- Manchester City have won the 2024/25 Community Shield.
- Pep Guardiola uses many young players on the pitch
- The “Sky Blues” are still the favorites to win the Premier League title.
Many are wondering whether Manchester City, the giant club in the English Premier League will find a new striker to replace Julian Alvarez. The Argentine striker in the 2022 World Cup winning team, who is about to move to Atletico Madrid for 81.5 million pounds.
However, in Saturday’s Community Shield, where City beat Manchester United 7-6 on penalties (1-1 after regulation time), Pep Guardiola has opened up about why the team let Alvarez go. Even though he could be a key player for the team this season.
However, in that game, Guardiola chose to use young players such as 21-year-old winger Oscar Bob 21-year-old midfielder James McAtee and 19-year-old. Midfielder Nico O’Reilly as starters. Including 20-year-old Brazilian winger Savinho just joined Man City last month. To play in the last 30 minutes.
Guardiola said after the ยูฟ่าเบท https://ufabet999.app game: “They have a great standard, I know that. Especially McAtee, I’ve known him for a long time and he plays very well. And Oscar, we saw last season. They have confidence. We like them and we can rely on them.”
“Oscar has been brilliant as he has been throughout the pre-season and McAtee is a player we can look forward to. O’Reilly is a clever player. I think it will be a good experience for them.”
Manchester City were on the verge of a fourth successive defeat in the Community Shield after
Alejandro Garnacho gave United an 82nd-minute lead, before Bob showed some excellent skill to break through and lay off Bernardo Silva for a header that would go on to win on penalties.
Despite the win, many are concerned that Guardiola has yet to replace Alvarez, who joined from River Plate in 2022 for £14m and has impressed, scoring 20 goals in 67 Premier League games as the club won back-to-back titles.
Former Scotland striker and now pundit Ally McCoist has said: “I would be very disappointed if Manchester City don’t replace Alvarez. You can’t go into the season with just one centre-forward.”
Former Manchester United captain Roy Keane took a similar view, saying: “There are deals that suit all parties. Atletico are getting a great player in Julian Alvarez, City are getting a good profit, so it’s good for everyone. But I would be surprised if City don’t go out and spend that money on a new striker.”
Manchester City have won the Premier League title for the fourth consecutive season and remain favourites to win it again in 2024-25 and have now won 18 trophies since Guardiola joined in 2016 – an incredible feat that will be counted on for the new season.