Manchester City vs. AS Roma: Lessons Learned from International Champions Cup

Manchester City's first venture into the International Champions Cup ended in a penalty-shootout win against AS Roma, with Raheem Sterling netting on his debut.

After falling over the ball in the first minute, Sterling took just two further minutes to score, running onto a through pass to slide home simply. Miralem Pjanic equalised in more spectacular fashion with a 25-yard hit into the top corner soon after. Kelechi Iheanacho put City back ahead after half-time following a poor Ashley Cole pass but Adem Ljajic scored a free-kick late on to make it 2-2 and force penalties. During the shootout, Joe Hart scored a penalty then saved two to give City a 5-4 win.

It's still early in pre-season for major conclusions to be drawn, but we've selected some of the most applicable takeaways from the game for Manuel Pellegrini and Rudi Garcia to mull over.

Raheem Sterling: Exactly as Expected

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Raheem Sterling had an eventful start to his Manchester City debut, getting through 45 minutes as he fell over, scored, appealed for two penalties and looked every inch the pacy outlet for the team that was hoped of him.

"He demonstrates why he's here, not only as player now but I think he will improve a lot in the future, playing with Yaya Toure, David Silva and Sergio Aguero," City boss Manuel Pellegrini is quoted as saying by ESPN's Richard Jolly. "We bought him because he has a big future—he has the speed that we don't have so we have a different way of playing. He's the player we need in our team."

Of course, it was a friendly and Roma are barely getting up to speed themselves, but his direct running off the left flank made a mockery of the Italian side's shambolic early defensive line to sprint in behind three or four times. One led to the goal, well finished, while another could certainly have ended in a penalty with a different referee after Alessandro Florenzi appeared to fell him in the box.

In short, it was exactly as City would have wanted: an outlet down the left, plenty of pace and skill on the ball and a threat in the final third.

Sterling's performance may or may not silence the critics who have been vocal since rumours about his future emerged. What it did was earn praise from his former Liverpool team-mate Mario Balotelli, who tweeted, "Well done @sterling31! Best answer. Keep it up."

Front Line of 3 a Realistic Regular Option for City?

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How to fit in the attacking talent, where to harness the qualities of Yaya Toure and how to give balance to the team to win matches and titles? These are the questions Manuel Pellegrini has been pondering since the end of last season and his answer appears to be by switching to a 4-3-3.

A 1-2 midfield allows Toure to still play centrally but bombard forward, while a three-man attack has been sought directly, diagonally and frequently in pre-season.

Sterling off the left, Silva off the right and Aguero in the middle is a tremendous line to consider, though of course it would mean that the likes of Wilfried Bony or Edin Dzeko (should he stay) remain sidelined until an inevitable injury is picked up by the No. 1 striker. It also demands Samir Nasri to likely fight for a place as one of two central midfielders, offering creativity from there rather than the running or physicality of Fabian Delph or Fernandinho.

Lots to consider, but in principle, 4-3-3 offers benefits to City's lineup and Pellegrini has seemingly opted to try it.

Roma's Attack: Dangerous Down the Channels but Little Central Running

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Roma had plenty of joy in the latter stages of the first half with their raiding attacks down the channels on both flanks, looking to play in Manuel Iturbe and Gervinho at every opportunity. After the break that initially continued with Adem Ljajic, but as City's pressing game stopped the flow of quick passes from Roma's midfield, their creativity soon dried up.

There was little penetration through the centre from Roma, especially in the second half, even after Seydou Doumbia came on, with not much running in behind the defence for Vincent Kompany and co. to worry about.

Everything came either from set pieces, down the inside channels and then looking for slid balls across; acceleration and pace helped it work to an extent, but once City closed out those avenues for the through passes, Roma had few answers.

English Signings but What of the Youth?

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Brandon Barker is commonly looked upon as one of City's top youth prospects and performed well in the second half against Roma, but he plays left side of the attack for City—where they have just lashed £49 million on a new signing only two years older than him.

Similarly, Kelechi Iheanacho is playing a big part in pre-season and took his goal well, but he has none other than Kun Aguero ahead of him in the normal course of things, while Wilfried Bony, Edin Dzeko and Stevan Jovetic all remain at the club (for now, at least) and are potentially fighting for one single centre-forward spot.

The English quota is bouncing back up with the Sterling and Fabian Delph additions, not to mention Patrick Roberts, but City also hope to provide a pathway for their elite youngsters to reach first-team level. Pre-season is their chance to impress, but even so, it's tough to see too many of them making a big impact during the coming season, given the pressures on the first team to win and the quality of seniors ahead of them.

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