The England international demonstrated why Thomas Tuchel is desperate to acquire him during Wednesday’s friendly between the two clubs.
Wednesday in Tokyo, Aymeric Laporte scored the game-winning goal in stoppage time as Manchester City defeated Bayern Munich 2-1 to continue their undefeated preseason.
Pep Guardiola’s side were second best in the first half, but led at the interval courtesy of James McAtee, who scored after Julian Alvarez’s shot had been saved by Yann Sommer.
Mathys Tel’s tap-in from another rebound with just nine minutes remaining appeared to have earned Bayern a draw, but Laporte – who has been linked with a move away from the Etihad before the end of the summer transfer window – nicked it for City with a cut-back from Phil Foden.
GOAL examines what we learned from the sold-out match at the Japan National Stadium…
Rico Lewis has an important role to play
McAtee may have scored the game-winning goal in Tokyo, but it was fellow rising gun Rico Lewis who had the far more impressive first half. The 18-year-old excelled in a fluid role that saw him sit alongside Mateo Kovacic in midfield when City were defending, but also gave him the flexibility to advance when in possession. Lewis entered the penalty area before crossing the ball to Alvarez, whose shot Sommer deflected into the path of McAtee.
Given the uncertainty surrounding Kyle Walker’s future, don’t be astonished if Lewis sees a lot of action this season, given that he can also play right back. He made 14 Premier League appearances in the previous season, but he could play a larger role in the upcoming season.
Walker’s enduring excellence
Guardiola stated of Walker on the eve of the game in Japan, “He is incredibly essential to us. He possesses rare and difficult-to-find characteristics. I do not know what will transpire. Both organizations are communicating. We will strive for him, as I am certain Bayern will as well.”
The England international demonstrated rather effortlessly why he is so highly regarded, despite playing for only 45 minutes. Walker played the pinpoint pass from inside his own half that released Lewis into space in the build-up to McAtee’s goal. His renowned speed was once again on display as he repeatedly neutralized any threats posed by Bayern’s fast forwards.
Guardiola has acknowledged that he does not know how the tug-of-war for Walker’s services will conclude, but he will pray that the defender remains with City. A player with the quality and expertise of the 33-year-old is truly invaluable to any squad.
Ederson’s incredible importance
Given that City dominate possession in virtually every game they play, Ederson rarely has much to do in goal. However, as he demonstrated so memorably and crucially in the Champions League final victory over Inter, he typically rises to the occasion when required.
The Brazilian did so again, producing a pair of crucial saves as Bayern piled on the pressure in the opening period. He also came close to keeping a clean sheet when he denied Paul Wanner from close range with a brilliant reaction save, only for Tel to steal the rebound.
Given that Stefan Ortega does not engender the same degree of confidence, City will require Ederson to maintain his level of excellence. The German arguably contributed to at least two goals in City’s previous preseason match against Yokohoma F. Mariners, in which he played the entire 90 minutes.
What would happen to City’s defense and Guardiola’s game plan if, heaven forbid, Ederson were to suffer an injury between transfer windows? He is one of the few irreplaceable members of the starting eleven.
Inter’s interest in Sommer is strange
Inter’s precarious financial position forces them to sell at least one key player every year, and Andre Onana was the player to be sacrificed this summer. This made sense, as he had joined Inter from Ajax on a free transfer at the beginning of the season, so his sale to Manchester United represented pure profit.
However, that left the Nerazzurri in need of two goalkeepers, as veteran shot-stopper Samir Handanovic also left San Siro during the current transfer window. The Nerazzurri’s attempt to fill one of those voids with Bayern Munich’s Sommer has raised eyebrows in Italy, as Sommer is not on the same level as Onana, particularly with the ball at his feet.
Indeed, the Switzerland international was fortunate to escape punishment for a dreadful error he committed inside his own penalty area while under duress from Bernardo Silva just before halftime. Sommer got away with it, but if Inter representatives were observing, the 34-year-old’s routine lapse in concentration may have convinced them to redouble their efforts to sign Shakhtar Donetsk’s Anatoliy Trubin. There is, after all, a reason why Bayern are willing to release Sommer…
Kovacic continues to impress
Last season’s sustained spending spree backed Chelsea into a bit of a corner, compelling them to offload a number of talented players this summer. There are, however, those who believe that a major club should never sell to a team of comparable stature for fear of bolstering a rival.
By transferring Mateo Kovacic to Manchester City, it is arguably already evident that Chelsea made an error. The Croatian has received criticism over the years, primarily because he has never lived up to the expectations, but he appears to be an ideal fit for Pep-ball.
Having already impressed in his City debut against Yokohama, he once again appeared at home here, stationed in front of the back three, picking out passes under pressure, and continually stealing possession.
Kovacic may not feature every week at Etihad Stadium, but he is expected to be one of the summer’s best bargains.
