Pep Guardiola's selection headache is blunting Manchester City's attack

Sign up to the Independent's betting newsletter for the latest tips and offers

Sign up to the Independent's betting newsletter

Please enter a valid email address

Please enter a valid email address

SIGN UP

I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice

They are the proverbial ‘nice problem to have’ but even selection headaches can be painful. Pep Guardiola was scratching his head throughout Manchester City's fiery 1-1 draw with Everton on Monday night, his touchline gesticulations frantic even before Kyle Walker’s contentious first-half sending off.

The problem is simple to see: Guardiola has a wealth of attacking talent and four attacking slots to fill. Sergio Aguero, Gabriel Jesus, David Silva and Kevin de Bruyne were the four for the visit of Ronald Koeman’s side, which meant Leroy Sane, a young winger with the potential to be the Premier League's best, deployed at left wing-back. When Everton’s opener stemmed from Sane losing possession in the unfamiliar position, it was hardly a surprise.

Sane’s error was not the most concerning consequence of City’s set-up, however. The more pressing issue is that, albeit after only two games, Guardiola’s attack looks blunted. After looking like they could pick Premier League defences apart at will during a free-scoring pre-season, the real business has begun and City’s clinical edge is missing.

On Monday, Aguero was the chief culprit and seemed uncharacteristically unsure of himself in front of goal, with a performance that did nothing to dispel the doubts that have emerged about him over the last year. The Argentine began the night needing just one more goal to become the leading non-European goalscorer in Premier League history, but he showed the composure of Daniel Cordone rather than Dwight Yorke, who he currently sits with on 123 top-flight goals.

At least Aguero was involved, though. Jesus, by comparison, was quiet, with his first shot on goal shanked into the stands in the 12th minute and his second, right before half time, hit straight down Pickford’s gullet. He departed at half time, replaced by City’s eventual saviour Raheem Sterling. The same accusations could be levelled at David Silva who should perhaps have done better than strike the post in the first half after receiving a delightfully chipped through ball from Aguero. De Bruyne, meanwhile, created chances but none were particularly clean cut.

Sterling, who himself missed opportunities to equalise before volleying in off a poor Ashley Williams clearance, was the only City attacker to play a significant part and leave the pitch with any real credit. The rest looked out-of-step with each other. Yes, Everton put a well-drilled, organised defence in front of them, but it was one that such talent should exploit. In the end, it was like a group of cocky Mensa candidates trying to crack a crossword with one pen. A lot of ideas but no single, unified direction.

A potential solution is not that hard to come by but it involves a difficult decision. Specifically, it feels inevitable that Guardiola will, over the course of the next few months, have to choose one of Aguero or Jesus to be his first-choice, leading lone front-man. That in turn may mean playing with two disciplined midfielders rather than one and suddenly, only three out-and-out attacking players will be on the pitch at once.

It is the type of switch that would embolden some and upset others, but at the moment it is hard to see how Guardiola plays as many exciting forward players as possible while keeping his line-up balanced. Whatever happens, there could be more headaches to come.