MANCHESTER CITY RATINGS: Did well to claim a header from Osula just before the interval. A spectator for most of the game. AP
Ederson 6/10
MANCHESTER CITY RATINGS: Did well to claim a header from Osula just before the interval. A spectator for most of the game. AP
MANCHESTER CITY RATINGS: Did well to claim a header from Osula just before the interval. A spectator for most of the game. AP
Fearsome 30-yard shot that whistled past the post on 24 minutes. Smart ball for Foden almost came off. Tried several shots that weren't far off target as Sheffield United attempted to park the bus. AFP
Kyle Walker 7/10
Fearsome 30-yard shot that whistled past the post on 24 minutes. Smart ball for Foden almost came off. Tried several shots that weren't far off target as Sheffield United attempted to park the bus. AFP
Fearsome 30-yard shot that whistled past the post on 24 minutes. Smart ball for Foden almost came off. Tried several shots that weren't far off target as Sheffield United attempted to park the bus. AF
Vital block on Osula shot just before half-time. A comfortable afternoon in the main. Getty Images
Manuel Akanji 6/10
Vital block on Osula shot just before half-time. A comfortable afternoon in the main. Getty Images
Vital block on Osula shot just before half-time. A comfortable afternoon in the main. Getty Images
Found Osula's pace troublesome at times. Tidied up as Slimane looked to break five minutes before half-time. Getty Images
Nathan Ake 6/10
Found Osula's pace troublesome at times. Tidied up as Slimane looked to break five minutes before half-time. Getty Images
Found Osula's pace troublesome at times. Tidied up as Slimane looked to break five minutes before half-time. Getty Images
Very scrappy in first half. Gave the ball away more than once, much to Pep Guardiola's frustration. Improved in second half as he made some probing passes. Reuters
Josko Gvardiol 6/10
Very scrappy in first half. Gave the ball away more than once, much to Pep Guardiola's frustration. Improved in second half as he made some probing passes. Reuters
Very scrappy in first half. Gave the ball away more than once, much to Pep Guardiola's frustration. Improved in second half as he made some probing passes. Reuters
Another City player who was guilty of surrendering possession at times. AP
Mateo Kovacic 6/10
Another City player who was guilty of surrendering possession at times. AP
Another City player who was guilty of surrendering possession at times. AP
Showed again why he is so valuable to City. Scored their first with a low drive from outside the box. Lovely lofted pass for Foden almost led to a goal. Wins possession and is so capable of hurting teams when he has it. AFP
Rodri 8/10
Showed again why he is so valuable to City. Scored their first with a low drive from outside the box. Lovely lofted pass for Foden almost led to a goal. Wins possession and is so capable of hurting teams when he has it. AFP
Showed again why he is so valuable to City. Scored their first with a low drive from outside the box. Lovely lofted pass for Foden almost led to a goal. Wins possession and is so capable of hurting te
Neat and tidy as always. Supplied good cross for a headed chance by Alvarez. Linked played well and forced a good save from Fotheringham in the first half. Action Images
Bernardo Silva 7/10
Neat and tidy as always. Supplied good cross for a headed chance by Alvarez. Linked played well and forced a good save from Fotheringham in the first half. Action Images
Neat and tidy as always. Supplied good cross for a headed chance by Alvarez. Linked played well and forced a good save from Fotheringham in the first half. Action Images
His constant threat deserved a goal. Plays in the pocket very intelligently. Great movement and clever runs. Several shots that went close. Teed up Alvarez for second. Getty Images
Phil Foden 9/10
His constant threat deserved a goal. Plays in the pocket very intelligently. Great movement and clever runs. Several shots that went close. Teed up Alvarez for second. Getty Images
His constant threat deserved a goal. Plays in the pocket very intelligently. Great movement and clever runs. Several shots that went close. Teed up Alvarez for second. Getty Images
Beautiful touch with the outside of his left foot to set up Alvarez for an early chance. Understandably, in light of his off-field issues this week, was taken off early in the second for Bobb. PA
Jack Grealish 7/10
Beautiful touch with the outside of his left foot to set up Alvarez for an early chance. Understandably, in light of his off-field issues this week, was taken off early in the second for Bobb. PA
Beautiful touch with the outside of his left foot to set up Alvarez for an early chance. Understandably, in light of his off-field issues this week, was taken off early in the second for Bobb. PA
Early left-footed chance from outside the box flashed just wide. Close-range finish for City's second. AFP
Julian Alvarez 6/10
Early left-footed chance from outside the box flashed just wide. Close-range finish for City's second. AFP
Early left-footed chance from outside the box flashed just wide. Close-range finish for City's second. AFP
CITY SUBS: Oscar Bobb (on for Grealish 52'): Great injection of energy when he came on. Superb cross into the box but there was no-one there to add the finishing touch. Played a beautiful pass in the build-up to City's second. Shot saved after great link-up with Foden. Reuters
Oscar Bobb 7/10
CITY SUBS: Oscar Bobb (on for Grealish 52'): Great injection of energy when he came on. Superb cross into the box but there was no-one there to add the finishing touch. Played a beautiful pass in the build-up to City's second. Shot saved after great link-up with Foden. Reuters
CITY SUBS: Oscar Bobb (on for Grealish 52'): Great injection of energy when he came on. Superb cross into the box but there was no-one there to add the finishing touch. Played a beautiful pass in the
(on for Kovacic 68'): Couldn't get his feet sorted when presented with a chance in the box. AP
Rico Lewis 5/10
(on for Kovacic 68'): Couldn't get his feet sorted when presented with a chance in the box. AP
(on for Kovacic 68'): Couldn't get his feet sorted when presented with a chance in the box. AP
