Man City news: Opinion – Plenty of positives despite Liverpool defeat

The most damning element of Sunday’s defeat by Liverpool was the element of acceptance – an expectation from Manchester City supporters that there was very little chance of victory.

Having witnessed a drubbing in Spain days earlier, many would have snapped your hand off at the offer of a point against the soon-to-be Premier League champions. And while it was another defeat for Pep Guardiola, the City boss was right when he said there were plenty of positives.

City found their ability to control a game again, while previous outings had seen them panic in possession and find little way through opposition defences. Yes, there was no goal to show for it, but these are small steps towards refinding the excellence of an all-conquering system implemented over the years.

There was an energy and speed to attacking play, confidence in defensive midfield areas when constructing build-up, and an assuredness about some – namely Abdukodir Khusanov – in our defensive rearguard when faced with some of the most dangerous attackers.

Khusanov has had 10 poor minutes in a City shirt since arriving from Lens and still does not speak too much English so remains unable to communicate with a large share of team-mates.

But his aggression, speed and confidence at the back is precisely what this rearguard has needed, all at the age of 20 in his first experience of English football.

It is highly impressive. And that is before even mentioning his staggeringly good performance in locking down Vinicius Jr for the most part of last week’s Champions League encounter from an unfamiliar right-back role.

Then we get on to Nico; a ready-made Manchester City footballer, a player that has already transformed the confidence from the get-go. There is an exceptional ability to read the game, an eye for a forward pass, an assuredness in recycling possession and an authority about his play in a role mastered by Rodri.

Is anyone surprised? This is a talent developed in Barcelona’s La Masia, raised with the ideology of Guardiola at the forefront of his thinking.

Sunday also brought back lightning-quick wide play in Jeremy Doku and Savinho, a flash of brilliance from last weekend’s hat-trick hero Omar Marmoush, and all with the average age of the outfield squad – with the exception of Nathan Ake and Kevin de Bruyne – vastly reduced.

Small steps forward towards the next phase of this City squad, and a brief glimpse into the bright future that Guardiola’s roster has ahead of it, albeit with further work required in the summer.

Find more from Freddie Pye at City Xtra