Offside of the Mind: Aboutrika Goes After Guardiola During City’s Clean Sheet Win

Halftime critique from Aboutrika

Mohamed Aboutrika, the Egyptian football legend, unleashed a sharp critique of Manchester City’s performance during the Crystal Palace clash in the 15th round of the Premier League.

Key points of his critique

Speaking during halftime on BeIN Sports, Aboutrika said City’s display reflected a clear technical decline, noting the team is suffering from significant problems, especially in midfield, despite taking a 1-0 lead.

He added: "I don’t know what happened to Pep Guardiola; Manchester City has become a barren team, and even with the lead there is evident struggle in several areas, foremost in midfield with large spaces."

Aboutrika continued: "There are many passing errors, no real control of the game, and a very slow midfield, and in the end the team wins from a cross that Haaland converts."

The former Al Ahly star said: "Anyone watching the match would not expect City to be second or that Guardiola is at the helm."

He went on: "City’s progress cannot fool us; Guardiola has changed, and these are not the standards he set for himself over eight or nine years. City did not enter Palace’s box in the first half except once, from which Haaland scored, while Palace created several chances."

Aboutrika concluded: "The first half was completely barren for City, the team appeared technically poor, and Guardiola offered nothing; City wouldn’t have progressed without Haaland’s brilliance."

City eventually sealed the win with a 3-0 score, thanks to Haaland’s brace and a goal from Foden. And yes, the headline isn’t a typo—footballs do seem to roll where the sun don’t shine when defence naps.

And if Guardiola’s tactics were a joke, at least Haaland provided the punchline. Also, if midfield were a map, City misplaced the compass; the ball kept finding the strikers while the center of gravity kept wandering in search of a plan B. Sniper-level humor aside, City earned the three points, but the critique sticks like a well-timed nutmeg: effective, but not pretty to watch.