(on for Walker 68'): Just failed to meet a corner with his head late in the game. PA
Ruben Dias 6/10
(on for Walker 68'): Just failed to meet a corner with his head late in the game. PA
(on for Walker 68'): Just failed to meet a corner with his head late in the game. PA
SHEFFIELD UNITED RATINGS. Brilliant save to deny Bernardo Silva on 21 minutes. Not much he could do about City's goals. Some dodgy distribution almost put his team in trouble late on. Action Images
Wes Foderingham 6/10
SHEFFIELD UNITED RATINGS. Brilliant save to deny Bernardo Silva on 21 minutes. Not much he could do about City's goals. Some dodgy distribution almost put his team in trouble late on. Action Images
SHEFFIELD UNITED RATINGS. Brilliant save to deny Bernardo Silva on 21 minutes. Not much he could do about City's goals. Some dodgy distribution almost put his team in trouble late on. Action Images
Offered little in the way of an attacking threat. Worked hard in an effort to deny City space. EPA
George Baldock 5/10
Offered little in the way of an attacking threat. Worked hard in an effort to deny City space. EPA
Offered little in the way of an attacking threat. Worked hard in an effort to deny City space. EPA
Lucky to get away with an overambitious pass that almost gifted the ball to City on 37 minutes. Huffed and puffed to keep things tight but often troubled by City's fluidity. Getty Images
Jack Robinson 6/10
Lucky to get away with an overambitious pass that almost gifted the ball to City on 37 minutes. Huffed and puffed to keep things tight but often troubled by City's fluidity. Getty Images
Lucky to get away with an overambitious pass that almost gifted the ball to City on 37 minutes. Huffed and puffed to keep things tight but often troubled by City's fluidity. Getty Images
Kept City's forwards at arm's length for most of the first half, as the visitors proved hard to break down and the home side were restricted to shooting from long range. Vital block to deny Foden in second half. Bailed out his keeper in stoppage time. AP
Auston Trusty 6/10
Kept City's forwards at arm's length for most of the first half, as the visitors proved hard to break down and the home side were restricted to shooting from long range. Vital block to deny Foden in second half. Bailed out his keeper in stoppage time. AP
Kept City's forwards at arm's length for most of the first half, as the visitors proved hard to break down and the home side were restricted to shooting from long range. Vital block to deny Foden in s
Part of an organised Blades backline. Caught in possession to allow a break by Bernardo Silva at one point. Shot straight at Ederson just before the break when presented with a chance. Made some decent runs and crosses. Had a shot late in game that was deflected wide. PA
Jayden Bogle 6/10
Part of an organised Blades backline. Caught in possession to allow a break by Bernardo Silva at one point. Shot straight at Ederson just before the break when presented with a chance. Made some decent runs and crosses. Had a shot late in game that was deflected wide. PA
Part of an organised Blades backline. Caught in possession to allow a break by Bernardo Silva at one point. Shot straight at Ederson just before the break when presented with a chance. Made some decen
Did well to pick Grealish's pocket in a dangerous position just after half-time. Up against it in the face of City's midfield movement. Getty Images
Vinicius Souza 6/10
Did well to pick Grealish's pocket in a dangerous position just after half-time. Up against it in the face of City's midfield movement. Getty Images
Did well to pick Grealish's pocket in a dangerous position just after half-time. Up against it in the face of City's midfield movement. Getty Images
Struggled to have much of an impact on the game. AFP
Oliver Norwood 5/10
Struggled to have much of an impact on the game. AFP
Struggled to have much of an impact on the game. AFP
Important headed clearance from a Grealish cross just after the half-hour as Alvarez waited to pounce in the box. Battled hard. AFP
Luke Thomas 6/10
Important headed clearance from a Grealish cross just after the half-hour as Alvarez waited to pounce in the box. Battled hard. AFP
Important headed clearance from a Grealish cross just after the half-hour as Alvarez waited to pounce in the box. Battled hard. AFP
Gave the ball away sloppily more than once. Hooked with 20 minutes to go. Getty Images
Anis Slimane 4/10
Gave the ball away sloppily more than once. Hooked with 20 minutes to go. Getty Images
Gave the ball away sloppily more than once. Hooked with 20 minutes to go. Getty Images
Tracked back well early in second half. A bystander for much of the game. AFP
Andre Brooks 5/10
Tracked back well early in second half. A bystander for much of the game. AFP
Tracked back well early in second half. A bystander for much of the game. AFP
His team's main threat. His pace gave Ake a headache. Started game brightly. Decent break on six minutes. Great chance to equalise just before half-time. Should have done better with it. Made way for Archer. PA
William Osula 7/10
His team's main threat. His pace gave Ake a headache. Started game brightly. Decent break on six minutes. Great chance to equalise just before half-time. Should have done better with it. Made way for Archer. PA
His team's main threat. His pace gave Ake a headache. Started game brightly. Decent break on six minutes. Great chance to equalise just before half-time. Should have done better with it. Made way for
SHEFF UTD SUBS. Archer (on for Osula 67'): Almost set up Bogle late in game. Getty Images
Cameron Archer 5/10
SHEFF UTD SUBS. Archer (on for Osula 67'): Almost set up Bogle late in game. Getty Images
SHEFF UTD SUBS. Archer (on for Osula 67'): Almost set up Bogle late in game. Getty Images
Brewster (on for Slimane 67'); Osborn (for Brooks 80'). N/A; Norrington-Davies (on for Thomas 90'). Getty Images
Rhian Brewster 6/10
Brewster (on for Slimane 67'); Osborn (for Brooks 80'). N/A; Norrington-Davies (on for Thomas 90'). Getty Images
Brewster (on for Slimane 67'); Osborn (for Brooks 80'). N/A; Norrington-Davies (on for Thomas 90'). Getty Images

