There’s been a decrease in game time for the Algeria star since the Manchester Derby, prompting fresh questions over the wideman’s current role
On Sunday, as goal after goal went in for Manchester City against Crystal Palace to take Pep Guardiola’s men above Liverpool for the first time this season and indeed since the start of the previous campaign, Riyad Mahrez cut a neglected figure on the City bench.
Pep’s three substitutions against Palace saw Phil Foden replace Bernardo Silva on the hour, Ilkay Gundogan was withdrawn for Ferran Torres and Joao Cancelo replacing the irrepressible Kevin De Bruyne 10 minutes later.
The upshot of those changes for Mahrez means he’s now failed to come off the bench in three of City’s last six games, seeing only 89 minutes of action from a possible 540.
This situation, strangely, feels like deja vu. There’s a sense we’ve been here before with the Algeria star; questioning how he fits into Guardiola’s plans and whether the Spaniard rates the two-time Premier League winner as a prominent figure in his plans.
Doubts initially arose in the title run-in of 2018/19, although he did finish that campaign strongly—which continued at a successful Africa Cup of Nations, eventually won by Algeria. The wide attacker carried that achievement into last season and was one of the positives for the Cityzens in an otherwise wretched campaign domestically and in the Champions League.
Still, Mahrez didn’t have things all his way and was dropped for some important games post-lockdown.
Again, doubts arose.
After testing positive for coronavirus just before this season commenced, he bounced back to become one of Pep’s trusted players and thrived at the initial stages of the current run of positive results.
He, like many of his teammates, struggled in the opening months, with a deep dive into the North African’s numbers emphasising an alarming decline.
However, the winger’s showing in the dismantling of Burnley on November 28 and the side’s general showing at Porto a few days later and dominant 2-0 win over Fulham prompted suggestions of a City renaissance.
While there have been bumps in the road, notably a drab goalless encounter vs Manchester United and a 1-1 stalemate at home to a poor West Bromwich Albion side, Guardiola’s side have recovered spectacularly to win their last five in the Premier League, scoring 11 and conceding one—a late Callum Hudson-Odoi consolation strike at Stamford Bridge.
Mahrez had featured and thrived in those authoritative displays vs Burnley and Fulham, but the Algerian’s recent lack of chances can be traced to an underwhelming showing at Old Trafford, where he missed arguably City’s biggest chance to edge ahead against their local rivals.
Guardiola has leaned on Raheem Sterling and Bernardo in the attacking wide positions since, with even Torres seeing 168 minutes to Mahrez’s 89. The England and Portugal internationals, by contrast, have had 368 and 420 minutes, respectively.
Bernardo hasn’t had a goal contribution in that time, but his all-round game and work rate make him valuable. He leads for pressures per game in the City side, with Foden — who’s started his fair share of games since the United draw — coming in at second.
While the England youngster had a tough run in the autumn where he had minutes harder to come by, he and Bernardo have featured more prominently in the last five wins to significantly reduce Mahrez’s time on the pitch.
On the Algerian’s first start since underwhelming in the derby, he was mostly involved in the best bits of the Cityzens’ attacking play in that 1-0 win over Brighton & Hove Albion. He fashioned out three shooting opportunities — a game-high along with KDB — completed the highest volume of passes into the penalty area and only the Belgium superstar beat him for successful progressive passes against the Seagulls.
Even though the ex-Leicester City man failed to convert a really good chance in the second half (prompting a shake of the head from Pep), he was somewhat unlucky not to register an assist after setting up Gundogan at almost point-blank range or opening up the pitch for KDB with a flicked layoff that created a decent chance for the team’s talisman.
Be that as it may, it feels as if Mahrez’s form isn’t to blame for the recent paucity of minutes, rather the form of others around him as well as the greater balance they bring to the side.
The North African (4.19) sits behind only De Bruyne (6.33) for shot-creating actions per 90, with Silva and Foden trailing with 3.52 and 2.82 respectively.
As well as being more creative than the Portuguese and Englishman, Man City’s expected goals per 90 is higher whenever Mahrez features.
However, they concede more chances per 90 when the Afcon 2019 winner is in the side, somewhat validating the notion there’s currently a greater balance when the former Leicester star is out of the side.
City’s xG against per 90 is 0.96 with the Algerian in the side, higher than Torres (0.91), Foden (0.88), Sterling (0.85), KDB (0.81) and Bernardo (0.58).
Besides, while Pep’s team win 2.00 points per match when KDB, Sterling and Mahrez play, that average rises to 2.18 when Silva features and 2.08 when Foden is in the side.
The latter pair’s recent involvement is, by and large, affecting the 29-year-old winger’s minutes, and their tendency to press while offering the side considerable stability may explain Guardiola’s recent omission of the experienced North African.
Mahrez has tended to force his way back into the reckoning throughout his time at City, and there’s no reason to believe the Algerian won’t make himself valuable to the side again, starting with Wednesday’s encounter with Aston Villa.
