Manchester City’s preseason woes continued on Saturday night as they fell 3-2 to AC Milan at Yankee Stadium, marking their second consecutive defeat.
Erling Haaland got City off to a strong start, scoring in the 19th minute, but Milan turned the tables with two quick goals from Lorenzo Colombo, leaving City struggling to regain control.
Despite a youthful lineup, City managed just three shots on target, although James McAtee’s 56th-minute header briefly restored parity. However, Marco Nasti’s late winner sealed the deal for Milan, leaving City to ponder their preseason performance.
While Pep Guardiola won’t be losing sleep over this result, here are the winners and losers from the NYC clash.
Winner: Erling Haaland 7/10
Haaland continued his impressive preseason form, scoring his second goal in as many games with a clinical sidefoot finish.
Although he only played 45 minutes, Haaland made his presence felt, and his absence was felt after he exited the game. His goal was a highlight of the match, and he gave the American fans something to cheer about.
Erling Haaland scored in the first half after teammate Oscar Bobb found him in the box
Winner: Oscar Bobb 8/10
Bobb was the architect of Haaland’s goal, and his impressive performance earned him praise from Pep Guardiola.
The 21-year-old winger was a constant threat, running at defenders and often beating them with ease. He should have scored himself in the first half, and his give-and-go with Maximo Perrone was a highlight of the match.
Bobb was City’s danger man in NYC and he could be set for more playing time next season
Winner: Samuel Chukwueze 8/10
Chukwueze was the real architect of Milan’s victory, setting up Colombo’s first two goals with pinpoint accurate crosses.
The Nigerian winger was a constant threat, delivering two carbon-copy passes to Colombo, who capitalized on the opportunities.
Loser: Jack Grealish 4/10
Grealish was largely anonymous in New York, failing to make an impact in a team filled with youngsters.
Despite being one of the few established first-teamers on the pitch, Grealish struggled to assert himself, and his lack of fitness was evident.
It was a quiet night for Jack Grealish, as he produced little going forward in 79 minutes
Loser: Rico Lewis 5/10
Lewis struggled to contain Chukwueze, allowing the winger to get onto his left foot for the first assist and failing to mark anyone during Milan’s second goal.
Although he produced a good block in the second half, Lewis’s performance was marred by two costly errors that led to Milan’s goals.
Loser: Kalvin Phillips 5/10
Phillips only played the second half, but his performance was forgettable, marked by two unfortunate moments.
The first saw him lose the ball in front of his own box, nearly gifting Milan a goal, while the second saw him clumsily fail to control a pass in the box, failing to get a shot off.
