Manchester City are just about still hanging on in there in this Premier League title race. Last Monday night, the Sky Blues blinked first in the straight race to the line, only managing a draw with Everton in chaotic fashion. After the Citizens had been cruising, the Toffees scored thrice during a whirlwind 13 minute spree at Hill Dickinson Stadium, the first tucked away by Thierno Barry after a major error by Marc Guéhi. That could prove to be one of the defining moments of this campaign.
When leaving the pitch on Merseyside, the England international understandably looked shellshocked. Thus, it is to his credit that he bounced back by putting in an imperious performance during Saturday evening's 3-0 win over Brentford at the Etihad.
Marc Guéhi's statistics vs Brentford
Statistics | Marc Guéhi | Match rank |
|---|---|---|
Defensive actions | 13 | 1st |
Clearances | 11 | 1st |
Duels won | 11 | 2nd |
Ground duels won | 6 | 5th |
Aerial duels won | 5 | 1st |
Passing accuracy % | 87% | 7th |
Touches | 68 | 6th |
Match rating | 7.7 | 4th |
Note: All statistics courtesy of SofaScore.
During his time at Crystal Palace, Guéhi firmly established himself as one of the best centre-backs in the Premier League, starting all seven matches as England reached the Euro 2024 Final. Thus, it was natural that he would take the next step to a club higher up the table, very nearly joining Liverpool on deadline day last summer.
So, Manchester City will feel they have got a top-class player added to their squad. On the other hand, paying £20 million for a player, who is reportedly earning a whopping £300,000-per-week, when they were into the final five months of their contract is undeniably pricy. In a week's time, Guéhi may end up with a second successive FA Cup winners medal, despite starting Crystal Palace's historic defeat at Macclesfield at Moss Rose in January, but is that enough?
Manchester City's remaining fixtures
- Wednesday 13 May: Crystal Palace (H). Premier League. Kick off 8pm.
- Saturday 16 May: Chelsea (N). FA Cup Final. Kick off 3pm.
- Tuesday 19 May: Bournemouth (A). Premier League. Kick off 7:30pm.
- Sunday 24 May: Aston Villa (H). Premier League. Kick off 4pm.
Well, after their dramatic victory at West Ham on Sunday, if Arsenal beat Burnley and Crystal Palace, then they will be Premier League champions and there is nothing Man City can do about it. Given that Pep Guardiola's team were also crushed by Real Madrid in the Champions League round of 16, the second half of this campaign in the two primary competitions has certainly not gone to plan.
Nevertheless, still only 25 years old, Guéhi will prove to be a shrewd addition. John Stones and Bernardo Silva are departing this summer, it remains to be seen if the manager will do so too, so there could be something of a leadership void. Well, having captained Palace, Guéhi will certainly help in this regard, alongside his quality.
So, while he was majorly at fault at Bramley-Moore Dock, all Guéhi could do was respond with an immense performance against Brentford and he did just that, and more. If Manchester City are going to prevail in Saturday's FA Cup Final at Wembley, and keep the pressure on Arsenal cranked up to 11, he will be a key figure.
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