Pep Guardiola shock at crunch Man City clash: ‘I don’t know for the life of me’
Pep Guardiola has caused disbelief by putting Matheus Nunes in at right-back again for the crucial Man City Champions League clash with Club Brugge, with Clinton Morrison baffled.
Nunes will start out-of-position at right-back, ahead of Rico Lewis as the Citizens take on Club Brugge in a must win game.
City will need a win against the Belgian side to guarantee their progress through to the Champions League knockout stage.
The Sky Blues are currently 25th in the league stage and lost their most recent European game against PSG 4-2 (22 January).
Speaking about Pep Guardiola’s decision to start Nunes ahead of Lewis, Morrison said on Sky Sports Soccer Special (7.40pm): “Nunes is a struggle at right-back. I don’t know for the life of me why Rico Lewis, the young boy, don’t play.
“Maybe he just don’t trust him in a big game like this, but Nunes is struggling there.”
Man City need to win against Club Brugge to kickstart a nightmare season
Football Insider Verdict
Following their comeback win against Chelsea on Saturday (25 January), City now sit fourth in the Premier League table, 12 points behind leaders Liverpool, who also have a game in hand.
Whilst Champions League qualification for next season is now the priority for the league campaign, City are desperate for a win against Brugge after this dismal European campaign.
After 7 games, City find themselves sat 25th in the league stage, one place outside of the qualification places.
The Sky Blues have lost three, and drawn one, of their last four. Those losses have been against Sporting CP, Juventus and PSG, and whilst they are all strong opponents, City should have the quality to dispatch those teams.
However, their draw in that poor run of form, against Feyenoord, may have been the most disappointing result of them all, as the Dutch side came from 3-0 down to draw 3-3.
City and Guardiola have responded by doing what the club does best, buying players.
Omar Marmoush, Abdukodir Khusanov and Vitor Reis have all been signed, and City are reportedly not finished with their transfer business, Paul Robinson exclusively told Football Insider.
The decision to start Nunes over Lewis shows a lack of faith in the English youngster, and the City academy graduate may be looking to follow his teammate, Kyle Walker, out of the club if he does not start getting regular first-team minutes.
Guardiola may solve his right-back dilemma, by signing one of his former players at Bayern Munich, Joshua Kimmich.
In other news, a four-year transfer embargo for City may be in the offing.
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