Here we go then. The subsequent 12 days will make or break Manchester City’s season – and so they face a run of fixtures that I’m enthusiastic about, however dreading on the identical time.
Pep Guardiola’s aspect have carried out brilliantly to get to April and nonetheless be within the hunt for the Treble, however all three trophies are on the road within the subsequent 4 video games, in opposition to two extraordinarily tough opponents – Liverpool and Atletico Madrid.
Starting on Tuesday night, City have a horrible sequence of matches during which they play Atletico, Liverpool, Atletico, Liverpool within the Champions League, Premier League and at last the FA Cup.
I do not assume City will win all 4 video games – they do not have to – however for various causes they’ve to go onerous within the first two, that are completely essential for what occurs subsequent.
Why Atletico are the final workforce I’d need to face
City have had some variety attracts in Europe earlier than. Not this yr.
Over two legs I fancy them to beat Atletico – they’re the favourites, in fact – however it is going to come down to what occurs within the first leg of their quarter-ultimate, much more so than in the event that they have been taking part in anybody else.
While I’m happy City are at house first, that is no time to be cagey. They have to actually go for it and throw all the pieces at Atletico, which brings its personal dangers.
We know what they’re like and what their supervisor Diego Simeone goes to do. Atletico will come to Etihad Stadium on Tuesday to defend, to be awkward and to frustrate.
Pretty a lot each different away workforce does that at City anyway, however the distinction with Atletico is that they’re so good at it, and likewise very harmful after they break. If there’s any workforce I would not need to face, it is them.
We noticed what they did in opposition to Manchester United within the final 16 – they do not need the ball, and they’re completely happy for you to have it, but on the counter-assault they’re deadly. As Tottenham confirmed a few weeks in the past, that’s City’s one weak spot.
What is crucial is that City take a lead to Spain, ideally by a couple of targets.
If that’s the case and Atletico want to come out and assault at Wanda Metropolitano subsequent week, then City will dissect them, no downside.
But if issues are nonetheless sticky by then, it’s going to take an terrible lot out of Pep’s gamers to get by – and they won’t have a lot left within the tank.
Liverpool are already in City’s heads
The Premier League title race is now like a knockout competitors too – Guardiola was proper when he mentioned on the weekend that if City lose, they’re out.
There will nonetheless be seven league video games left after they play Liverpool at house on Sunday however, if City lose that one, I imagine the title is completed.
Not as a result of City cannot get again into it mathematically, however due to the injury carried out within the psychological battle.
It jogs my memory of when my City aspect beat Manchester United at house in April 2012. Vincent Kompany scored the winner and we felt like, it doesn’t matter what occurred, we have been going to win the title. Until then, it was nonetheless in United’s fingers and dropping that management actually hurts.
That’s why this sport is the one which issues for City. From the gamers’ viewpoint, in the event that they lose at house to Liverpool they’ll assume they’ve misplaced the Premier League – no matter different individuals assume.
The method City beat Burnley on Saturday, it did not appear to be they have been feeling the strain, however in fact they’re fascinated by Liverpool, who’ve gained 10 league video games in a row to scale back the hole to one level.
You can inform that simply from listening to the City gamers. When they drew with Crystal Palace earlier than the worldwide break, Bernardo Silva was requested about one thing completely different and he replied how he’d quite be in City’s place than Liverpool’s, when no-one had even talked about Jurgen Klopp’s aspect.
So, sure, it’s getting to them. They are fascinated by Liverpool, though Guardiola would possibly strive to deny it.
You at all times take into consideration your closest rivals anyway, however this time Liverpool are of their heads.
What issues most? Europe is the large one
The FA Cup semi-ultimate in opposition to Liverpool won’t simply be an afterthought for Guardiola as a result of we all know he tries to win each competitors.
Out of the three, the Premier League remains to be the largest prize, as a result of to win that over 38 video games exhibits precisely how good a workforce you’re, and the way you’ve got the consistency you want.
But let’s not overlook what Guardiola actually needs right here – the Champions League – and City need it too. They have gained all the pieces else, however till they land that as effectively, it is going to at all times be a stick to beat them with.
That makes Europe a very powerful factor for City this season, no matter the rest.
| Competition | Quarter-final | Semi-final | Final |
| FA Cup | Liverpool | Chelsea/Crystal Palace | |
| Champions League | Atletico Madrid | Chelsea/Real Madrid | Benfica/Liverpool/Villarreal/Bayern Munich |
Of course they’re prepared – they have been right here earlier than, and have been ok to win the Champions League for a few years now, lengthy sufficient to study the most effective aspect do not at all times win these ties.
If they get previous Atletico, they actually will not be afraid of the opposite groups – they only want to discover a method of getting over the road this time.
Micah Richards was talking to BBC Sport’s Chris Bevan.
