Back to the Manchester City Newsfeed

MARTIN KEOWN TALKS TACTICS: West Ham must strike fast and make sure they exploit the forward forays of Manchester City's Joao Cancelo - if you don't press high, you let Pep Guardiola's men play their way

This Manchester City team are so unconventional in the way they are set up to attack.

Players are in positions in name only. They have a 'fake' No 9 who drops deep and drifts through the team to receive the ball.

They have 'fake' midfielders in Ilkay Gundogan and Bernardo Silva who push up into the centre forward positions and 'fake' full backs — primarily Joao Cancelo, but sometimes both — who move into midfield.

West Ham should look to take advantage of the space when Joao Cancelo pushes forward

It's a system designed to outnumber the opposition in key areas of the pitch. It's 'now you see me, now you don't' for opponents.