Sport

Football

Man City v Sheffield United player ratings: Foden 9, Rodri 8; Osula 7, Slimane 4

Goals from Rodri and Alvarez give Pep Guardiola's side points in 2-0 win

Stuart James
Stuart James

December 30, 2023

  • English
  • Arabic

Manchester City closed the gap on Premier League leaders Liverpool to just two points as they cruised past bottom-of-the-table Sheffield United at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday.

Rodri opened the scoring for the defending champions with a low drive from the edge of the box after 14 minutes following a clever pass from Phil Foden.

With the Blades defending deep, City were limited to long-range efforts for much of the first half.

And it took another intelligent piece of play by Foden, excelling in the No 10 role, to open them up midway through the second half.

This time the England midfielder linked well with substitute Oscar Bobb before sending a low cross into the area that was neatly finished from close range by Julian Alvarez.

READ MORE

Pep Guardiola: Club World Cup win has given Man City renewed focus

The victory lifts Pep Guardiola's side into third place in the table, level on 40 points with Arsenal in fourth and two points behind Liverpool and second-place Aston Villa, who snatched a late win over 10-man Burnley at Villa Park. City have a game in hand over Unai Emery's side.

Chris Wilder's Blades remain bottom of the table after their defeat at the Etihad Stadium and remain without an away win all season.

Guardiola said after the win: "Really good we – played the game we should play it's not easy to attack this defence so deep. It's compact and we had to make crosses but without Erling [Haaland] that's difficult. We had to find the small spaces. They moved really well and we played a solid game. Better second half than the first but what we wanted to go into the New Year with a good result.

"Sometimes you need time, when they defend so deep it's difficult. We had to be patient and they didn't want to push or press so you have to be calm and do it in the right moment. We had the momentum and we did really well."

To see the player ratings from the game, check the gallery above. To move to the next photo, click on the arrows or swipe if using a mobile device.

Stormy seas

Weather warnings show that Storm Eunice is soon to make landfall. The videographer and I are scrambling to return to the other side of the Channel before it does. As we race to the port of Calais, I see miles of wire fencing topped with barbed wire all around it, a silent ‘Keep Out’ sign for those who, unlike us, aren’t lucky enough to have the right to move freely and safely across borders.

We set sail on a giant ferry whose length dwarfs the dinghies migrants use by nearly a 100 times. Despite the windy rain lashing at the portholes, we arrive safely in Dover; grateful but acutely aware of the miserable conditions the people we’ve left behind are in and of the privilege of choice. 

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INDIA SQUAD

Rohit Sharma (captain), Shikhar Dhawan (vice-captain), KL Rahul, Suresh Raina, Manish Pandey, Dinesh Karthik (wicketkeeper), Deepak Hooda, Washington Sundar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Vijay Shankar, Shardul Thakur, Jaydev Unadkat, Mohammad Siraj and Rishabh Pant (wicketkeeper)

While you're here
Updated: December 30, 2023, 6:06 PM`
Manchester CityPremier League