Arguably Manchester City’s standout result this season came in the Manchester Derby, in a stunning 6-3 victory at the Etihad Stadium last week.
Erling Haaland and Phil Foden stole the headlines last Sunday, as both boyhood Manchester City fans scored a hat-trick apiece against Manchester United.
While several fans and pundits were quick to point out the sizeable gap between both clubs after the game, there were many that felt a surprise Manchester United win was on the cards in the build-up to the clash.
Considering Erik ten Hag’s men had already pulled off upsets against Liverpool and Arsenal while playing in transition, a whole host of pre-match predictions suggested that the Blues would undergo the same fate.
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This feeling among some supporters was especially heightened after it was revealed that Rodri was injured for the clash, while Ruben Dias was placed on the bench.
However, the Premier League champions cruised their way to dismantling the visitors, despite Ilkay Gundogan operating as the number six, Manuel Akanji playing in his first Manchester Derby, and Nathan Ake partnering the Swiss international.
Even after Kyle Walker was replaced at half-time with a groin injury, Sergio Gomez shone at left-back, setting up the goal that sealed Erling Haaland’s hat-trick.
After the match, a number of supporters put the Sky Blues’ win down to having incredible strength-in-depth, which ensured they did not miss the big names on derby day.
However, it has been revealed that Pep Guardiola’s masterplan ahead of the contest is what led to the hosts ripping Manchester United’s defence to shreds, with one defender targeted in particular.
As per a report by Mark Ogden of ESPN, the Manchester City boss pinpointed Lisandro Martinez as his side’s prime target ahead of the clash.
However, the reason behind special focused placed on the Argentine international had no relation with his much-discussed lack of height.
Instead, Pep Guardiola had urged Phil Foden to attack the spaces vacated by the former Ajax defender, who he felt would be too preoccupied by constantly trying to mark Erling Haaland.
It is believed that the Catalan tactician even felt Raphael Varane would follow suit, which would allow the England international to exploit the gaps in the defence.
Ultimately, the strategy bore fruit as the ‘Stockport Iniesta’ bagged all three of his goals from inside the box.
Additionally, it has also been revealed that instead of praising his players for setting a 4-0 lead at half-time, Pep Guardiola kept reminding them about the clash against Leicester City last term, in which they let a four-goal deficit slip to allow them to score three goals in succession.
The fact that Pep Guardiola is still as sharp as a tack in his seventh season at the Etihad Stadium proves why he is classed as the best manager in the world by many.
Topics: Pep Guardiola, Lisandro Martinez, Manchester City, Manchester United, Premier League, Football
Srinivas Sadhanand