Manchester City’s defence exposes Donnarumma and Guehi struggles

Manchester City’s defence showed its weaknesses against Aston Villa, highlighting the struggles of Gianluigi Donnarumma and Marc Guehi. The defeat ended City’s winning start in the Premier League: Enzo Maresca’s side had won every match up to that point, BBC Sport reports. The club is still guaranteed to finish the weekend in the top two, but needs to tighten up at the back to make a title challenge this season.

The problems extend beyond this match. From the beginning of last season, just eight players have committed more errors that resulted in Premier League goals than Gianluigi Donnarumma and Marc Guehi. City’s most recent clean sheet had come in its win at Liverpool two weeks earlier. Around that match, the team had also conceded against opponents ranging from Champions League holders Paris St-Germain to Sunderland, who are struggling in the top flight.

Against Aston Villa, Nicolas Jackson scored twice, with a goal in each half, ending City’s run of seven straight wins at the start of the campaign, BBC Sport reports. The second shot, hit low, appeared to squirm under Donnarumma. Enzo Maresca acknowledged that both goals could have been avoided: «Absolutely, both.»

The manager also said he had been forced to try different defensive combinations against Villa. After the match, he said he needed to «find that balance». Abdukodir Khusanov started out wide before moving inside in Guehi’s place, while Rico Lewis came on to fill the gap. Maresca nevertheless said he was not worried about Guehi. He noted that the defender had played every minute since the start of the season for club and country, and that his substitution was also because he had been booked.

The two players are facing scrutiny for different reasons. Donnarumma, signed last summer to replace Ederson, was heralded as a top-class goalkeeper, but has struggled with the ball at his feet and his passes from the back have sometimes put team-mates under pressure. On Saturday, Ruben Dias gestured for him to send the ball upfield after he failed to control a difficult pass. Donnarumma could have done little about Jackson’s first goal, but should have done better with the second.

Guehi, who arrived from Crystal Palace in January for £20m, is also enduring a difficult season. The England defender was culpable for both goals scored by Ipswich the previous weekend, and John McGinn dispossessed him deep in his own half before Villa’s first goal. City now need to address these weaknesses if they are to remain in contention for the title.