Club World Cup provides Man City opportunity to address worrying problem

Following Saturday’s 2-2 draw with Crystal Palace, a Manchester Evening News reader noted that Manchester City can no longer outscore teams.

In recent weeks, the Blues have netted four against Chelsea and three against Tottenham yet failed to come out with a win in either. The champions have scored 12 in their last six Premier League matches but have conceded the same amount.

As a result they will remain in fourth this weekend with the risk of slipping further behind in the title race before they play again in the competition. Their next league fixture comes after Christmas (away at Everton on December 27) due to the Club World Cup.

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City are set to play against Japanese outfit Urawa Red Diamonds in the semi-finals on Tuesday ahead of a potential final in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on Friday. European sides have won the past 10 editions and City are the favourites, to the point where not winning the trophy would be an unexpected failure.

The competition is due to expand to a 32-club competition in the summer of 2025, but that will do little to embolden its prestige among the game’s best silverware. The quality of non-European sides since its inception in 2000 has been notably poor.

Only South America and the likes of former winners Corinthians of Brazil and River Plate of Argentina have offered any particular challenge. Brazilian outfit Fluminense of Brazil could be City’s final opponents should they beat Egyptian side Al-Ahly in the other semi-final.

City’s form going into the competition has provided some cause for concern among fans. One win in six Premier League games and just four in