Lyon shock proves just how vital Pep Guardiola is to Manchester City's plans

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James Robson @jamesrobsonES19 September 2018

The house that Pep Guardiola built, really isn't the same when he's not around.

No one needed to tell Manchester City that, but the remarkable collapse of his side while the Catalan was exiled to the stands was alarming nonetheless.

Sat high up in the executive seats, failing to look inconspicuous - even with his flat cap pulled down low - it must have been torture for Guardiola to watch his team contrive to lose to a Lyon side who were never expected to spring a Champions League surprise.

If the City manager was incensed by the 3-0 win against Fulham on Saturday, what would he have made of a first half, in particular, when the Premier League champions were unrecognisable?

Then again, he must accept his own culpability in the 2-1 defeat, having been consigned to the stands due to his sending off in the quarter-final defeat to Liverpool in April.

In his place on the touchline and the dressing room was assistant Mikel Arteta, who looked every bit as relaxed in the technical area, as he was during his pre-match media duties 24 hours earlier.

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Perhaps this City team needs Guardiola's restlessness and micro-management from the dugout, just as much as his tactical brilliance on the training ground.

That was certainly the impression as they succumbed to defeat to an inspired Lyon.

As impressive as Tanguy Ndombele, Nabil Fekir and Memphis Depay were, the French side also capitalised on a slew of City errors.

Fernandinho was a shadow of his usual self

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So often City's driving force, the Brazilian gave the ball away repeatedly and was culpable in both of Lyon's goals from Maxwel Cornet and Fekir.

The Etihad was left in a state of shock - not least because it was no more than the visitors deserved.

And even after a spirited second half fightback - inspired by substitute Leroy Sane, who set up Bernardo Silva to pull a goal back after the break - no one could begrudge Lyon their win.

There will be no sense of panic at the Etihad. This remains an eminently winnable group with Hoffenheim and Shakhtar Donetsk still to come.

But it was a reminder of just how vital Guardiola is in every detail of what he has created since taking charge in 2016.

The pressure is on - no matter what Guardiola says

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Guardiola may be adamant he's under no pressure to deliver European club football's grandest prize - but he's fooling no one.

As spectacular as last season's Premier League title triumph was, he wasn't appointed with domestic rule in mind.

After all, his two predecessors managed as much.

Nor has he been handed the funds to assemble the most expensive squad in history just to dominate on home soil.

The modern Manchester City are about so much more than local bragging rights. They are about global domination.

When owner Sheikh Mansour proclaimed over the weekend that they were only 'halfway up Everest' his intentions were clear.

He has built a club intended to achieve global dominance. To do to Real Madrid and Barcelona, what they have done to Manchester United in recent years.

And until they can secure the Champions League, they will remain in the shadow of Europe's giants.

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For instance, in the 10 years of City's Abu Dhabi rule Real have won the competition a further four times and Barca three.

Bayern Munich, meanwhile, added another one.

City's transformation in that time has been spectacular - but the failure to even reach a single Champions League final in that time is a measure of their failures in Europe.

Last season's quarter-final elimination at the hands of Liverpool - of all clubs - cut to the core.

And such was their superiority over their domestic rivals, the belief from top to bottom of the club was that a place in the last eight was the least they should have achieved.

A year on and significantly better is expected. ​Guardiola knows that and demands it of his players and himself.

He, too, has questions to answer.

Can he win the competition without Barcelona - without Lionel Messi?

Fernandinho's successor emerges

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On a night of so many impressive performances from Lyon players, perhaps one man stood out the most.

Ndombele was immense in midfield and was a key reason behind Fernandinho's struggles.

He simply dominated the centre of the pitch in a manner that will have been impossible for Guardiola to ignore.

City's manager has form for signing Champions League opponents.

He moved for Benjamin Mendy and Silva after Monaco knocked City out of the competition two seasons ago.

He intended to sign Faouzi Ghoulam from Napoli - again after the left-back performed so well against City in Europe last season. Only knee ligament injury for the defender killed that move.

Don't be surprised if Ndombele finds his way onto Guardiola's wanted list when he resumes his search for a long term successor for Fernandinho in January.

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