Manchester City were staring down the barrel of a shock defeat when Elijah Adebayo nodded Luton Town into the lead at Kenilworth Road on Sunday afternoon.
It took a second-half salvo spearheaded by Bernardo Silva and Jack Grealish to spare City’s blushes and snap an unusually barren patch.
The treble winners came into the match on the back of their worst Premier League form in more than six years, stringing together as many as four consecutive games without a win.
Pep Guardiola was without top scorer Erling Haaland, who didn’t make the trip to Kenilworth Road after aggravating an existing foot injury. Although, most onlookers were more concerned with the impact of Haaland’s absence on their Fantasy Football team rather than City’s chances of suffering a defeat.
Haaland not playing against Luton Town?
That sound you just heard was FPL managers howling out in pain.
— Carl Anka (@Ankaman616) December 10, 2023
No Erling Haaland for Man City’s trip to Luton today…
Robots can break down. 🤖🔩 pic.twitter.com/Of100ex12v
— 90min (@90min_Football) December 10, 2023
Unlike their humbling loss at Villa Park on Wednesday night, City dominated almost every stat line in the first half of Sunday’s contest – even the ones that they wanted to avoid.
Gvardiol concedes a foul throw. Amazed it’s taken so long for one to be given against him this season!
— Simon Bajkowski (@spbajko) December 10, 2023
City’s second foul throw of the first half – which prompted chants of “that is embarrassing” from a buoyant crowd came shortly before Luton’s unexpected opener. Bernardo Silva was penalised for a minimal offence if any occurred at all.
Two stars of the Premier League a decade ago combined to wound the reigning champions before the half-time whistle. Ross Barkley, five days on from his superb display in defeat to Arsenal, continued to excel from a deeper midfield role. It was his Zinedine Zidane-esque twirl that allowed Andros Townsend to get on the ball in City’s final third.
Ross Barkley’s been part of my underappreciated, misunderstood players for years so that’s the only silver lining to that depressing goal to concede.
Top player. Been great this season.
— Umir (@umirf1) December 10, 2023
Ross Barkley in this new double pivot role. Sensational. He obliterates Man City’s high press. That’s the key action that makes the Luton goal.
— Premier League Panel (@PremLeaguePanel) December 10, 2023
Townsend rolled back the years on his own biological clock when eye-to-eye…
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