Pep pays for playing it safe…City stumble after Guardiola rests seven of his

Manchester City know only too well that this is how you beat Manchester City. Defend with a low back line, narrow the pitch and break with real bravery.

In that sense, Marcelo Bielsa had Pep Guardiola‘s number. But then again, it is not a secret. Leeds made sure to keep their full backs tight in the defensive third, forcing City to attack wide.

City do not like attacking a low block from wide areas because they do not have a striker who can outmuscle Premier League central defenders aerially. Maybe that will change after some summer transfer business.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola was outfoxed by Leeds counterpart Marcelo Bielsa

Despite all their possession Man City struggled to break down a resolute Leeds on Saturday

In came an avalanche of crosses — 36 in total. More than in any other game this season, four more than on the infamous night City spent banging at the same door when West Bromwich left with a point. ‘I did not like what I saw,’ Guardiola reflected on that draw in December. ‘That was not my team.’

Guardiola held a serious debrief with his staff and sporting director Txiki Begiristain then but that is not necessary this time. City will still win a third title in four years and deservedly so. They are the best team in the country and usually find a way of picking through opposition who set up like this.

Yet this was a reminder that they are fallible. When they are crossing the ball incessantly, they generally are not playing well. The number of shots stood at 29 and that looks mighty impressive, but 15 came from outside the area and none from inside the six-yard box.

Leeds defended magnificently at the Etihad and were clinical with the chances they created

Guardiola admitted that the ratio of ‘good’ chances was relatively low and that is to credit Bielsa’s magnificent Leeds, who remained measured with 10 men after captain Liam Cooper’s first-half red card.

Patrick Bamford was sacrificed, muttering, ‘Are we just defending for the rest of the game, then?’ Well yes, you are Patrick, and your team-mates will do it rather well — Stuart Dallas’s late second goal winning the game after Ferran Torres had equalised for City.

‘The reason we deserved it was the belief of the players,’ Bielsa said. ‘It was an exercise of defensive adaptation. We had a desire to attack when the situation allowed.’

City take a 2-1 lead to Borussia Dortmund in their Champions League quarter-final second leg

Guardiola used his side’s big lead at the top to rest his star men. Ruben Dias, Rodri, Riyad Mahrez and Kevin De Bruyne were not required, with Ilkay Gundogan and Phil Foden only introduced from the bench.

‘Listen, I decided on the selection,’ Guardiola said. ‘We conceded a goal that was avoidable. We have to be more aggressive, more concentrated.’

Nobody is blaming Guardiola for tinkering with a bigger game on the horizon. City face Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League on Wednesday with a one-goal lead and a pretty fresh squad, while their hosts slugged it out with Stuttgart having made just two changes. Guardiola rotated seven players and, interestingly, that contrasts with his approach to the quarter-finals in 2018 and 2019.

Of course, fitness is not everything — look at the catastrophe against Lyon in August — but seven alterations is a luxury. Guardiola must be praying his side can take advantage.