Manchester City at the bottom of the Premier League is not something you see often these days. In fact, its probability may be even less than that of Leicester City winning the PL back in 2015/16. However, the latter did happen, and so has the former. Halfway into the season, Manchester City U-21 sit bottom of the Premier League 2 table. A fourth successive title seems a long, long way off for Brian Barry-Murphy’s Elite Development Squad.
Player sales have taken Manchester City U-21 from the riches to rags
Over the summer, City made more than £45 million from academy players. They sold key players like Carlos Borges, Dire Mebude, James Trafford and versatile captain Shea Charles. In addition, Jadel Katongo, Alex Robertson and Kian Breckin left on loan, which further weakened the squad. Also, Oscar Bobb has been promoted to the first team.
Between Borges, Mebude and Bobb, City lost almost all of the goals that led them to last season’s title. Injuries have also been a factor for the downfall of Manchester City U-21. Nico O’Reilly was set for a big role, but has been out all season. Will Dickson, Tai Sodje, Susoho and Isaiah Dada-Mascoll have also spent time on the sidelines.
They can still win the title despite being dead last
Strangely enough though, Manchester City U-21 could still win the competition, despite being at the bottom of the table at the halfway stage. They just have to finish in the top 16 to have a shot at glory. In a major overhaul of the way academy football is played, the Premier League 2 was converted into a knockout tournament. The top 16 after 20 games qualify for the knockout rounds, which eventually decides the champion.
Barry-Murphy and other academy figures were unsure over how the new format would play out in the summer. The head coach said the changes would result in a more ‘random and unpredictable’ league, but admitted the chance to play a wider range of opposition was a positive. In the end, this new format has proved to be a lifeline for Manchester City U-21 as they still have a chance to win the title after the worst possible start to the season.
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