Manchester City will be focusing on the start of the 2025/2026 Premier League season after they crashed out of the FIFA Club World Cup by losing 4-3 to Al-Hilal in the Round of 16.
Rayan Cherki was devastated after Al-Hilal’s victory as City took 14 shots on target while the opposition tested Ederson Moraes just six times and yet, Pep Guardiola’s men ended up on the losing side.
Bernardo Silva analysed Manchester City’s defeat to Al-Hilal by admitting that his side were unstuck while defending counter-attacks, an issue that plagued them last season as well.
Manchester City fans slated Ederson as he was at fault for Marcos Leonardo’s brace but they also demanded Ruben Dias to be dropped as he struggled as well, failing to mark Kalidou Koulibaly as he netted an open header past the Brazilian.
Man City fans believe Ruben Dias should be dropped after Al-Hilal upset
One Manchester City fan claimed that Dias can no longer be considered a guaranteed starter in the side after his underwhelming performance against Al-Hilal, writing: “Ruben Dias is not a nailed-on starter anymore. Find a RB [right-back], find a GK [goalkeeper]. Stop wasting Nico G [Gonzales], Khus [Abdukodir Khusanov] and [Vitor] Reis, either find a move for them or play them.”
A second supporter criticised the Portuguese centre-back’s display by claiming that he struggled playing in a high line, stating: “Is it possible to increase Ruben Dias’ speed, man? This high line is skinning him alive.”
A third Manchester City fan believes that £65 million man Dias should be replaced by Khusanov after the defeat to Al-Hilal, as he wrote: “Said it for a while but no way I’d be playing Dias over Khusanov in this team going forward.”
A fourth City supporter claimed that if Khusanov was as vulnerable at the back as the 28-year-old, he would not get a look-in for ages: “If Khusanov was having this Ruben Dias performance tonight, we wouldn’t see him again for six months.”
A fifth fan went as far as to claim that the four-time Premier League winner must be moved on as he has not played up to standard for a while now: “Ederson is too comfortable with his consistently disastrous outings in each game. Dias should be sold, not good enough in a high line…Man City still need to move on from a lot of players and it comes with benching them, which gives them the signal that they are not needed.”
Finally, a sixth Manchester City fan simply wrote that he is losing faith in Dias after Al-Hilal gave him a nightmarish outing: “Ngl [not going to lie], I’m losing faith in Ruben Dias and Ederson.”
Considering the former Benfica colossus has been a fan favourite since moving to the Etihad Stadium, it would upset the player himself that supporters are becoming increasingly frustrated with his displays.
Ruben Dias stats for Man City vs Al-Hilal
However, such is the scrutiny that comes with playing for one of the biggest clubs in the world.
Manchester City are ready to extend Dias’ contract but based on his display against Al-Hilal as well as the fans’ current views regarding the defender, that might well be an unpopular decision.
| RUBEN DIAS STATS VS AL-HILAL | |
| DRIBBLED PAST | 0 |
| BLOCKED SHOTS | 3 |
| AERIAL DUELS WON | 1/2 |
| GROUND DUELS WON | 3/4 |
| POSSESSION LOST | 7 |
The stats indicate that Dias had a solid outing.
However, even Pep Guardiola might have been alarmed by the UEFA Nations League winner’s showing as his lack of pace and struggles in the air came to light in Orlando.
