The issues with this Manchester City squad won’t be solved until the summer | OneFootball

Manchester City played out an entertaining 2-all draw with Brighton yesterday at the Etihad. The draw did no team any favours in the race to qualify for the Champions League next season. But watching the game unfold some familiar issues arose for Pep Guardiola’s side during the game. But no matter how you look at it the constant issues with the current Manchester City squad won’t and cannot be addressed until the summer transfer window. That’s the reality the world champions find themselves in.

During yesterday’s match, we saw both teams have their moments. But how Brighton got at Manchester City yesterday followed a familiar pattern. Fabian Hurzeler’s side, at times, had too much pace and energy for Pep Guardiola’s side all over the pitch. On another day this could have been a decisive factor in yesterday’s match. Carlos Baleba fired over a golden opportunity from about 8 yards out for Brighton to take a 3-2 lead in the 82nd minute of yesterday’s match. But the way Baleba drove into Manchester City’s penalty area stood out. No City player could go with him and that is a movie we have seen time and time again this season. Yesterday it had a different ending as Baleba spurned his chance to be Brighton’s hero.

The same issues persist for Manchester City and there aren’t any solutions to them in the current City squad.

But the lack of legs in midfield isn’t an area that Pep Guardiola can address with the players at his disposal. There simply isn’t an option to improve this area of the pitch in City’s current squad. Nico and Ilkay Gundogan started in midfield yesterday for Manchester City. I thought both players played well for the most part. But what they can’t do is match the drive and energy of teams such as Brighton. Even on the bench Guardiola didn’t have the options to change that dynamic. Bernardo Silva, Kevin De Bruyne and Mateo Kovacic couldn’t solve the issue. Bernardo and De Bruyne don’t have the legs to do so. Kovacic isn’t a number 6 and we’ve seen how that particular move plays out this season.

Manchester City cannot add more drive and energy to their midfield until the summer transfer window. There is an argument to be made that Nico O’Reilly or Claudio Echeverri could add some life to City’s play. But it doesn’t appear likely that either will start anytime soon.

Even at both full-back positions, Manchester City is stuck with what they have. Rico Lewis started at right-back yesterday and did his job. But the alternative to Lewis starting is Matheus Nunes. That option doesn’t offer anything substantial to a major hole in City’s squad. The right-back issue cannot be solved until the summer. Josko Gvardiol is City’s only option at left-back. He wasn’t at his best yesterday. That’s another issue that cannot be resolved with the options at Pep Guardiola’s disposal. Injuries to Nathan Ake and Manuel Akanji have robbed Guardiola of any alternative to Gvardiol at left-back. Nico O’Reilly can step in if needed but that doesn’t seem to be a viable option just yet.

Summary.

While Manchester City had their moments against Brighton yesterday the same issues that have persisted all season were once again on display at the Etihad. But there doesn’t appear to be any viable solutions to them in the current Manchester City squad. Pep Guardiola said Manchester City have nine cup finals coming up in their bid to secure Champions League qualification. It will be the players Guardiola trusts who will be tasked with fulfilling that goal. There won’t be any change to that situation until the summer transfer window opens. Unfortunately, that is the reality Manchester City is facing over the 24/25 season final stages.