There aren’t many duets that harmonise in the manner that Sergio Agüero and David Silva do. The duo put on a show-stopping performance at the Etihad Stadium against Newcastle, alongside the up-and-coming support act of Kevin de Bruyne. The frustration and desolation of the previous setbacks firmly in the past.
Then came yet another International break. Fast forward a week and everyone’s worst fears reared their ugly heads. Within a matter of hours two of Manchester City’s talismanic figures were struck down by injury. A festival of Football lost its headline acts.
Much of the talk in the run up to City’s first meeting with Bournemouth since 1999 centred around the replacement for one of the wounded artists. Wilfried Bony had had somewhat of a tough 2015 before Saturday’s match, revealing afterwards that he had suffered from Malaria during the summer. All of a sudden he had rather big boots to fill; but fill them he did. Bony netted twice and laid on another for hat-trick hero Raheem Sterling in a dominating display. A week that began with disappointment transformed into a bitter-sweet symphony for Manuel Pellegrini. All afternoon Sterling and Bony linked up, proving a permanent mischief for the Cherries’ defence.
This will undoubtedly have been a welcome bonus for the Chilean manager, with testing games on the horizon. Sevilla come to Manchester on Wednesday night, before the season’s first Manchester Derby on Sunday. There is never a good time to be without the services of your two best players, but this is certainly one of the worst.
Arguably, Bournemouth at home was the perfect fixture to renew some optimism and positivity around the club on the back of such dispiriting news. Sterling and Bony certainly viewed it as that, as they grasped their opportunities admirably after challenging recent spells. Individually and collaboratively they thrived, deputising for Silva and Agüero perhaps more effectively than expected. The speed of the diminutive Sterling proved the ideal contrast to Bony’s power. They combined to brilliant effect in a comfortable victory, but sterner challenges await.
Any team in the world would suffer significantly from losing the talents of Silva and Agüero, but a distinct minority have the resources to replace them instantaneously. Inadvertently, City may have stumbled upon a diamond in the rough, at the beginning of a vitally important week for the Club. If this burgeoning partnership produces the same quality on Wednesday night, another weapon can be added to Pellegrini’s armoury, and a certain Dutchman may wake up on Thursday morning with an unanticipated headache.
