Manchester City’s Fringe Players Struggle in Leverkusen Defeat

MANCHESTER, England — Manchester City’s fringe players have not had much opportunity to showcase their talents of late. Following a 2-0 loss to Bayer Leverkusen in the UEFA Champions League, it may be some time before head coach Pep Guardiola calls upon them again.

In response to Saturday’s 2-1 defeat to Newcastle United, Guardiola made ten changes to the lineup. He expressed that he would have made an additional change had Rodri not been sidelined, which allowed Nico González to retain his position.

This gamble did not yield the desired results. With key players such as Erling Haaland, Phil Foden, and Gianluigi Donnarumma watching from the sidelines, Leverkusen capitalized on a rusty City side, scoring first and entering halftime with a 1-0 lead.

Guardiola, having seen enough after the first 45 minutes, made substitutions at halftime, bringing on regulars Foden, Jérémy Doku, and Nico O’Reilly for Rayan Aït-Nouri, Oscar Bobb, and Rico Lewis. Despite these changes, Haaland’s introduction could not prevent Leverkusen from scoring again, marking City’s first home defeat in the Champions League group stage or league phase since 2018.

“Too many changes,” Guardiola stated post-match. “Maybe it was excessive given the result. It is what it is. I accept full responsibility. I like to involve everyone, but perhaps this time it was too much.

“Sometimes, I tend to be too accommodating and involve all players. It didn’t work out, and I must accept that.”

Guardiola’s decision to implement sweeping changes raised eyebrows. A victory against Leverkusen—who had previously lost 7-2 to Paris Saint-Germain—would have alleviated pressure ahead of the crucial trip to Real Madrid next month. A loss at the Bernabéu, reminiscent of last season’s heavy defeat, would necessitate positive results against Bodo/Glimt and Galatasaray in January to secure a top-eight finish.

In hindsight, it could have been more prudent for Guardiola to field a stronger lineup against Leverkusen and reserve the changes for Leeds United’s visit to the Etihad on Saturday. The backup players who participated against the Bundesliga side will likely find it difficult to maintain their positions in the upcoming Premier League match. Aït-Nouri, making just his second start since August, appeared off the pace from the outset.

His side allowed Alejandro Grimaldo to score the opening goal through the legs of Abdukodir Khusanov, another player with limited recent playing time. Aït-Nouri, signed from Wolves for £31 million, was substituted at halftime alongside two others. The situation did not improve, as Patrik Schick added Leverkusen’s second goal early in the second half.

Haaland, who entered in the 65th minute, had City’s best chance of the evening but was denied by Mark Flekken, as the Germans celebrated their first Champions League victory in England since overcoming Tottenham in 2016.

In a post-match interview, England defender Jarell Quansah expressed relief at only having to contend with Haaland for a limited duration. “They possess world-class talent, and even those who started tonight are exceptional players in their countries,” remarked the former Liverpool player. “It was always going to be a challenging task with Haaland and Foden coming on.”

When asked if Guardiola had underestimated Leverkusen, head coach Kasper Hjulmand responded, “You shouldn’t ask me that. Regardless of who they field, it remains a quality team.”

The defeat leaves City sixth in the league phase table with 10 points from five matches. Guardiola is acutely aware of the risks associated with failing to secure a top-eight position, having experienced the consequences last season when they finished 22nd and faced Real Madrid in the playoff round. He will be keen to avoid a repeat of that scenario.

With Aston Villa finishing eighth last season with 16 points, City’s fate is still within their control. However, Guardiola must select the right team against Leeds to avoid a third consecutive defeat.

“Now it’s Leeds,” he stated. “We still have three matches in the league phase, and we’ll see what unfolds. I cannot predict the future. We need to regroup and prepare for Leeds.”

Following the lackluster performance of his fringe players against Leverkusen, it is anticipated that Guardiola will reinstate his key players at the earliest opportunity.