Manchester City recover from opening day catastrophe to put Norwich City to the sword
Pep Guardiola really enjoyed himself during Manchester City’s thrashing of Norwich City on Saturday, especially the goals which his side scored.
The Cityzens shipped five goals past their opponents but it was the fourth strike that really got their manager bouncing with excitement on the touchline.
The sequence saw Rodri pick up the ball in midfield before spreading a pass to Kyle Walker. The right-back then located Gabriel Jesus with a perfectly weighted pass, who in turn cut the ball back for Raheem Sterling to slot home.
It was a slick move, involving intelligent positioning and wonderful passing, and a complete departure from the lifeless performance against Tottenham last week.
Manchester City return to winning ways in style
Guardiola’s starting line-up may have raised a few eyebrows but once the game started, he was vindicated. The Spaniard decided to play Jesus on the right flank, Jack Grealish on the left and Ferran Torres as his centre-forward.
The mobility of the front three proved to be a masterstroke as the Cityzens thumped Norwich City 5-0 at the Etihad Stadium.
Jesus did not get on the score sheet but he enjoyed his best game in a Manchester City shirt, putting in a shift on the right-wing and ending the game with two assists.
Grealish, the Cityzens’ £100 million player, also opened his scoring account to ease himself off the early pressure following his big-money move. Overall, it was a perfect afternoon for Guardiola and his side as they returned to winning ways in style.
Cityzens have their mojo back
It’s been a difficult last few weeks for Manchester City following their back-to-back defeats to Leicester City in the Community Shield and Tottenham in the Premier League.
However, their performance against Norwich suggests the Cityzens have regained their lost mojo. The champions looked positive, attacked with purpose and, most importantly, were clinical.
"The result was the consequence of how many good things we have done. Still we are not in our top. Still we have many things to do," Guardiola said after the game, as quoted by the Guardian.
Indeed, Manchester City have not hit the ceiling yet. Kevin De Bruyne is out injured, while Harry Kane could join in the coming days.
However, it is important that they do not fall off in the title race. And they ensured that it didn’t happen by winning against Norwich.