Manchester City Make History (Again)
Manchester City and manager Pep Guardiola just added another statistic to their portfolio. Following their victory against Sheffield United, the Sky Blues had won nine matches in all competitions in the month of January. According to OptaJoe, Manchester City are the first club in England’s top four tiers to win “nine matches in all competitions in January … since the formation of the Football League in 1888.” This is a remarkable achievement.
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The sides that Manchester City faced throughout the month of January are also telling. At the start of the month, the Sky Blues earned a 1-3 victory against Chelsea in the English Premier League. City then faced cross-town rivals Manchester United in the Carabao Cup Semi-finals, where the Sky Blues won 2-0. In the FA Cup, City defeated Championship side Birmingham City and then they defeated League Two’s Cheltenham Town. As for the remaining EPL matches, City won against Brighton and Hove Albion, Crystal Palace, Aston Villa, West Bromwich Albion, and Sheffield United.
The manner in which Manchester City won these matches is impressive. The Mancunians earned seven clean sheets in nine matches, and only conceded two goals in nine games. The Sky Blues scored 24 goals in nine matches.
These statistics do not tell the full story. City were made to work for their victories against Brighton and Sheffield, where both home matches resulted in 1-0 victories for the Sky Blues. The home side maintained a majority of possession, shots on goal, corners won and passes completed. Brighton and Sheffield, however, were defensively sound and they could have stolen a point. Despite some nervy moments, the Sky Blues prevailed.
The same could be said in the matches against Villa and Cheltenham. In both cases, City’s opponents forced them into some difficult situations and important saves. While the final scores flattered City, pundits and viewers will know that these matches were much closer.
The two most important things for Manchester City during this period, however, were their defensive and offensive displays. First, the defense. To date, Manchester City have the best defensive record in the EPL this season, where they have only conceded 13 goals in 20 matches. The Sky Blues have recorded 12 clean sheets in 20 EPL matches.
They also seem to be overcoming their issues in front of goal. At the start of the 2020/21 season, City failed to convert a series of chances and this saw them drop points in the EPL matches against West Ham United, Leeds United, and West Bromwich Albion. Pundits, fans, and Man City Square’s contributors believed that City should purchase a striker in the January 2021 Transfer Window. These arguments were valid, as Sergio Agüero has been out for the majority of the 2020/21 EPL season due to injury. Gabriel Jesus was also struggling in front of goal. Guardiola’s decision to play a false nine in several of these matches, however, seems to be paying off. Jesus is also finally finding his form in front of the goal, and it appears the Sky Blues have overcome this goal-scoring rut. Perhaps City no longer need that additional striker.
Overall, January 2021 was an impressive month for Manchester City. The Sky Blues won nine matches across three competitions. City now find themselves at the top of the EPL table with a game in hand, and three points ahead of second-placed Manchester United. The Sky Blues will also compete in the Carabao Cup final for a fourth consecutive season. Finally, City are in the FA Cups Fifth Round, where they will face Swansea in February.
Can Manchester City keep up this impressive run as they head into February 2021?