Micah Richards spots Man City’s biggest vulnerability where rivals can keeping scoring goals
Former Manchester City defender Micah Richards believes his old side's emphatic 4-1 win over Ipswich Town also showed some worrying vulnerability.
Despite the commanding victory on Saturday, City were momentarily rattled when Ipswich took an unexpected lead following a self-inflicted lapse in concentration. And it's the kind of hole that could be exploited by bigger and better teams as the season progresses if left unresolved.
Micah Richards' former team may have orchestrated a dominant recovery, but the pundit warns that more formidable opponents than Ipswich could exploit City's particular flaw more ruthlessly. And it's a somewhat familiar issue for City, who were troubled the same way last season.
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Speaking on Match of the Day (via the Daily Express), Richards said: "I don't want to be too critical and picky, but in terms of a team who have just come to the Premier League [Ipswich], and in terms of turnovers in the middle of the field... Okay, Rodri wasn't playing today, but it is a little bit of a weakness."
The panel revisited Ipswich's early goal at the Etihad, which arose from City's error at the other end of the pitch. The visitors capitalised on the mistake with a swift counter-attack, culminating in Sammie Szmodics' strike past Ederson.
Richards added: "[Jeremy] Doku doesn't track the run, Johnson makes a lovely pass, Rico Lewis sleeping, and it's a good finish by Szmodics. And I just think these are the little bits they could improve on. Because last season, goals conceded from fast breaks - seven!"
That figure surpasses