Champions League 2018/19: Manchester City vs Shakhtar Donetsk

This match analysis was first featured on our dedicated Manchester City site, manchestercityanalysis.com.

Another Manchester Citys game comes and goes, and with it brings another six City goals  I think I’m quite liking this trend at the moment. Shakhtar Donetsk arrived at the Etihad Stadium in the Champions League with expectations low. In the return fixture the blues had dispatched their Ukrainian counterparts 3-0 and little was expected from the away side last night. These expectations were confirmed as Manchester City took the lead within ten minutes and went onto put a further five into the back of Andriy Pyatov’s goal.

I think it is only fair then that I give Tuesday’s six-goal haul the same treatment as the six scored against Southampton and give more of an in-depth analysis of Manchester City’s goals individually.

First Goal

Manchester City again adopted one of their favourite set-ups throughout the game against Shakhtar Donetsk. Bernardo Silva deployed in the right centre-midfield position would operate in very close proximity to Riyad Mahrez, who was deployed at right-wing. This lead to Ismaily, the Shakhtar Donetsk left-back, often being isolated against two Manchester City players. The thinking behind this is to cause Ismaily to have a dilemma. Does he stay wide with Mahrez and leave Bernardo Silva in the half-space for another player to pick up or does he stay narrow and allow Mahrez to pick the ball up in space on the right-hand side?

In the case above the Brazilian full-back is caught in a tricky situation. Both Mahrez and Bernardo cut inside as the Portuguese midfielder has the ball. However, Mahrez realises that Ismaily is isolated and he changes his run and cuts in behind Ismaily.