Manchester City have made a decent start to the new season and are unbeaten after six Premier League games.
It’s four wins and two draws so far to yield a haul of 14 points.
That’s not a bad return considering Manchester City have played their Premier League title rivals Arsenal, and Newcastle United away.
But we are now going to see how City manage without arguably their most important player in Rodri, who is out for the season with a serious knee injury.
Against Newcastle, Kevin De Bruyne also couldn’t play as he has still not fully recovered from the injury he picked up against Inter.
So City fans got to see Ilkay Gundogan start in the Premier League for the third time since returning on a free transfer in the summer.
It wasn’t the best of games for the German, and Pep Guardiola believes it will take time for the midfielder to find his top level.
Pep Guardiola urges patience over Ilkay Gundogan after struggles for Man City at Newcastle
Gundogan has made six appearances now for City since coming back to the club for a second spell.
The 33-year-old has yet to score or assist, which has been slightly disappointing.
Against Inter, Gundogan had two really good chances to score late on in the second-half but could not find the net with two headed chances.
At Newcastle on Saturday, he was far off his usual brilliant standards and was sloppy on the ball in and around the final third.
But Pep is not concerned about Gundogan, and said at his post-match press conference that it will take Gundogan time to find his best level again.
He said: “No (we aren’t seeing the best of him). It will take time. He didn’t make a pre-season. He needs to get into the rhythm.
“But he gives you something also special. But of course, he will take it.”
Gundogan will soon find his mojo
It has been a bit of an indifferent start to his second spell at the club for Gundogan, but there need not be any panic.
As Pep says, Gundogan did not really have a pre-season and even though he was only away for a year, he is still probably getting used to little changes that have happened while he was away.
City fans can bank on Gundogan improving.
The £230,000-a-week ace is a player who is hugely professional, and he will not be satisfied with the way he’s started – even though he hasn’t been bad at all – and will want to improve.
He was quoted as saying last week that he always strives for perfection, so much so that he still gets nervous even for training sessions. this is surely an indicator that he’ll do his utmost to get better.
Gundogan is still a top player, he just needs a bit of time – as Pep says – to get back into his rhythm.
It might be that Pep can help Gundogan by moving him back a bit, potentially playing him as a holding midfielder.
