“We are the champions … of the world” from the Queen standard heralded Manchester City before a victory achieved with the kind of purring confidence that has marked Pep Guardiola’s glittering seven-year tenure. They are up to third, two points behind the leaders, Liverpool, courtesy of goals in either half by Rodri and Julián Álvarez, Sheffield United pummelled all afternoon like so many visitors to this stadium are.
A pleased Guardiola referenced the last result before the Club World Cup triumph. “I remember after Crystal Palace [2-2 draw] one colleague said you could be 12 points behind Liverpool,” he said. “The future is a happy new year and three days off and, after, Huddersfield. We have 27 million games in one month, three games the next month.”
City’s programme in January consists of games in the league against Newcastle and Burnley, and Huddersfield in the FA Cup third round, plus a potential fourth-round tie. Guardiola, though, backed the Professional Footballers’ Association’s chief executive, Maheta Molango, who has said players could take legal action to enforce a mandatory 28-day break. “Absolutely,” Guardiola said. “Only they can change something, only the players. I said many times we have too many games, the problem is we have only a three-week holiday in the summer. Look at the number of injuries. The players are the only ones who can make a better sport.”
After the five trophies they currently hold were paraded on the pitch by five lucky fans, City’s players got down to the business of trying to win consecutive Premier League games for the first time since early November. The Blades were ideal opponents as they had not won the fixture since City’s home was Maine Road: in 1987 when Chris Wilder was in the XI for a 3-2 Division Two win. And Wilder’s side arrived bottom – seven points from the last safe spot and coming off the demoralising 3-2 loss to Luton caused by two late own goals.
The Blades were given an early indication of what they would be facing when, from kick-off, they strung together a multi-pass play that after two minutes-plus ended in an Álvarez shot, those in the striped tops having not touched or got near the ball.
As ominous sign was seeing Kevin De Bruyne on the substitutes list for the first time since going off injured during the opening-day win at Burnley. The imperious Belgian would have approved of his side’s opener. Manuel Akanji had previously punted a pass out for a United throw-in but this time he found Phil Foden with precision. As Vinícius Souza shoved City’s England man over he touched the ball to the on-running Rodri. The Blades backed off fatally and the Spaniard steered a cool finish beyond Wes Foderingham into the left corner.
From this juncture it felt like United were lucky to have nil. City employed their old routine, shuffling bodies at will into multitudinous positions, as when Álvarez dropped off the front to link on halfway and Foden, for the moment, took up his No 9 zone.
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In recent weeks the latter has convinced as a De Bruyne replacement so smart is his vision and execution, and Bernardo Silva benefited from a cute defence-splitter. The Portuguese unloaded, this time Foderingham tipped away. With 85.9% possession at one point, City were moving the opponent around like Subbuteo players. Then, seven minutes into the second half, Guardiola took off Jack Grealish – “I decided I need a different speed,” he explained – for Oscar Bobb and a dividend was reaped.
After Foden failed to pull the trigger when through and Álvarez sprayed wide the manager threw up his hands, conscious that the visitors might still snatch something. A slick sequence ended the concern and Bobb was supreme: his return to Foden sliced the right side of United’s defence in two, the cross from the latter for Álvarez as lethal, leaving the Argentinian a tap-in.
On seeing De Bruyne warm up the home faithful gave him a massive cheer but Guardiola’s next introductions were Rúben Dias and Rico Lewis for Kyle Walker and Mateo Kovacic. De Bruyne was not required – it was that type of comfortable outing for the champions.
Wilder said: “It felt like we played football for about five hours.” At least they do not have to face City again.
