It is fair to say that today will make for uncomfortable viewing.
After declaring my intention to avoid jumping into bed with Pep Guardiola, I’ve stuck to my guns. Sergio Aguero won’t be in my team today, neither will the talents of Gabriel Jesus or David Silva.
I’ve effectively traded short-term pain in order to avoid long-lasting anxiety. Because despite the evidence so far, I’m still not inclined to trust Pep.
I’ve listened intently to press conferences and I’ve studied his pre and post-match musings. While his strikingly consistent teamsheets say one thing, Pep always has a glint in his eye and a throwaway comment suggesting that another agenda looms.
If I was building a team today, there’s little doubt I’d take on Aguero and accept the uncertainty that may come my way.
But as it stands, with the Wildcard already played, I’m going to avoid that route for as long as possible.
I’ve no doubt that Aguero starts and probably scores today – perhaps heavily. But I’ll accept the potential agony because I still reject the insecurity that lingers with every Man City teamsheet.
I look at Harry Kane and wonder if Aguero had started the season with three consecutive blanks, whether he would have had the opportunity to fire a brace at Everton. Probably not.
Similarly, with Romelu Lukaku, while I won’t welcome a dry spell, I doubt I’ll ever have to be concerned with the prospect that it could be followed by a rest to the bench.
Kane and Lukaku are untouchable.
But Aguero will surely remain exposed to change and intolerance, based on the whims of a manager who almost seems to enjoy introducing new ideas in order to make a problem more complex and satisfying to solve.
I almost think if it gets too easy for Pep, he’ll find a way of increasing the challenge with more of those “silly decisions” he refers to.
And if Aguero dares show any sign of faltering, or if Pep’s current system ever gets found out, I don’t believe it will be anyone other than the Argentine who gets sacrificed. For me, Jesus remains the golden boy.
Admittedly these are straws to clutch. But I’m also mindful of the concept of “chasing points”; of reacting to one big haul and ripping up plans and principles.
To jump from Kane or Lukaku to Aguero would be ignoring the reasons why I failed to consider the City man from the off.
I need to be totally convinced that I’d be making that move, not because of his Vicarage Road hat-trick, but because Pep had won my trust.
He hasn’t. Not just yet.
