear that I’m a United fan, but a fan of Kevin De Bruyne and Erling Haaland.
The second-place game, with chances of reaching the third consecutive Premier League, something that has not happened since 2006/2007, 2007/2008, 2008/2009, won exactly by its rival Manchester United. Against the last placed team, which is in a desperate situation because the rounds are passing and Southampton cannot leave the relegation zone.
The first half was balanced, even though City managed to fit their dominant style a little, with total control in ball possession, but hitting only three shots in the direction and the opponent zero.
Despite this, he left room for dangerous counter attacks at times, as was the case with the Ghanaian Kamaldeen Sulemana, who had everything to score the goal and fumbled with the ball.
Then he painted another chance for Sulemana himself who flattened the ball to nothing, missing another great chance to at least force the Brazilian goalkeeper Ederson to make a save.
But in the 45th minute, the magic duo Kevin De Bruyne worked, who gave his hundredth Premier League assist to Erling Haaland to score his twenty-ninth Premier League goal, ending the first half with City winning 1-0.
The second half started and the technical/tactical difference in imposition became clearer than in the first half. De Bruyne finding more space to play, with Haaland moving more, and the team managing to move faster from behind. And also in the ball touch and it didn’t take long for City to score their second goal.
And, in a move with the participation of several players, the ball reached Jack Grealish, on the left, at speed, kicked and, on the rebound from Irish goalkeeper Okeroghene Bazunu made it 2 x 0 for The Citizens (Os Cidadãos).
Hey guys, we have nothing to talk about City’s third goal with the participation of the three owners of the game. Kevin De Bruyne’s launch for Jack Grealish in speed that gave a spectacular assist to Erling Haaland who showed all his category to finish and score goals. A huge guy inside the box who straightened up and did a turn? By bicycle? Whatever the name of this play, it was a great goal by the Norwegian number 9, reaching the thirtieth in this championship.
At the same time, Guardiola took the top scorer out of the game and this time, in my opinion, he did the right thing because in the middle of the week there is the first clash of the semi-final of the Champions League against Bayern Munich.
Shortly after City’s goal, Southampton managed to reduce the score with a beautiful goal with the Frenchman Sékou Mara. But there wasn’t even time for the game to boil, because the best player of the match Kevin De Bruyne suffered a penalty with Julian Álvarez, who came on in Haaland’s place, beating and scoring the fourth goal for Guardiola’s blue team. After that, Manchester City showed what is best about controlling a game through ball possession. It made Southampton run after the ball all over the field, both in their defensive and offensive fields.
The team has incredible security when they need to keep the ball to let time run out and win a match.
Perhaps the worst moment for an opponent is when City are ahead and they need to try to get the ball back to try to equalize. The football team that best defends itself with the ball at its feet is undoubtedly Pep Guardiola. He doesn’t need to take out strikers and put in defensive midfielders or defenders because all the players in the squad are technically programmed to keep possession of the ball.
A collective show, but the owner of the ball was without a doubt the Belgian Kevin De Bruyne.
Tomorrow we will have Liverpool v Arsenal, which cannot falter in any way because City are on the tail just waiting for that breach to happen.
On the 26/4th we will have Manchester City x Arsenal waiting for a direct confrontation that will possibly decide the Premier League title. At this moment the difference is 5 points ahead of Arsenal.
#Bruyne #Haaland #form #attacking #duo