Man City can forget about the title after playing into Utd’s hands… it could have been five or six, says Alan Shearer
I REALLY can’t see how Manchester City are going to get back into the title race now.
They are 14 points behind Liverpool and after the manner of their defeat to Manchester United I think that’s it for them.
Jurgen Klopp’s side have not lost in the league for 33 games, stretching back to January, so they would have to lose five of the remaining 22 for City to have a chance — and that’s not going to happen.
At the Etihad on Saturday City paid the price for playing right into United’s hands.
We all know that their strength is on the counter- attack and in the first half the likes of Marcus Rashford, Dan James, Jesse Lingard and Anthony Martial ran City ragged.
I understand Pep Guardiola having belief and confidence in his team but they made life so easy for United.
I thought they would attack and play their normal game but at least leave one or two extra bodies at the back to shut the door just in case. But there was none of that on show.
It really is no exaggeration to say United should have scored five, maybe six in the first-half.
City were so open and it looked like they would concede every time United went on the attack.
In the end, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s team had so many good chances we didn’t have time to show them all on Match of the Day.
Once again we saw that City’s Achilles heel is in defence.
Yes, they are still missing Aymeric Laporte through injury — but what surprised me is that this result came just days after they were so good in beating Burnley.
In particular, Rodri was excellent in giving that back four the protection it needed.
That all went out of the window on Saturday, where they were wide open and just let United attack.
What’s really worrying for them is that we have seen this season through Wolves, Newcastle and now United that once you get through their press you can score goals against them.
They are giving away so many chances, which must be of real concern for Guardiola.
Once you play through or over that press they are vulnerable — and that’s why they are now so far off the pace.
It was a great win for Solskjaer, especially coming off the back of beating Tottenham. If he needed to know that his players were on side, then those two results prove it without doubt.
It doesn’t hide the problems they have but it gives them great hope going forward.
In contrast to City, they defended really well and I couldn’t single out one player who didn’t have a very good game for them.
Scott McTominay and Fred were excellent once again in the midfield.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka was also magnificent defensively, keeping Raheem Sterling really quiet — not something we have said often, if at all, this season.
DUNC’S NO DOUGHNUT
THERE is no getting away from the fact that Duncan Ferguson is a hard man — but he is a really nice bloke who I always got along with.
I was delighted for my old Newcastle team-mate on Saturday at Goodison Park.
Everton showed everything that Duncan is all about. Passion, commitment, rolling your sleeves up and having a go.
Not only that, they also added a bit of quality, which we have not seen enough from a squad that has a number of talented players in it.
It was particularly great to see Dominic Calvert-Lewin play just like his manager used to.
Lining up in the tunnel, you could see the fear in defenders’ eyes as they were about to come up against Big Dunc. He gave as good as he got on the pitch and you would certainly rather have him in your side than not.
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He was a great lad, who everyone appreciated. You can ask any centre-back and none would have enjoyed playing against him.
Duncan used to dominate defenders, frightening them to death.
And that is exactly what Calvert-Lewin did on Saturday, with both Kurt Zouma and Andreas Christensen scared stiff.
He ran them ragged all game — but he now has to maintain that standard if he wants to kick on.
FOXES ARE NOW CHASING PACK
LIVERPOOL put in the perfect performance at Bournemouth, with every single player excellent throughout.
They didn’t give them a kick all game and totally dominated — and all with Jurgen Klopp managing to rest big players like Sadio Mane.
They were solid at the back, creative in midfield and clinical up front.
With City slipping up, it’s now up to Leicester to keep the pressure on in the title race.
It doesn’t look like the Foxes are going away after yesterday’s great win at Villa and if they can maintain their form through the Christmas period, they will be confident.
Especially as they host Liverpool on Boxing Day — a game that could end up being the defining one of the season.