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Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City, after winning an unprecedented domestic quadruple and missing out on a Champions League semi-final place by the barest of margins, entered the new season with an even more powerful squad, with the additions of Rodri and Joao Cancelo. However, Liverpool’s relentless pursuit of a first league title in three decades has made it difficult for City to cope, and the Citizens find themselves 25 points off the top of the Premier League table.
However, they have still produced some scintillating football and hair-raising moments throughout the campaign. From Raheem Sterling’s Community Shield opener to Kevin de Bruyne’s Bernabeu masterclass, we take a look at the five best moments of Manchester City’s 2019/20 season so far.
#5 Raheem Sterling’s first goal against Liverpool in curtain-raiser
Raheem Sterling finally ended his duck against former club Liverpool in Manchester City’s Community Shield triumph in August. Following a historic domestic-treble winning season, the stakes were higher than ever because of the recently-developed feud between the two clubs, owing to their hot-blooded title showdown.
In the thick of this rivalry is Raheem Sterling, who, in 2015, switched from Anfield to the blue side of Manchester. Still abused by Liverpool supporters, Sterling has justified his heavy price-tag by transforming into a deadly winger under Pep Guardiola. He has now won two Premier League trophies, four League Cups and one FA Cup at City, whilst Liverpool still chase their first league title in thirty years.
The 25-year-old winger, who went 11 games without scoring against his former employers, volleyed home a David Silva flick which Alisson could not keep out to break the deadlock early in the match. Joel Matip’s late header leveled proceedings, with City edging out victorious on penalties. Another game-changing moment came right at the death as Kyle Walker bravely denied Mohamed Salah with an acrobatic goal-line clearance to force the shoot-out. However, it was Raheem Sterling who made all the headlines on the day.
#4 Bernardo Silva’s maiden hat-trick in Watford rout
Manchester City’s 8-0 annihilation of Watford will go down in history books as the joint-fourth biggest win of the Premier League era. After a surprising blip at Norwich, the reigning Premier League champions welcomed the Hornets to the Etihad Stadium in order to get their title retention quest back on track. Nobody could have predicted what followed.
City netted five goals in the opening eighteen minutes as they ran riot against Quique Sanchez Flores’ side, with David Silva, Sergio Aguero, Riyad Mahrez, Bernardo Silva and Nicolas Otamendi all on the scoresheet. However, it was the Portuguese playmaker who stood out as he added a delightful double in the second half to cap a first hat-trick in Manchester City blue.
The former Monaco midfielder was named the club’s Player of the Year for his incredible run last season, and the performance against Watford further augmented his reputation as not only a fan favourite, but also as a truly world-class player.
#3 Derby delight in the Carabao Cup semi-final
With Manchester United having already recorded an incredible away victory at their cross-town rivals in the Premier League earlier in the season, many predicted the Carabao Cup semi-final to be a tight affair. However, Manchester City out-played their neighbours on the night as they scored three first-half goals to land one foot in what would be their third straight final in the competition.
Bernardo Silva’s opener was the pick of the goals as the Portuguese wizard produced his trademark cut-in from the right-wing and scored a tremendous goal from outside-the-box to stun Old Trafford. Kevin de Bruyne then released Riyad Mahrez a few minutes later, who tricked his way past David de Gea to double City’s advantage.
Pep Guardiola’s men did not stop there as their high-intensity football dismantled United, with Andreas Pereira scoring an own goal, deflected off City’s Belgian wizard, to make it a memorable day for the current Premier League champions.
#2 Claudio Bravo’s wonder-save leading to Carabao Cup three-peat
Manchester City travelled to Wembley in the beginning of March to add to their already-overflowing domestic trophy collection. Unlike the previous two seasons, where they had to compete with Chelsea and Arsenal in the final, City had the rather straightforward task of beating Aston Villa, who were struggling in the Premier League.
Sergio Aguero’s well-taken opener assisted by Man of the Match Phil Foden, quickly followed by Rodri’s towering header, already had match officials printing City’s name on the trophy for the third successive time.
However, Mbwana Samatta pulled one back immediately after the second goal, and pushed the Premier League champions until the end. The moment of the match, and one which will always be remembered by City fans, came in the dying minutes as Bjorn Engels leaped and forced Claudio Bravo to make a remarkable save as he pushed the ball onto the post, and eventually the ball fell to John Stones, who lashed it out of danger.
The 34-year-old Chilean was handed the goalkeeping duties for the final almost a year after he produced a splendid performance in the penalty shoot-out against Chelsea. Bravo did not disappoint as he once again became the Carabao Cup hero for Manchester City with his trophy-winning save.
#1 Kevin de Bruyne’s historic penalty at the Bernabeu
Every Manchester City fan will agree with Kevin de Bruyne’s match-winning penalty at the Santiago Bernabeu being named the club’s finest moment of the season so far. The Belgian’s spot-kick in the 83rd minute rounded off an incredible performance in the Champions League Round of 16 first leg, as City came from behind to beat 13-time holders Real Madrid for the first time in their history.
Isco gave the Spanish heavyweights the lead at the hour mark as he coolly finished off a squared pass from Vinicius Jr. However, de Bruyne turned the heat on late in the match as he twisted and turned in the Real Madrid box to lob a ball towards Gabriel Jesus, who brilliantly leaped over Sergio Ramos and nodded past Thibaut Courtois to level proceedings.
Raheem Sterling’s pace then became too much for Dani Carvajal to handle on the right-flank as the Spaniard brought him down minutes later and conceded a match-defining penalty. With City having missed five of their last eight penalties in all competitions, Pep Guardiola entrusted his captain-on-the-night to take up the duty from 12 yards out. The 28-year-old playmaker sent his international teammate Courtois the wrong way, and sent City fans into a frenzy, with many labelling it as the biggest European night in the club’s history.
De Bruyne’s goal and assist in the match took his season’s goal contribution tally to a remarkable 29. He is four assists short of Thierry Henry’s Premier League record, and will compete with Liverpool’s Sadio Mane and Jordan Henderson for the coveted PFA Player of the Year award.
