Why Pep Guardiola has already solved Manchester City's midfield problem - and made them potential title favourites once more

Pep Guardiola’s midfield has been the basis of his footballing philosophy, as his teams have dominated possession to a much superior level than previously seen.  

His Barcelona trio of Andres Iniesta, Sergio Busquets and Xavi was possibly the greatest combination in history, whilst the Catalans’ obsession with his former position often saw him try to field midfielders elsewhere on the pitch at the Camp Nou – and it wasn’t unfair to describe this area as a huge problem for Manchester City last season.   

With central pivot Rodri missing for the last 12 months, Mateo Kovacic and Ilkay Gundogan lacked mobility, Bernardo Silva was among the players who suffered a huge dip in form, and Kevin De Bruyne was nearing the end of his time at the Etihad.  

The expected return of the 2024 Ballon d’Or winner will solve some of the issues, although the nature of his injury means it could be a lengthy period before he’s near his best.   

Even the January purchase of Nico Gonzalez from Porto did little to ease the balance, as he made just nine league starts – but the summer signing of Tijjani Reijnders looks to have finally given Guardiola the options he needs to rebuild his engine room.  

The Dutchman – ranked at no.9 in FourFourTwo's list of the best central midfielders in the world right now – is certainly a late developer, having only arrived in Serie A two seasons ago at the age of 25. However, his performances left a lasting impression on the Milan faithful, as he was voted the top midfielder in Italy last term.  

At Molineux on Saturday evening, he showed the more creative side of his game, as his quick feet enabled him to leave players behind him before a sublime chipped pass into the feet of Rico Lewis, which was then squared for Erling Haaland to open the scoring.  

Reijnders then scored from a brilliant counter-attack and set up Haaland for another in the second half.  

His Man of the Match award wasn’t just merited because of his goal and assist either, as his overall display was superb. For Milan, he played in all three central midfield roles and looked more than adept with everything that was asked of him as he scored 10 league goals.  

This versatility will be a huge asset to City this season, especially with Rodri not back until after the international break.  He has already spoken about his desire to fill in where he’s required by his manager, which will likely change during games, as he did against Wolves.  

Alongside Gonzalez he can operate at the base of midfield, stopping opposition attacks through his positional discipline and tenacity in the tackle.  

As a box-to-box midfielder, he has the strength and power to carry the ball forward and then get back and defend should his team lose the ball.  

On Match of the Day, Alan Shearer was asked by one of the new hosts Mark Chapman, if having a ball carrier in midfield is a change in approach for Guardiola. 

They both failed to mention that Yaya Toure was another player of athleticism who did a similar role for Guardiola’s City in the past.  

Like Toure, Reijnders can also play further forward, although his close control and skill in-between the lines are more reminiscent of the recently departed De Bruyne.  

His first touch is excellent, whilst his vision and awareness allow him to link his teammates into the game.  

With Silva, Rayan Cherki and Omar Marmoush, City are well stocked for the no.10 slot in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Rodri and Gonzalez the obvious candidates as the main deep-lying midfielders.  

“I saw the intensity and it is pretty hard, but it is nice to play in the Premier League and to score on my debut is always nice,” remarked Reijnders afterwards.  

“I'm always trying to find space in the box and work to give assists. My type of game is to be a box-to-box player and help the team with goals and assists.”