Man City’s Setback Might Make Pep Guardiola Rethink His Future

In just the first 180 minutes of the new season, Pep Guardiola has noticed a key trait. That could lead to winning the title, which came from a defensive mistake. Ipswich’s Sammie Szmodics made a well-timed run that split Manchester City’s defense and scored a goal by getting the ball past Ederson. This incident might make Guardiola rethink the future of his defensive strategies.

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Ipswich’s coach, Keiran McKenna, revealed that they had planned that exact play as their best chance to score. Their fans were thrilled when the plan succeeded just 7 minutes into the game.

Last season, Manchester City often struggled with giving up early goals, usually from direct passes through their defense. This game felt like a repeat of that issue. However, within just 15 minutes, City turned things around and were leading 3-1. Those 8 minutes could end up being crucial for the season’s success and might make Guardiola rethink the future of his defensive approach.

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On Saturday evening, Guardiola said that after all the success his team has had. Thinking that Ipswich isn’t a strong enough opponent could be a problem. He emphasized that this attitude is the only issue they might face.

However, Guardiola said that from the start of the game, his team showed a lot of respect for Ipswich. Which was the opposite of what he expected. He noted that Ipswich’s promotion from League One to the Premier League in just two seasons shows they’re a special team. City played aggressively and could have won by a larger margin, but 3-1 was still a strong result.

He also mentioned that, despite their lack of preparation. Starting the season with two wins from two games constitutes a great achievement.

City showed respect for Ipswich, as they usually do for all visiting teams, and rarely underestimate anyone. When Erling Haaland scored an equalizer, he quickly returned to the centre of the field with his teammates, eager to restart the game. They focused on taking advantage of the moment, knowing Ipswich would be vulnerable right after conceding a goal, as Liverpool quickly scored in their opening match.

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City’s aggressive approach paid off. Savinho’s pressing led to a mistake by Aro Muric, and Kevin De Bruyne scored to make it 2-1. Then, De Bruyne set up Haaland for a third goal just a minute later. These three goals in quick succession secured the win.

Guardiola praised his team for their attitude, noting that their minimal celebrations and swift play showed their determination. He highlighted how their focus on defence and attacking quickly remained strong, reflecting the team’s effective body language and strategy.

Therefore, Guardiola reminded everyone that it’s only the start of the season, and there will be ups and downs along the way. He’s pleased that the team shows commitment and readiness for the challenge.

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While Haaland’s hat-trick will get a lot of attention, Guardiola is more impressed by how the team reacted to his goals. He had been uncertain whether his players felt motivated to defend their title and had hinted that he would base his decision about a new contract on their early-season performance. His pride in their attitude on Saturday suggests he might already see the motivation he was looking for.