Previously for City, one full-back would tuck into midfield in possession, but of late Pep Guardiola has preferred more traditional, high-and-wide full-backs, with Nico O’Reilly and Matheus Nunes often the first-choice channel runners.
Without the ball, City collapse into something of a 4-2-4, a shape Palace exploited at the Etihad on April 12 with the width of their wing-backs. Quick switches of play caused havoc throughout a slick first half display which saw Palace go 2-0 up.
Palace were undone by moments of attacking quality as the game wore on, eventually losing 5-2, but there were signs manager Oliver Glasner’s defensive system is also better suited than others to withstand City’s new approach.
The bravery of Palace’s press requires athleticism and commitment, defenders locking on man-for-man and not allowing City to escape. Such bravery is often required to ruffle the feathers of a highly technical, positional side.
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