Manchester City: Lack of squad depth exposed in draw over Liverpool

Manchester City’s lack of squad depth was exposed as Pep Guardiola’s team drew with Liverpool.

Manchester City have been hit and miss much of this season. That held true once again as they drew 1-1 with Liverpool at the Etihad Stadium. The home team started well, but faded. Only to then come back to life to snatch a draw late on.

Pep Guardiola had to pick his team up after they were brutally dismantled by Monaco in the Champions League in midweek. Finishing in the top four of the Premier League is now a key priority, and given Liverpool are fighting for the same thing, that made this game even bigger.

But although City clearly had no issues mentally getting over the Monaco defeat, physically it was a different story. After 30 minutes of a good performance, City’s level drastically dropped. Guardiola’s team looked shattered towards the end of the first half and the beginning of the second 45 minutes.

Players like David Silva, Fernandinho, Keven De Bruyne, Nicolas Otamendi and Sergio Aguero have all played a lot of minutes, not just this season, but recently. They’re not young guns either, most of them. Yaya Toure has looked leggy for years and this game was no exception.

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Even the likes of Leroy Sane and Raheem Sterling lost their zip and energy as the game wore on. At this level, as a Premier League team, you have to rotate the team more than Guardiola has been doing this year.

That will be one thing the Spaniard will have learned in his first season in England. You can’t put out whatever teams suits you against Stoke City and just pick up three points, easy. Not like you can in some other leagues.

Even when Guardiola has tried to rotate just a little bit, it hasn’t been smooth. City just don’t have the depth they need to cope anymore. City have long since had the best squad in the league, but that’s no the case now.

Some of the backup players don’t suit Guardiola’s style of play either, like Fernando and Fabian Delph. In the summer, improving the first XI will be the focus, especially the defense. But the squad depth also has to be looked at.

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Fernandinho even played right-back in this game, due to Pablo Zabaleta having an injury. City needed Fernandinho in midfield, ironically, for his legs and energy. What Fernandinho needs is a break. As do a lot of City players.

Guardiola needs to utilize his squad more next season. But before he can do that he needs a better, younger, and more suitable squad to utilize.

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