Here is some breaking news: “I give you this week to pack your things and leave,” the speaker said. In the same manner that he did with Cancelo and Zinchenko, Pep Guardiola has officially informed two players who are currently playing for Manchester City that they must leave the club this week or else their contracts will be terminated.

After playing to a draw against Chelsea, Liverpool, and Tottenham Hotspur, fans of Manchester City were keen to see their team get back to winning ways in the Midlands.

When City finally made it to Villa Park, however, they were completely outplayed by Villa Park.

The team coached by Unai Emery was superior in every aspect, and Pep Guardiola simply did not have a solution to the problem. Despite the fact that Josko Gvardiol had a difficult time against Leon Bailey, City was never able to actually take control of the game and was unable to break down Villa.

The evaluation of the performance and outcome of yesterday has begun, and some individuals have pointed to the configuration of the midfield as a potential explanation for City’s difficulties.

According to Martin Keown, Manuel Akanji did not appear to be at ease during the match against Aston Villa.

During the game that took place yesterday night, Rodri was given a suspension for the away team, which turned out to be a costly choice.

John Stones and Manuel Akanji were the players who held the midfield position for City, and they never had any kind of control over the game.

There have been many instances throughout this season in which Akanji has been utilized in this role, and the results have been a mixed bag for the Switzerland international.

The previous night, however, he was all over the place, and Keown made the following observation about him on Match of the Day: “Akanji in midfield didn’t look comfortable.” Should he be playing in the backfield for you?

The question is, “Have they lost that little bit of magic?” Remember how they used to completely dominate games, completely blowing you away no matter what you threw at them? Do you remember these days? With no wins in their last four games, they appear to be in a vulnerable position in comparison to prior seasons. A situation like this would have to be regarded a minor problem for Pep.

It is not yet clear whether Manuel Akanji will play in the middle of the field.
Yesterday evening, City had such a terrible night, and not a single player was able to claim credit for producing a solid effort.

But Akanji was not the only one who struggled; the rest of his coworkers did as well.

Since joining City from Borussia Dortmund in the summer of 2022, the player who earns a weekly salary of 180,000 pounds has been an excellent acquisition for the club; yet, the verdict is still out regarding his capacity to perform in this hybrid role.

He does not possess the same level of physical strength as Stones, nor does he move with the same grace.

On the other hand, he is an outstanding defender who plays the ball, and one wonders how much longer he will continue to play higher up in the position.