Manchester City’s 4-1 comeback win over Ipswich Town at the Etihad Stadium showcased their resilience, but also exposed a lingering vulnerability on the counter-attack that could prove costly against stronger opponents.
Former Manchester City defender Micah Richards highlighted this concern during his analysis on BBC’s Match of the Day. Despite the commanding scoreline, Richards pointed out that City’s early lapse in concentration allowed Ipswich to take an unexpected lead, a scenario that could be far more damaging if it occurs against top-tier teams.
Richards, reflecting on his former team’s performance, warned that while City managed to regain control and dominate the match, their vulnerability to fast breaks remains a troubling issue. “I don’t want to be too critical and picky,” he began, “but for a team newly promoted to the Premier League like Ipswich, to exploit turnovers in the middle of the field… Okay, Rodri wasn’t playing today, but it is a little bit of a weakness.”
Richards and the panel revisited Ipswich’s opening goal, which stemmed from a mistake on City’s end, leading to a swift counter-attack. Jeremy Doku failed to track back, allowing Ipswich’s Johnson to deliver a key pass, with Rico Lewis caught off guard, resulting in Sammie Szmodics slipping the ball past Ederson.
Richards emphasized, “These are the little bits they could improve on. Last season, City conceded seven goals from fast breaks – more than they had in the previous three seasons combined.” This statistic underscores a recurring issue for City, particularly when Rodri isn’t in the lineup.
With Arsenal looking stronger this season, Richards hinted that such defensive lapses could be exploited more ruthlessly by title rivals. Although fellow pundit Gary Lineker suggested Richards might be “nit-picking,” the concern is likely shared by Pep Guardiola. The City manager, always focused on refining his team’s performance, will undoubtedly be keen to address any signs of weakness in their counterattack defense before facing tougher challenges ahead.
