Conor Coady has explained Manchester City have an underrated quality that makes them ‘so tough’ to play against.
Manchester City brought a scintillating start to 2024 to an end on Saturday with a 2-0 win over Newcastle United in the FA Cup quarter-finals.
Pep Guardiola’s side will now have the tough prospect of facing Chelsea in the semi-finals at Wembley.
The Londoners are one of just two teams to stop City from winning so far this year alongside Liverpool, with the other 13 matches ending in victory.
City have been on a relentless run despite being far from their best and were completely dominant against the Magpies.
Bernardo Silva’s two deflected goals in the first half made the difference and there was never any danger of a comeback.
Speaking on the game, Conor Coady identified a City quality that makes it so tough for opponents.
City’s amazing quality that doesn’t get focussed on
Speaking on the Monday Night Club, former goalkeeper Shay Given bemoaned Newcastle for not being able to rest on the ball against City and instead rushing attacks whenever there was an opening.
To which Leicester City defender Coady said: “The problem with that, though.
“I’ve been there and when you get them chances, Man City make you feel like you’ve got to take them because you’re not going to get another one.
“I’ve been there with Wolves in the past. We managed to win 2-0, Adama Traore scored two, they were probably the only two chances we had in the game.
“We countered, played five at the back but that’s how Man City make you feel. That’s another side of them, that’s what they’re good at.
“Not many people focus on it because of how good they are going forward.
“I just think that’s how City make you feel and I think as a supporter looking in you go: ‘why don’t we just recycle here, keep the ball for five minutes?’
“But then you do and all of a sudden they win it back and they probably counter you and they’ve got it off you now for five minutes.
“It’s so, so tough, the way they make you feel but when you’re in that situation they make you feel like you’ve got to score every time you’ve got the ball.
“It’s really tough.”
It’s why City are the best in the world
That’s what makes City the juggernaut they are. A humility and willingness to do the hard work along with all their skill.
You can have the best forwards in the world but if they don’t contribute to the overall play then they are nothing but dead weight when you don’t have the ball.
For City to be so dominant over teams, the forwards must lead the press with lung-busting and intelligent closing down throughout the match.
Sergio Aguero had to learn that lesson the hard way and nearly lost his place at City when Guardiola arrived, but expert coaching took his game to an even higher level.
Paris Saint-Germain had, on paper, the best-attacking trio ever in Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Neymar, but in practice it was a huge disappointment.
None of them pressed or even played cohesively which put a massive strain on the rest of the team and they couldn’t compete against elite sides.
City have never had that problem.
