Jamie Redknapp singled out Ilkay Gundogan as a weak link for Manchester City in their shock 4-0 defeat to Tottenham on Saturday.
Man City’s 52-match unbeaten home run ended in spectacular fashion after goals from James Maddison, Pedro Porro and Brennan Johnson stunned the Etihad crowd.
Maddison scored two goals in the first 20 minutes to race the visitors into an early lead and they never looked back, punishing Pep Guardiola’s side twice on the counter in the second half.
No City player could hold their head up after the humiliating defeat but former Liverpool midfielder Redknapp thinks Gundogan was one player who was exposed.
“Man City are off it at the moment,” Redknapp said on Sky Sports. “They are short and things aren’t quite clicking in midfield with that balance.
“Gundogan couldn’t get around the pitch today – he couldn’t get near anybody and his focus wasn’t right.”
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Gundogan was criticised during analysis of Maddison’s first goal. The Spurs midfielder ran freely into the box and converted at the back post from a sublime Dejan Kulusevski cross.
“What happens with Gundogan and Maddison is one of the most basic parts of midfield play,” Redknapp added.
“When somebody runs without the ball and they go in behind you just have to follow your man and Gundogan just makes one of the most elementary mistakes in football by not following [his man].
“All he has to do is mark that run but [instead] he puts John Stones in a really bad position.
“Gundogan has to follow that run and that’s a really poor from him. He just couldn’t match Spurs’ energy in midfield all game.”
Maddison explained to Redknapp after the game how he found the space to score his side’s opening goal.
“I think I’ve actually made a few of them runs this season and got the ball and not scored. So it hasn’t been spoken about,” he said.
“There have been times I’ve made that kind of left half-space run where I find myself with the midfielder picking me up, but when I burst quickly, it’s like they’re not sure who’s picking me up.
“And with the quality Kulusevski has got on that left foot… I actually said to him pre-game that when you cut in, look for that inswinging cross almost.
“It just needed the contact, didn’t it? I didn’t want to try too much. I just needed to get a good contact.”