'no-one Is Ederson' - Guardiola Turns To Donnarumma

Manchester City's precocious dip into nan transportation marketplace for a caller goalkeeper connected deadline time underlines nan truth these are worrying times for head Pep Guardiola and his team.

Summer signing James Trafford has started each 3 games truthful acold this play and was 1 of a fewer City players who came retired of Sunday's conclusion astatine Brighton pinch immoderate credit, but nan Englishman is now apt to beryllium consigned to nan substitutes' chair pursuing the presence of Gianluigi Donnarumma.

With Ederson sold to Fenerbahce, City and Guardiola pounced pinch hours remaining to bring successful nan Italy world from Paris St-Germain for £26m successful an effort to revitalise a squad that is flagging successful nan early portion of nan campaign.

City started nan Premier League play pinch a thumping 4-0 triumph astatine Wolves, but person since suffered back-to-back defeats against Tottenham and nan Seagulls.

"When we conceded nan goal, we stopped playing," Guardiola said of City's precocious capitulation connected nan southbound seashore connected Sunday, letting gaffe a 1-0 lead for a 2-1 conclusion by conceding successful nan past minute.

Now Guardiola has turned to Donnarumma to effort to thief hole his team's issues, taking their summertime spending to much than £180m.

So does Donnarumma person nan attributes to capable nan spread near by Ederson's exit? And what does nan early now clasp for Trafford?

Premier League sides caput into an world break but City's preparations for their important gathering against Manchester United connected Sunday 14 September are acold from ideal.

Red Devils leader Ruben Amorim has seemingly been nan coach successful a situation - yet his squad are a constituent up of Guardiola's.

Former City goalkeeper Joe Hart told BBC Match of nan Day 2 location are "alarming patterns" defensively but nan existent business is "not a crisis" - alternatively a "difficult moment".

Sources opportunity erstwhile AC Milan keeper Donnarumma brings a winning mentality and activity to a squad that has mislaid Kevin de Bruyne, Kyle Walker and Jack Grealish from nan dressing room.

His big-game acquisition helped him triumph nan Treble pinch PSG past play and it was his punishment shootout heroics successful nan 2020 European Championship last which collapsed England's hearts.

The towering 26-year-old is wide regarded arsenic 1 of nan champion goalkeepers successful nan world for his sharp, shot-stopping abilities and commanding beingness successful nan air, but he does not travel adjacent to Ederson pinch nan shot astatine his feet.

City's ethos nether Guardiola has been to play retired from nan backmost pinch Ederson, but connected existent grounds it appears improbable that Donnarumma tin build attacks and fizz passes into nan midfield for illustration nan Brazilian could do truthful expertly.

Ederson's departure comes aft 8 years arsenic undisputed number one, winning six convention titles, nan Champions League and revolutionising nan domiciled of a goalkeeper successful nan English top-flight by providing 8 assists.

"The measurement Pep likes to play and what has made them 1 of nan astir successful squad successful Premier League history circulates astir nan goalkeeper Ederson and his unthinkable power of nan ball," erstwhile City keeper Peter Schmeichel told BBC Radio 5 Live.

"When they play Man City, managers show players not to put unit connected him, it is wasted energy. He tin play nan short crippled moreover successful beforehand to his ain goal. Even nether pressure, he tin make an 80-yard pass. He has been an absolute threat.

"We don't cognize nan situation. Have they fallen out? Did Ederson inquire to leave? Trafford has had an opportunity but no-one tin play for illustration Ederson.

"Donnarumma had a really bully play pinch PSG and was instrumental successful PSG winning nan Champions League. He is OK pinch his feet but he is not Ederson - no-one is Ederson."

Trafford returned to City from Burnley successful nan summertime for £27m and was expected to compete for nan number 1 spot pinch Ederson.

But pinch doubts lingering complete nan Brazilian's future, 22-year-old Trafford was fixed nan gloves and kept a cleanable expanse connected his debut successful an awesome capacity astatine Molineux.

But he was highly shaky successful nan 2-0 location conclusion by Tottenham successful nan pursuing game. Guardiola could person taken nan action to driblet him for nan travel to Brighton but he was trusted to commencement successful extremity again - and moreover though City mislaid again, he made 5 saves.

Club insiders consciousness Trafford has property connected his broadside and has an "amazing" early astatine nan club, which was nan stance erstwhile they announced his signing successful July.

The thought that Guardiola abruptly doesn't complaint Trafford is incorrect - City's engagement successful 4 competitions intends he should spot plentifulness of first-team opportunities during nan season.

Guardiola's occupation now is to determine whether to instrumentality pinch Trafford aliases propulsion Donnarumma consecutive successful for nan derby - it's a determination he cannot spend to get incorrect if he is to debar being nan head successful situation successful Manchester.