On Saturday night, Manchester City faced their second consecutive preseason loss, going down 3-2 to AC Milan at Yankee Stadium.
Erling Haaland put the Premier League champions ahead in the 19th minute, but Milan quickly turned the tide with two goals from 22-year-old Lorenzo Colombo within a span of just four minutes.
Fielding a lineup primarily made up of younger players, City struggled to maintain possession and managed only three shots on target. They appeared to be heading for a draw after James McAtee’s equalizer with a header in the 56th minute.
However, Milan continued to apply pressure and ultimately claimed the victory when Marco Nasti found the net, even though Ederson got a touch to the shot.
Pep Guardiola is unlikely to be overly concerned by this late July performance, where U.S. star Christian Pulisic was a late substitute. Here’s a look at Jake Nisse’s highlights and lowlights from the match in NYC.
Winner: Erling Haaland 7/10
The imposing Norwegian striker scored for the second preseason match in a row, netting in the first half with a well-placed sidefoot shot from inside the area.
He played only 45 minutes before City and Milan swapped kits but definitely made an impact. He will be frustrated not to have scored again following a poor backpass from Colombo, who surprisingly found himself defending near his own goal.
Overall, Haaland’s performance was typical of his quality, providing American fans with a goal to celebrate.
Erling Haaland scored in the first half after teammate Oscar Bobb found him in the box
Winner: Oscar Bobb 8/10
Bobb, who set up Haaland’s goal, was a constant threat from the right flank throughout the match.
He frequently drove at defenders and maneuvered past them skillfully, coming close to scoring after a give-and-go with Maximo Perrone.
Guardiola praised him after the game, suggesting that the 21-year-old could establish himself as a key player this season.
Bobb was City’s danger man in NYC and he could be set for more playing time next season
Winner: Samuel Chukwueze 8/10
While Colombo netted Milan’s first two goals, Chukwueze was instrumental in creating those chances.
The Nigerian winger made two excellent assists with perfectly weighted crosses from his inside-left position, allowing his teammate to finish with ease.
He proved to be a significant attacking threat with impressive output.
Loser: Jack Grealish 4/10
As one of the few seasoned players on the field (alongside Haaland, Bobb, and Lewis), Grealish was expected to take on more attacking responsibility but remained largely inconspicuous during the match.
Guardiola noted that Grealish is still building his fitness, and it showed, as young standout Bobb outshone him.
One particularly telling moment saw him retreat all the way to his own goal looking for the ball, encapsulating his poor performance.
It was a quiet night for Jack Grealish, as he produced little going forward in 79 minutes
Loser: Rico Lewis 5/10
The young full-back didn’t have his best outing, letting Chukwueze get a clear shot for his initial assist and leaving his mark unguarded during Milan’s second goal.
To his credit, he did make a solid block from the edge of the box in the second half, but two of Milan’s goals were primarily due to lapses on his left side.
Though he played the full match, he has areas to improve.
Loser: Kalvin Phillips 5/10
Phillips, who has been somewhat out of the picture, played only the second half but encountered a couple of tough moments.
The first was a critical misplay where he lost possession right outside his own box, nearly gifting Milan a goal before City regrouped.
The second instance put him in an unusual spot as he found space in the box but clumsily failed to control a pass with his chest, missing out on a shot that could have changed the course of the game.
As a result, City didn’t manage to respond to Milan’s final goal.
