Sheffield United 0 Manchester City 1 : Aguero Needed

Pep Guardiola made a number of changes to the Manchester City team which was held to a draw last weekend, the most surprising of which was the return of Aymeric Laporte after 143 days out.

Manchester City started with Aymeric Laporte, Fernandinho and Nicolas Otamendi in a back three with Oleks Zinchenko and Kyle Walker operating as wing backs. Rodri and De Bruyne were deep lying in midfield with Raheem Sterling, Riyad Mahrez and Gabriel Jesus across the attack.

The early stages were characterised by the huge distances in the City midfield between our players and some misplaced passing. The precision with which we usually operate was missing.

If there was any thought that Sheffield United would go easy on Laporte that was dismissed after he suffered a crunching tackle by Mo Besic in the 12th minute. Quite how it was only worthy of a yellow card when it came after the ball had been played was a mystery. Luckily after treatment Laporte seemed able to resume.

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City faced an onslaught of long balls, heavy challenges and bad refereeing decisions. The surprise was that City had the first chance after Mahrez released Sterling and his shot was saved.

Otamendi went close with a scissor kick at a corner, but again there was no way through.

Mahrez was brought down for a penalty but without Sergio Aguero the task fell to Gabriel Jesus whose soft attempt was saved. The only thing that fills me with dread more is when Mahrez steps up to take one. Joking aside, Jesus has now missed 6 out of his last 10 penalties and missed all 3 he has taken this season.

The Sheffield United keeper was a good yard off his line when Jesus stepped up and you have to wonder what the point of the VAR is in such circumstances. Certainly it appeared to have been tasked to do City no favours.

We all knew this game was not going to be pretty and so it proved to be. Just before half time, Fernandinho was clattered in another tackle which should have attracted a red card. To make matters worse Fernandinho was carded himself for an innocuous challenge a moment later just to ensure that the stats will not tell the full story of Lee Mason’s refereeing.

The surprise in the second half was not that it was more of the same, but that City seemed to labour for any ideas to break through. There was a time that a 0:0 away from home against a top 5 side would have been considered a good result, but it is a sign of the progress we have made that it is not.

Sheffield United went close with a showboating back heel which was easily taken by Ederson, but otherwise offered little beyond brute force.

City were just repeating the same things which had not worked. Sterling was going to shoot rather than pass, even when the pass was a better option and Jesus was going to aimlessly press their keeper.

In the 66th minute Jesus made way for Aguero and if nothing else at least we were likely to score a penalty if we got one. Within 10 minutes of him coming on, Sergio had opened the scoring. De Bruyne was free on the right hand side and whipped in a perfect cross that Aguero met with a well timed run.

Laporte lasted for 77 minutes until he was replaced by Eric Garcia. This was going to be an uncomfortable last 10 minutes by any stretch of the imagination. Aguero was randomly booked by Mason and Sheffield United continued their plan to kick City players as though operating under a UN peace keeping flag.

There was even time for Sterling to miss a chance after creating it through some excellent dribbling in the area. This then became all about game management, the exact thing City failed to do at the weekend against Crystal Palace.

Scientists say that time is elastic – it stretches based on context and perception. Never was this more true than in the last few minutes. One minute was left on the clock but it seemed as though fifteen were played.

City clung on. Three points secured. Thank god we don’t have to play them again this year.