Manchester Metropolis received their pre-season marketing campaign underway within the early hours of Wednesday morning as they suffered a shock 4-3 defeat to Scottish champions Celtic.
With out numerous worldwide stars attributable to their commitments at Euro 2024 and the Copa America, the reigning Premier League title holders handled followers to an entertaining affair with Brendan Rodgers’ outfit at Kenan Memorial Stadium in North Carolina.
Whereas the likes of Erling Haaland and Jack Grealish have been in motion, it wasn’t sufficient to forestall Pep Guardiola’s facet from slipping to a loss of their first summer season outing.
Listed here are 4 issues we discovered from the pre-season spectacle.
There have been few skilled heads in Metropolis‘s beginning lineup in North Carolina. Haaland led the road in assault whereas outstanding first-team members Grealish, Stefan Ortega, Oscar Bobb, Kalvin Phillips and Rico Lewis have been additionally included.
Maybe with a scarcity of clear options, Norwegian striker Haaland took the captain’s armband and was within the thick of the motion, dueling Celtic goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel all through the competition.
Haaland finally received on the scoresheet within the 57th minute, being withdrawn a little bit over ten minutes later.
It has been a troublesome couple of years for Kalvin Phillips since he switched Leeds United for Man Metropolis. His supervisor has publicly declared he is not eager on the midfielder, who could not flip issues round throughout a quick mortgage at West Ham United within the second half of final season.
With the likes of Rodri, Kevin De Bruyne, Mateo Kovacic, John Stones and Matheus Nunes not but out there after their worldwide excursions earlier in the summertime, Phillips began alongside 19-year-old Nico O’Reilly in central midfield.
The England worldwide accomplished 22 of his 26 passes and anticipated a few interceptions however made no tackles and was substituted at half-time. His future lies away from the Etihad Stadium, however which membership will choose him up stays to be seen.
Bobb has already confirmed Metropolis followers glimpses of his simple expertise, with one coming when he immaculately managed De Bruyne’s move and tucked in a late winner in opposition to Newcastle United again in January.
He’ll should bide his time earlier than getting common aggressive begins, however the 21-year-old confirmed he’s prepared for the step up with a starring position within the defeat to Celtic.
The Norway worldwide equalised at 1-1 with a strike Schmeichel could not hold out and supplied a superb help consisting of sharp dribbling up the wing and a exact move to Maximo Perrone. He then delivered the cross which Haaland nodded in on the again publish to make it 3-3.
The worldwide schedule means numerous Metropolis gamers are but to hyperlink up with the squad forward of the brand new season.
Defenders Kyle Walker, Ruben Dias and Manuel Akanji have been amongst these lacking on Wednesday, which means begins have been handed to Josh Wilson-Esbrand, Luke Mbete-Tabu and Jahmai Simpson-Pusey. Midfielder Perrone – one among numerous Metropolis kids to look out for over the summer season – additionally bagged a objective following his introduction within the second half.
O’Reilly and Simpson-Pusey loved their senior debuts and can hope for extra minutes in Metropolis’s subsequent pre-season outing which comes in opposition to AC Milan on Saturday evening.
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