Manchester City are on set to obliterate the Premier League in unprecedented fashion. They have little competition and as you look back over their recent results (4-0, 4-1, 4-0, 2-1) a picture of dominance begins to emerge.
Tonight they take on Newcastle United, who limited Pep Guardiola's side to a single goal in the first half. Rafael Benítez has set his side up with the intention of frustrating City, by getting men behind the ball and maintaining good defensive shape. This is a practice that has been adopted by many of City's opposition this year as they struggle for a method to control them. It's also something Jamie Carragher took particular issue with:
In Benetiz's defence, it is the teams who have set out defensively who have gone best against City with West Brom, Huddersfield, Southampton and Manchester United all limiting the margin of loss to a single goal. However, his point of the farcical divide between the top teams and the rest is certainly valid.
Teams need a means to be competitive. While Manchester City utilises finances to recruit the type of player suited to their gameplan, that option isn't available to the likes of Newcastle. In the case of a team like Burnley, they use the most of what is available in order to compete.
Carragher may be on to something, but as long as the practice of teams being vastly outspent continues, they will recruit other methods in order to give themselves the best possible opportunity of success.
