Ranking Manchester City's Top 5 Players for September
After a stunning August which saw them win their first four Premier League games and race to the summit of the table without conceding a goal, Manchester City have had a mixed September.
The month started well with a 1-0 win away to Crystal Palace courtesy of Kelechi Iheanacho’s late strike. City looked imperious at that stage, with their back line as solid as it ever was under Manuel Pellegrini’s tutelage.
The defeat to Juventus in the next match, though, affected them badly. Vincent Kompany left the field with a calf injury at 1-1, and since then, they have conceded nine goals. They ultimately lost to Juve, 2-1, then were beaten at home by West Ham United in the following league match.
A win away at Sunderland in the League Cup saw the free-flowing attacking football return. City had the game won by half-time and were able to give debuts to three promising young players.
But a 4-1 defeat at Tottenham followed—City’s heaviest defeat in the Sheikh Mansour era. Not since the 8-1 battering they took in Sven-Goran Eriksson’s final match in charge in 2008 have they lost by such a sizeable margin.
Sergio Aguero’s 89th-minute penalty saw them get their Champions League campaign kick-started with a 2-1 win over Borussia Monchengladbach, but it was an unconvincing display, particularly at the back, where City were cut open too easily and too often.
So who were the best performing players in sky blue during the month of September? Here's our top five. Feel free to use the comment section below to suggest other names.
5. Kelechi Iheanacho
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The options for City's best player in September are so thin on the ground that Kelechi Iheanacho is in the running despite making just two cameo appearances.
His goal at Palace, though, was of such importance he deserves a spot on the list.
Iheanacho is a player with special talent. He appears set for stardom. With the right management and attitude, he could go a long way in the game.
His late winner against Palace—which maintained City's 100 percent record and saw off the team in second place going into the game—was vitally important and is surely a precursor to more moments of magic from this talented teen.
4. Bacary Sagna
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In the absence of Pablo Zabaleta, Bacary Sagna has impressed hugely this season.
Some felt his debut year as a City player was somewhat underwhelming, but given the paucity of his appearances, it is understandable he failed to ever hit top form. How is a player expected to establish any rhythm when he plays once a month?
This season has been completely different. He's played every game, defended superbly and added quality going forward. Zabaleta, at his best, is City No. 1 right-back, but Sagna has been an able deputy so far in 2015/16.
3. Fernandinho
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Fernandinho's post-World Cup season was mired in difficulty, but having put the disappointment of being part of a Brazil side that lost 7-1 to Germany in the semi-final behind him, he appears to be back to his best this season.
The drive, energy, tackling ability and goalscoring threat are all back. Fernandinho, once again, looks like the best box-to-box midfielder in the Premier League.
He played every game in September and was one of City's best and most consistent players.
2. Joe Hart
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Joe Hart may have missed the win over Sunderland and the defeat to Spurs, but he still deserves his place on this list.
His man-of-the-match display against Gladbach won the game for City. He produced a string of superb saves, none better than his stop of a Raffael penalty.
He kept a clean sheet against Palace with an acrobatic save on a shot from Jason Puncheon, and he wasn't at fault for either of Juventus' goals. It's been a solid month for the England No. 1.
He continues to improve and should now be spoken of as one of the best goalkeepers in the game.
1. Kevin De Bruyne
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One costly misplaced pass aside, Kevin De Bruyne's start to life as a City player has been superb.
His error came when he attempted to clear the ball at White Hart Lane moments before the half-time whistle. His weak pass landed at the feet of Tottenham's Eric Dier, who rammed home an equaliser and changed the momentum of the match.
That was the one blot on his copybook. He scored three superb goals and played with confidence and quality throughout the month, though. He demands the ball in a multitude of positions, delivers great crosses from wide areas and is one of the best passers in Europe.
It seems City have themselves a new star. The 24-year-old has room for improvement, but his eye for passes and the clarity with which he sees the game is remarkable for someone so young.
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