Mark Ogden

It was a clever way of using the fact that they played a lot of games, but I'm not using it as an excuse.

But I think for me, the reason why City lost to them, why Haaland was so frustrated was, if you look at City's midfield, I mean, on that graphic, he just showed Roger on his own.

I think it was Roger and Bernardo still, but...

They've got no legs in midfield.

And if you think about, you know, Man City's great midfielders over the last 10, 12 years, Yaya Toure, Fernandinho, Kevin De Bruyne, Ilkay Gundogan, Roger at his best, power, you know, physicality and ability to cover the bridge.

They've got none of that now.

And they were actually outplayed and outrun by a midfield of Castemiro and Kobimenu.

Now,

we've all spoken about Castamere a lot on this show over the years he's great player that he was his legs have gone and Cobby Maynard who I think embarrassed Ruben Abraham today by playing so well he doesn't have his shortcomings he can't he can't get around the pitch he's not very mobile he can go to sleep at times but that midfield two of United's dominated City's midfield so City couldn't get the ball to Haaland they couldn't protect the defence and over the last 12 to 18 months City spent a lot of money

They've only signed a couple of midfielders.

I think Reinders is one that's done okay.

But Reinders hasn't really kind of stepped up a level that Broin have played at.

So I think City's midfield is the issue.

They're spending lots of money on forwards.

They're spending lots of money on defenders.

But right in the centre of the pitch, the guys will know.

You kind of win games in the midfield.

If you can't control your midfield, as United have found out over the last God knows how many years, you don't win anything.

So City's midfield has suddenly regressed to the point where they're being overrun by Man Utd midfield, who we've criticised all season.

It's 50-50 with City.