Goals from Rodrigo and Julian Alvarez topped off a dominating performance by the boys in blue to see City pick up our 25th victory in all competitions on home soil in the past 12 months.
And after a year full of thrills, nerves and silverware, the win over Chris Wilder’s side topped off the Year of the Big Five with a style.
Check out the best stats from our win over the Blades below…
ETIHAD FORTRESS
Drawing only three of the 28 fixtures at the Etihad in 2023, City have turned our beloved stadium into a fortress, making it a third time the Club have gone unbeaten at home – with 2011 and 2017 also being memorable years in front of thousands of fans.
In the Premier League, City picked up a staggering 51 points at home. Only Aston Villa obtained more with 53 points under Unai Emery’s leadership.
PULLING THE STRINGS
Where would City be without Rodrigo. His goal to give City the lead in the 14th minute was his eighth strike from outside the box from 18 Premier League goals.
His performance against Sheffield United, however, was more than just the opening goal he provided.
The Spanish international completed 169 passes – almost two passes a minute – with a pass completion rate of 93%.
His composure in midfield aided massively in City dominating the game.
SUPERIORITY
Sheffield United’s return to the English top-flight has been difficult, and it wasn’t made any easier when City held 81.8% possession and in turn made it difficult for Wilder’s side to have any hope of scoring.
It’s City’s highest possession figure since May 2021 when Guardiola’s side obtained the ball for 82.1% of our 4-3 away win over Newcastle United.
During the match, City totalled 938 successful passes, the second most on record in a Premier League game since 2003/04.
The highest record of 942 passes was also achieved by City during our 5-0 home win over Swansea.
YOUNG TALENT IS THRIVING
City’s second goal was the epitome of clinical. And the trio of players involved in the goal sequence – Oscar Bobb, Phil Foden and Julian Alvarez – are aged 23 or younger!
Bobb, aged 20, began the goal sequence after he received the ball on the left flank from 23-year-old England international Foden.
Bobb played a perfectly weighted pass into Foden’s pass towards the byline before the boy from Stockport played the ball across Sheffield United’s goal before being tapped home by an electric 23-year-old Alvarez.
With Bobb and Foden coming through City’s Academy as well as Alvarez spending the past 18 months perfecting his craft in a handful of positions, City’s future looks bright with a plethora of young stars shining bright on the biggest of stages.
