Saka and Rice are the only definites imo. Saliba can get there soon - he just needs to keep up his current level for another 1 or 2 years.

First one was soft but I can understand VAR not intervening as it wasn’t a clear and obvious mistake.

The second one was even softer so I don’t understand why VAR decided to intervene in that one if they didn’t want to intervene in the first one.

If the ref doesn’t give a very soft penalty then why is VAR sending him to the monitor to look at a slow motion replay from one specific angle? It’s like they forgot the “clear and obvious” line after the first penalty or just decided not to apply it in the second instance.

They lost one key player for three games and lost all three games. Their depth seems impressive but might be a bit of an illusion.

However, they do tend to start worse than they end a season so if Arsenal or Liverpool aren’t several points clear by February I think it’ll be going to City.

If he can’t perform under pressure then he can’t play for a team that wants to compete for major trophies

I’d take a Liverpool win as well

Yes it’s just keepers.

I disagree. Saliba is so much more complete than either of them. Mertesacker was always vulnerable playing a high line because he lacked any real pace and Saliba easily eclipses Koscielny in terms of physicality.

Fabregas?

Shows the ability of Saliba more than anything. Two seasons is enough to see he’s the best CB we’ve had in a very long time

Clichy left in 2011 so it seems a bit wrong to give it to him seeing as he hardly played in the period in question.

Not as good technically as Zinchenko, not as fast or dynamic as Tierney, but for someone who can put in at least a 7/10 performance at LB every week against any team there’s been no one better than Monreal. Mr Consistent at a time when there was no consistency anywhere else in the team, least of all in defence

Giroud is their all time top scorer and has a better goals per game ratio for France than the King Henry or Ballon d’Or Benzema. He’s the greatest French number 9 of all time.

He wasn’t great in the League Cup game against West Ham either (nice finish, wrong goal) and had a stinker last time we played at the Etihad.

But yeah in general he is a very consistent performer and helps Saka play better too.

He has every time he’s had to play against Marcus Rashford

Right. Who’s going to miss all their penalties this season?

Zinchenko vs Burnley Saliba vs Burnley Tomiyasu vs Sheffield Utd Nketiah 2nd vs Sheffield Utd White vs Bournemouth Trossard vs Everton Rice vs Man Utd

Have you been watching with your eyes closed?

Stats are available on fbref. I can discuss in detail with you further if you want, but thought a summary would suffice for this post.

Statistically speaking (based on the difference between post-shot expected goals and actual goals conceded - i.e. how good a goalkeeper is at stopping shots), Emi Martinez was the 6th best keeper in the league last season and is currently 4th this season. The season before last he was 16th. On another important metric for the modern goalkeeper - distribution, he’s extremely average. He’s 14th in the league for long pass completion this season, was 13th last season and 11th the season before. The one area he truly excels is claiming crosses. He’s currently ranked 3rd for percentage of crosses stopped, was 1st last season and 6th the season before.

United are finished, City are the new United

We weren’t so reliant on him last season and we had exactly the same strikers then as we do now. The problem is more in the midfield I think.