AFCON 2025
1. City’s ‘Other Pep’ Deserves Credit for Attacking Resurgence
Manchester City’s victory confirmed that they are definitely “back” as title contenders. Still, their renewed final third effectiveness points to a surprising source: Pep Lijnders, a former key lieutenant of Jürgen Klopp at Liverpool. While Erling Haaland scored the crucial first goal (his 99th Premier League strike), the rapid adaptation of new attackers, such as Rayan Cherki, suggests a highly efficient tactical transition.
Cherki is adapting seamlessly to Guardiola’s system—a process that typically takes months for new players like Matheus Nunes and Joško Gvardiol. The connection is drawn between Lijnders’ known tactical prowess in the final third and City’s current invigorated attack, suggesting the new coaching staff deserves immense credit for fast-tracking the team’s evolution.
2. Liverpool Continues to Pay for Missed Defensive Signings
Liverpool’s defensive fragility remains their defining problem, exacerbated by recent transfer sagas. The poor performance of Ibrahima Konaté against City, combined with the intense minutes asked of Virgil van Dijk and his partner, highlighted the lack of depth.
The analysis suggests Liverpool is still paying the price for failing to secure defensive targets like Marc Guéhi (who ended up being chased by Palace on deadline day) before the season began. Furthermore, injuries to new signing Giovanni Leoni and the inconsistent presence of Alexander Isak means the team relies too heavily on individual genius, while the back line looks demonstrably tired.
3. Manchester City’s Depth Is Now Shining
Despite operating without key players like Rodri and Mateo Kovačić, Manchester City’s squad depth proved overwhelming. This resilience is supported by the seamless integration of second-year players and the bench’s readiness.
Nico González, in his second year, was singled out as excellent in the heart of the midfield, which allowed Bernardo Silva to play a more advanced role. The bench, featuring players like Omar Marmoush, Tijjani Reijnders, and John Stones, is now deep enough that the coaching staff is no longer forced to rely on young talents like Rico Lewis and Oscar Bobb to “learn on the job.” This available quality allowed City to navigate key absences and secure the win.
