Reality check. Manchester City run out 1-2 losers to a stern Juventus side that played out a perfect away performance to come away from the Etihad with 3 points.
My first European player ratings are as follows:
Hart: Not much he could do about both goals. Made a few good stops beforehand: 6.
Sagna: Again, before both goals went in he hadn’t put a foot wrong but tired towards the end. Did ok offensively on his right hand side: 6.
Vincent Kompany: Was doing brilliantly in containing Mandzukic and Morata and scored another good goal but his evening was prematurely curtailed over a knock. All went down hill after he was pulled off: 7.5
Eliaquim Mangala: Did OK. Few passes went astray and we saw shades of his former, wobbly self but was stupidly dragged out for their second: 6.
Aleksandar Kolarov: Up against Cuadrado he had a tough evening but did OK in parts. Him and Sterling didn’t link up as they usually did. Mediocre evening: 6
Fernandinho: Created our first chance with a trademark tackle and was consistent throughout, as per. Nearly scored a beauty: 7.
Yaya Toure: Good battle with Paul Pogba which he arguably won but didn’t provide the best of defensive cover that he had been showing in the weeks previous. Nearly curled in a pearler: 6.
Samir Nasri: I love Nasri but tonight really wasn’t his night. Slowed the game down when it needed speeding up, lacked a cutting edge and was negligent to his positional duties as he was too often dragged out of position and poor in the transition: 5.
David Silva: Didn’t control the game as he usually does, didn’t have much space to orchestrate anything major and had a tough time taking the ball and driving forward with it: 5.5
Raheem Sterling: Couldn’t fault his evening and was a handful for Lichensteiner but he’s got to learn to finish if he wants to have a successful time with us- any good finisher would’ve lifted that second chance: 6.5
Wilfried Bony: Had a mixed evening- ballooned a marvellous chance in the first half and nothing stuck to him but settled well in the second half and did some astounding things off the ball, notably an excellent dummy which allowed Silva through: 6.5
SUBS:
Kevin De Bruyne: had a tame evening and didn’t influence the game much from his flank: 5.
Nicolás Otamendi: wasn’t long enough for a rating but looked tidy. Could’ve done better for the second goal?: N/A
Sergio Agüero: Good to see him back. : N/A
