🔬 The Debrief: Man City stay perfect but Haaland is not | OneFootball

Manchester City made it three wins from three to start to the season after a dramatic late win against Sheffield United.

Here we break down the action at Bramall Lane.

Rodri rescued City with a late winner which came just three minutes after a Kyle Walker handed his boyhood club an equaliser. Prior to that, Erling Haaland, who had a busy afternoon, headed his side into the lead after missing a first half penalty.

Blades goalkeeper Wes Foderingham didn’t deserve to end up on the losing side, having made several big saves – denying Haaland in particular on multiple occasions and it was his performance that set his side up to go close to a memorable point.

On the City side, their late goal hero Rodri was the pick of the bunch, although Rúben Dias also stood out at the heart of defence.

Will defenders look at Sheffield United’s handling of Haaland as a potential route to nullifying the Norwegian’s threat going forward?

He did still get on the scoresheet (meaning he has netted against 18 of the 21 Premier League teams he has faced) but also missed from the penalty spot and snatched at other opportunities.

That may been due to his exasperation at the rough treatment he received inside the area and he cut a very frustrated figure in the first half in particular at being dragged around the box on multiple occasions.

However, the strategy was a big risk and another penalty could easily gave been awarded to the visitors.

The champions remain the top dogs and are the only team to pick up maximum points so far this season after three games, while the Blades are one of four teams who have yet to pick up a point.

The result also sees Pep Guardiola become the fastest manager ever to reach 200 Premier League wins, doing so in just 269 games.

That is if you want to credit him with this success! Juanma Lillo may have something to say about it given that Guardiola was managing from Spain where he continues to recover from surgery.

Juanma Lillo: “Did I enjoy being the main person on the touchline? Nada, nada, nada! Pep was totally present. He wasn’t there in person but he was with us the whole time.”

Jayden Bogle: “There’s positives to take but it’s just unfortunate it had to end like that because we’d put so much into the game. It’s frustrating and we could have got a point but that’s football.”

EFL Cup action in midweek for Sheffield United who host Lincoln City before welcoming Everton to Bramall Lane next weekend in league action, while the Cityzens, who will again be without Guardiola, host Fulham in the Premier League next Saturday.