Manchester City is currently one of the best teams in the world. Over the years, they have won many titles, including multiple Premier League titles, League cup and FA Cup triumphs. Manchester City players have been at the heart of the club’s success.
City has assembled a squad comprising elite talent from various continents. The players bring world-class skills and unmatched determination to the team. This has vastly contributed to them becoming one of the best in the world. QNET has been cheering for our favourite club and its amazing players! But do we know all the players from the squad?
In this article, we’ll be learning about all the players from the Manchester City line-up in the 2021/2022 season. These players have been phenomenal over the course of the campaign and have put City in a prime position to lift the Premier League title for the second year in the running. They are also well placed to progress in cup competitions, including the Champions League and FA Cup.
QNET Reviews Manchester City line-up from the 2021/22 season
Manchester City are experiencing one of their best campaigns, breaking multiple club records. In 2021, they registered 36 wins out of their 44 games with a win percentage of 75%. Over the course of these 44 games, City averaged 65.25% in terms of possession. That’s almost two-thirds, which is the most in the league.
In addition, they broke the record for the most number of goals in a calendar year. Defensively they only conceded 32 goals during the entire year with 24 clean sheets, which is again the best in the league.
It is no surprise that City players have won individual honours for their contributions in the 2020/21 campaign. We are also cheering for them to win more laurels in the current campaign. City players are indeed marvellous! Here is the entire Manchester City line-up from the 2021/22 season.
Goalkeepers
Goalkeepers are an extremely important part of a team. They make crucial saves to ensure that the team doesn’t concede goals and further retain clean sheets. Man City have some of the best goalkeepers in the world. Here are City’s finest keepers who have played a huge part in ensuring their resolute defensive record –
1) Ederson
Ederson has been Manchester City’s first-choice goalkeeper since his arrival in 2017. The Brazilian goalkeeper came with a huge potential to become one of the best goalkeepers in the world. He has certainly lived up to the expectations with match-winning performances between the sticks.
Ederson has played an important part in City’s title-winning campaigns recording 16 clean sheets in his first campaign. In his second campaign, he kept 20 clean sheets earning him a place in the PFA Team of the Year.
In the 2019/20 and 2020/21 seasons, he won back-to-back Golden Glove awards for keeping the most number of clean sheets. Ederson has become an integral part of Pep’s team with great shot-stopping and distribution ability. He is regarded as one of the best goalkeepers in the world as he continues to perform at the highest level.
2) Zack Steffan
Zack Steffan is the second goalkeeper for Manchester City. The American has been vastly impressive for the club since he arrived from the American side Columbus Crew SC in 2019. In his first season with the club, Steffan made 12 appearances, including the Carabao Cup final against Tottenham.
Steffan’s impressive performances with the club have firmly established him as the first-choice goalkeeper for his national side. He also provides the necessary backup for City and could prove to be an important member in the upcoming matches.
Scott Carsen and Arijanet Muric further provide great goalkeeping alternatives for the club. City has one of the best defensive records in the league. However, it certainly wouldn’t have been possible without the defenders. The defensive unit is up next on the list!
Defenders
Great defences win titles. A solid defensive unit has been common in most title-winning sides. City has posted great defensive numbers over the years. In the 2021/22 campaign, they have conceded just 14 goals in 25 league games.
Here are some of the best defenders in the world under the City ranks –
3) Kyle Walker
The England international has been one of City’s best acquisitions in recent years. Arriving for Tottenham Hotspur in 2017, he has made 150 appearances for City. Starting on the right side of the defence, he has a versatile playing style. He can play at right centre-back, right back and right wing-back positions.
He is extremely fast and a very strong athlete. Getting past him has usually proven to be very difficult for most attackers. Besides being solid at the back, Walker is good at crossing the ball and chipping in with important assists. He has also scored important goals with his lethal right foot.
Walker has been an epitome of consistency and has always been available for City in their defensive unit. He is certainly one of the main defenders as he continues to shine for City in their backline.
4) Ruben Dias
Ruben Dias is a Portuguese International who joined City from Seville at the start of the 2020/21 campaign. Coming in with a huge reputation, he slotted in perfectly at the heart of City’s defence. He is tactically astute, strong in the air and has a winning mentality. His qualities have vastly helped City in the previous campaign.
In his first campaign at City, Dias helped the club win the Premier League title as well as the League Cup to complete a league double. He was awarded the Premier League Defender of the Year and the Champions League Defender of the Year awards. City continues to rely on him to lead the backline and maintain more clean sheets.
5) John Stones
John Stones is an English Defender who joined City from Everton in 2016. He is an intelligent ball-playing defender who can neutralise opposition’s attacks and launch City with his long-range passing ability.
In his first season, he was solid at the back, making 41 appearances for the Cityzens. The 2017 and 2018 campaigns were challenging, as injuries hampered him. However, he continued to show up for City when called for and provided protection at the back.
The 2020/21 season saw his resurgence as he formed a formidable partnership with Dias. They allowed just 32 goals in the entire campaign. In the current campaign, he is again proving to be an important part of the backline ensuring that City is secure at the back.
6) Nathan Ake
Nathan Ake arrived from Bournemouth in the summer of 2020. He is a Dutch defender who had proved his defensive abilities as a youth player in Chelsea and then in Bournemouth. City secured his services on a 5-year deal. Ake is a versatile player with an ability to play at centre-back, left-back as well as a holding midfielder.
Ake has made only 13 appearances for City, mostly due to injuries. But he has shown great promise whenever he has taken to the field and could prove pivotal in providing necessary defensive cover in a busy fixture schedule.
7) Aymeric Laporte
Aymeric Laporte is a Spanish defender who arrived from Athletic Bilbao mid-way through the 2017/18 campaign. He fit straight away at the centre of the City backline providing them with resolute performances. He was instrumental in ensuring City lifting the title at the end of the campaign.
His second campaign was nothing short of brilliant as he made 52 appearances in all competitions. He was at the heart of helping City win the Community Shield, Carabao Cup and the FA Cup. He was indispensable at the back for City in that campaign.