6 hours ago
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Manchester City drew 2-2 with Monaco at Stade Louis II as they twice gave away a lead to ensure Erling Haaland's double was only worth a point.
Manchester City missed the chance to maintain their perfect record in the Champions League after conceding a late equaliser to Monaco at the Stade Louis II.
Two Erling Haaland goals in the first half, either side of Jordan Teze's stunner, looked to have set Pep Guardiola's side on their way to another victory.
But they failed to take the game to Monaco after the break, not doing enough to put the game out of sight. When Eric Dier won and then scored a late penalty, it cost them.
Haaland was named man of the match after his superb first-half double, but he was furious after the game at how City failed to build on their opening 45 minutes.
City fail to kill it off
There were a couple of spells of possession in this game that felt like watching City back at their best. They monopolised the ball for one extended spell just after the half hour to snuff out Monaco's best spell of the game, and then did it again midway through the second half.
On that occasion, they must have gone almost five minutes without really giving the ball away. On the one occasion they did, they pounced to win it back immediately.
The spell of possession involved plenty of rotation from midfielders and full-backs and ended with City finally finding space to up the tempo and open up the Monaco defence. It was a stylish piece of football and a reminder of the grip City can exert on games.
But it wasn't enough. For all their possession, City didn't do enough in the second half to kill the game off. This was the performance of a team seeking to hold what they had, rather than go and end the contest.
Maybe that is influenced by their Champions League away record, having now failed to win any of their last five, although this at least ended a run of defeats after losses to Sporting, Juventus, Paris St-Germain and Real Madrid.
Guardiola's side had enough of the ball to go and score again, however. They combined possession with penetration at the end of the first half but lacked that cutting edge after the break.
It was a point Haaland made in cutting fashion after the game, slamming his side's lack of energy and how they let Monaco back into the match. You can be sure he repeated that in the dressing room.
Gvardiol shows his class
Haaland was always going to dominate the headlines after this performance, but a word for Josko Gvardiol and the role he played in the first goal.
The Croatian's pass to find Haaland's clever run was a thing of beauty. It was the kind of ball you would expect of a midfielder rather than a central defender.
Gvardiol's goal contributions have shrunk since he moved to the centre of defence, but this was a reminder of his quality on the ball. When teams sit deep and allow him uncontested possession midway through their half, he can hurt them, and that is a major weapon to have.
Roll up at right-back
We've only just reached the start of October and already City have used four different players at right-back. John Stones was the latest to have a go, back in a position he last played from the start in February 2024.
But he was exceptional as a hybrid right-back/midfielder in the treble-winning season, and there were spells in this game when his quality was clear again.
He has a very different skillset from the other right-backs at City's disposal, but when he plays there and drifts infield, he adds to this team's sense of total control and ability to suffocate opponents.
Rico Lewis can do a similar job, while Matheus Nunes offers a bigger threat running down the right flank. Abdukodir Khusanov is a combative battler who brings something to the team when he plays. But Stones has been good this season and at his best he has to be in this side.
Doku's message of intent
This game was only a few seconds old when City worked the ball to Jeremy Doku on the left and let him go on a dribble. He weaved between two players who had no option but to foul him. Not only did he win his side an early free-kick, but it was a statement of intent as well.
Doku has been brilliant over the last month or so and you could sense City were keen to get the ball to him when they could, especially when there was a chance to isolate an opponent.
That included Ruben Dias sending the odd long diagonal towards Doku, either to get the ball to the Belgian in a one-v-one or to push Monaco back. It was another sign of a few more strings to the bow this season.
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