3 reasons Man City’s defence is much better this season

Unlike Bravo, he’s a very solid last line of defence and a springboard to start attacks.

2) Making possession count

It’s taken time for City to fully get to grips with the demands of Guardiola’s possession-based approach.

The manager works relentlessly on the team’s shape to ensure there are always options for the player in possession.

The benefits are now clear to see when City are flying forward. But their improved use of the ball has also had a positive impact defensively.

Simply put, City are retaining the ball better, which means their defenders have less work to do and aren’t caught out of position as often.

The stats back this up. City are averaging 621 passes per league game this season, compared to 498 last term. Pass completion has also risen from 86% to 89%.

It’s not a coincidence that they’re now scoring 3.56 goals per game, up from 2.11. And they’ve more than halved the rate at which they were conceding goals – down to 0.44 per game from 1.03.

Now that he’s not constantly on the back foot, John Stones looks like the potentially top-class ball-playing defender he was billed as when he arrived at the Etihad Stadium. Nicolas Otamendi has also been much more secure this term.

3) Pressing paying off

When City don’t have the ball, they work hard to win it back as soon as possible. It’s not just running around like headless chickens though. They press intelligently, with one player going to the man on the ball while others close off potential passes to try and force an error.

Last season, they weren’t as effective at pressing, which meant opponents had time to pick a pass. As City play a high line, one long ball could often bypass the attack and midfield and leave the defence exposed.

It’s much harder for opposition teams to get out now, as the players better understand how and when the manager wants them to start closing down.

Even Sergio Aguero, who isn’t a natural workhorse, has bought into Guardiola’s methods. He’s always been a clinical goalscorer. He looks like an even better player overall now.

Aguero’s progression is symbolic of the team as a whole. They’re a much slicker unit now, with a clearer understanding of the manager’s demanding tactics.

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