A talented Manchester City winger is both a tantalizing prospect and a conundrum | OneFootball

Over the past two matches it has seemed that Pep Guardiola has found the best attacking mix for this Manchester City team. Erling Haaland, Antoine Semenyo, Jeremy Doku and Rayan Cherki look to be City’s ideal attacking quartet. On the bench, that leaves Omar Marmoush, Savinho, Phil Foden and Tijjani Reijnders who are also viable attacking options. However, they do seem to be a level below Haaland, Semenyo, Doku and Cherki. What Pep Guardiola needs for the remainder of this season and beyond is the squad players in the City squad to take the next step as a players. This will create competition for spots in the City starting eleven. Savinho is one player who must take the next step as a player to add another attacking option to the City squad.

Savinho has all the tools to make it, but he remains too inconsistent.

Savinho’s talent and potential aren’t in question. It never has been since he signed for Manchester City from Troyes. A player doesn’t become a Brazilian international by accident. As a winger, Savinho has all the necessary traits to become an elite player. He is quick, is an elite dribbler, can play on either wing, and at times his delivery can be very good. The problem for Savinho is his decision-making and end product let him down. His finishing ability needs to improve and his delivery needs to be more consistent. As does his decision-making. At times, Savinho beats his man, then inexplicably, when free, he decides to cut back and try it again. That trait needs to change in his game.

Also, Savinho is an inconsistent player. That isn’t a surprise given that he is only 21 years of age. However, the gap between his best and worst remains to large. Proof of this is there when he started against Newcastle at St. James’ Park in Manchester City’s 3-1 FA Cup fifth-round tie win at the beginning of March. Savinho was superb that night, as the best of his game was on full display. He tore Lewis Hall to shreds with his dribbling and scored a goal. That was almost Savinho’s best performance for Manchester City.

However, Savinho followed that display with a poor performance as Manchester City fell to a 3-0 defeat to Real Madrid at the Bernabeu in the first-leg of the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 tie. The Brazilian winger couldn’t get into the game and everything he did well at St. James’ Park wasn’t seen at the Bernabeu. The contrast in those two performances show that Savinho must bridge the gap between his best and worst as a player.

Manchester City will be hoping to see Savinho become a consistent performer as soon as possible.

It is too early in Savinho’s young career to cast him aside. It is clear that Pep Guardiola sees something special in the extremely talented, but equally frustrating, young winger. Guardiola wouldn’t give Savinho the opportunity to start at the Bernabeu against Real Madrid in a big Champions League match if he didn’t. Manchester City obviously value highly as they signed him to a contract extension earlier this season.

What Manchester City will be hoping for is that Savinho takes the next step from a frustrating player to a consistent one. He has the talent to do so. When that will, or could, occur remains to be seen. But Manchester City will be hoping that it occurs for next season at least. That way, Pep Guardiola will have another bona fide game-breaking winger to call upon. If Savinho can become a consistent player, it will add another dimension to this City squad.

That is the challenge for Savinho to fulfil his obvious potential. To do that, he must go from being an inconsistent player to a consistent performer. Manchester City will be hoping it can happen across the back end of this season. The sooner it can happen the better. Savinho, in my opinion, isn’t a player that Manchester City should cast aside. He has the tools to make it he just needs to put it all together as a player.