Man City have major problem that Pep Guardiola cannot afford to ignore
Manchester City have endured an inconsistent start to the Premier League season, and Pep Guardiola has issues to resolve.
On Wednesday, 24 September, Man City beat Huddersfield Town 2-0 to progress to the next round of the Carabao Cup.
The Etihad Stadium outfit also enjoyed a strong start to their Champions League campaign by defeating Napoli.
However, after Man City drew 1-1 with Arsenal on Sunday, 21 September, they sit just ninth in the Premier League.
Man City shots per 90 minutes average hits 25-year low
Guardiola’s issues were laid bare when Man City endured successive defeats to Tottenham and Brighton in the Premier League last month.
Meanwhile, when the North West club were leading 1-0 against Arsenal, they opted to make defensive substitutions, such as replacing Phil Foden with Nathan Ake.
When they were at the peak of their powers in seasons gone, Guardiola’s men would have looked to put Arsenal to the sword.
Man City‘s relative lack of attacking prowess has been epitomised by the fact that they have had just 11 shots per 90 minutes so far this term, the lowest they have managed since the 2000-01 season.
Guardiola’s side have also been overly reliant on Erling Haaland, who has taken 21 of their 55 shots in the Premier League.
Burnley clash gives Pep Guardiola’s side key opportunity to prove their worth
In their last Premier League game, Burnley drew 1-1 with Nottingham Forest to continue their relatively solid start to the new campaign.
However, Man City will fancy their chances of beating one of this term’s newly promoted sides and extending their unbeaten run to five games across all competitions.
The Etihad Stadium side’s attacking stats show where they must improve, which should dictate Guardiola’s tactics against the Clarets.
Even though Man City’s shots per 90 have hit a 25-year low, only defending Premier League champions Liverpool, Arsenal, Tottenham, and Chelsea have scored more goals than them in the top flight this season.
A comprehensive victory over Burnley would give them the confidence they need ahead of their first away game of their Champions League campaign, when they face Monaco on Wednesday, 1 October.
Guardiola’s side must also ensure that they yield wins from upcoming Premier League clashes with Brentford, Everton, and Aston Villa.