Richard Buxton: Time for City to show champs' mettle

Manchester City have been fixating on the wrong talisman in their EPL title defence.

They cannot function without a key figure at their disposal. Except it is not Kevin de Bruyne.

Yesterday morning's (Singapore time) 2-0 defeat to Chelsea signalled not only an end to their eight-month unbeaten run in the top flight but also a stark reminder of their limitations.

Pep Guardiola favoured a false No. 9 system at Barcelona to bring the best out of Lionel Messi, but that ideology is not proving as easily transferable at the Etihad Stadium.

The Catalan has previously given the impression that Sergio Aguero is a dispensable cog in his side's well-oiled machine. Winning without him suggests that the reigning champions are more than capable.

Events at Stamford Bridge and further afield have disproved that theory.

All three of their previous matches served to underline Aguero's importance.

A midweek victory over Watford was far from a formality while the preceding clash against Bournemouth saw them pegged back in a period of play where a comfortable half-time lead had beckoned.

Unquestionably, City have missed de Bruyne's mastery. In games like this, the Belgium international often takes centre stage with an all-encompassing repertoire that takes the fight to opponents. In his absence, tellingly, they have dropped seven points from 13 matches.

Injury not only robbed Guardiola of an attacking impetus but also his most potent goal threat.

Maurizio Sarri's side faced four shots on target but, crucially, their visitors lacked a focal point.

For all Raheem Sterling's brilliance, he is not another Messi; able to withstand the spotlight's burning heat when others cannot step into it.

Similarly Gabriel Jesus, who replaced Leroy Sane, is unable to offer the same likelihood of goals that Aguero often provides.

Sterling is often miscast as a pantomime villain in the English media.

After all, he is young, talented and wealthy; essentially everything that the general public has come to resent.

No matter what he does, scrutiny invariably follows - but the 24-year-old cannot be held responsible for failing to replicate the unmistakable finesse that Aguero virtually guarantees.

Few, if any, players in City's current squad have the capability of leading the line as he does.

That in itself should be a cause for concern in Guardiola's response to the champions' first defeat in 16 games.

With four games before facing off against an unflinching Liverpool next month, plus the minor distraction of two cup competitions, a response is urgently required.

Victories over teams outside the EPL's top-four bubble has required minimal effort for City. They have steamrolled opponents at will for large parts of the past two seasons.

Devoid of Aguero, however, their runaway train is in danger of grinding to a previously unlikely halt.

Neutrals will relish the fact that Juergen Klopp's side are yet to blink in their pursuit of domestic dominance while infallibility is no longer on the side of their greatest challengers.

The EPL may finally have a title race which will not become yet another one-sided affair.

How the defending champions remedy a rare spell as part of the chasing pack, no matter how shortlived it proves, is now imperative. Further margins for error are less tolerable now.

More symptoms of inadequacy could swing the momentum in Anfield's favour for the long run.

CHELSEA:

Arrizabalaga, Azpilicueta, Ruediger, Luiz, Alonso, Kante, Jorginho, Kovacic (Barkley 65), Pedro, Hazard (Giroud 90), Willian (Loftus-Cheek 75)

MAN CITY:

Ederson, Walker, Stones, Laporte, Delph, Silva, Fernandinho, D. Silva (Guendogan 68), Mahrez (Foden 84), Sterling, Sane (Jesus 53)