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Three Takeaways: Manchester City and Porto finish goalless

By J.C. Gonzalez

PORTO, PORTUGAL - DECEMBER 01: Ruben Dias of Manchester City in action during the UEFA Champions League Group C stage match between FC Porto and Manchester City at Estadio do Dragao on December 1, 2020 in Porto, Portugal. Sporting stadiums around Portugal remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Octavio Passos/Getty Images)
PORTO, PORTUGAL - DECEMBER 01: Ruben Dias of Manchester City in action during the UEFA Champions League Group C stage match between FC Porto and Manchester City at Estadio do Dragao on December 1, 2020 in Porto, Portugal. Sporting stadiums around Portugal remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Octavio Passos/Getty Images) /
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Manchester City finished top of Group C after a 0-0 draw with second place Porto.

Manchester City did enough to secure first place in their Champions League group with a 0-0 draw against Porto with a game to spare. Having already secured qualification to the knockouts on matchday four, there was little incentive for either side to really make a push. City were the better team, but in the end, the job was done.

1. Easy Group, Job Done

The story of City’s group stage draw was that they had once again been handed a favorable group. That has never been an indicator of their success in the knockouts, but City still had a task to do in front of them. They will not finish on 18 points, which seemed more than possible, but overall, City head into the final matchday with the opportunity to rotate and play youth in the most crowded fixture period of the year so far.

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2. Play Youth Against Marseille

Pep Guardiola was clearly gunning to secure top spot and a (theoretically) easier draw. Whether or not that will come true remains to be seen, but he stressed that City would not field academy players in this match to ensure the result. Now that the job is done entirely, and the final group stage game is nothing more than a dead rubber, it should be a real opportunity for some younger players to get their opportunity in Europe.

3. Onto December

On the first day one of the busiest and most demanding months of football on the calendar, City will need to be prepared to play some of their best football. It has been an inconsistent start to say the least, but now is the moment to step up and get this season back on track.