Manchester City: Are we seeing new side to the champions after Chelsea comeback?

Not long into Manchester City’s win over Chelsea, Pep Guardiola was so infuriated with one refereeing decision that he dashed out of his technical area, rushed onto the pitch and briefly took up an unmarked position in the inside-right channel.

This outburst did not match his manic finger-wagging at Anfield or the goading of Southampton’s backroom staff a week earlier but it was not far off. And shortly after, when N’Golo Kanté gave Chelsea the lead, you wondered whether it could all get a bit too much for him.

With that goal, City were 12 points behind league leaders Liverpool. That was a greater deficit than at any stage of last season’s title race. If the score had held, then the many doubts which presently surround the champions’ defence of their crown would have become genuine concerns.

But while their manager is still prone to momentarily losing his composure on the touchline, Guardiola’s players are demonstrating a sangfroid which could help them to close the gap on the league leaders. Questions were asked of City on Saturday and they were answered.

For the third time in as many games, City fell behind early and responded well, playing on the front foot. While against Southampton they had to wait a while to level, on Saturday Chelsea’s lead lasted only eight minutes. Kevin De Bruyne equalised. Another eight minutes later, City were ahead through Riyad Mahrez.

There was no such turnaround at Anfield two weeks ago of course, but Guardiola has had nothing but heartfelt praise for that performance and has spoken effusively about the response of his players to going behind. That same character helped to overcome Kanté’s breakthrough on Saturday and, this time, take all three points.

More streetwise opponents may not have allowed City back into the game so easily. There is an endearing innocence about this young Chelsea team and Frank Lampard the manager. Guardiola would later describe his counterpart as “courageous”, though there is a fine line between bravery and carelessness.

Chelsea’s refusal to compromise on their key principles allowed City back in but equally, it would have been easy for the champions, on the back of the Liverpool defeat, to panic after conceding first. Instead, they were cool, calm and methodical, immediately stopping Chelsea’s flurry of attacks and starting their own.

Guardiola claims he was in no doubt that his players would react in such a way. “We did it the last 24 months and more than 24 months,” he said after the final whistle. “We didn’t give up last season and that’s why we won again. And [if] we are going to lose, this team never give up. That’s why we won today against an incredible top side.”

But on the rare occasions in the past when Guardiola’s City have suffered setbacks, they have been known to spiral. Elimination from the Champions League by Liverpool in April 2018 was followed by a derby defeat to Manchester United. Crystal Palace’s shock win at the Etihad last December was followed defeat at Leicester.

open image in gallery

Even this year, consistency has proved to be an issue. City responded positively after defeat to Norwich, only to lose to Wolves a few weeks later. They won three on the bounce after returning from the October international break then lost at Anfield. It is too early to say whether Saturday is a turning point, whether City will be faultless from here.

But a man often characterised as an arch-perfectionist is not demanding perfection. “What’s important is the effort, the commitment, the situation,” Guardiola said.

“I know we are winners and losers and that’s all, but I think it’s not a good message for society, for our kids, for our teenagers, showing them that just the winner is perfect. We are creating a depressed people, loser people.

“In football I know we want to win but just win once and the other is disaster? It’s not [like that], it doesn’t work in that way. That’s why I said to the players relax, do your job, we will see in December, January, February, March and we will see what position we are in. If the position is far away, OK it’s far away. We are going to try again next season.”

Defending the title may demand perfection. Liverpool are certainly close to it, though their record of 12 wins and a solitary draw masks more than a handful of middling-to-poor performances, where Jurgen Klopp’s “mentality giants” have found a way through. Saturday’s win at Crystal Palace was one of many recent examples.

And the problem with winning back-to-back league titles, taking 226 points, scoring 238 goals and winning by scorelines of 5-1, 6-0, 7-2 and 8-0 over the course of two-and-a-bit seasons is that your resolve is seldom tested. But City are starting to show that they too can suffer a setback, cope with adversity and win the hard way.