City 'leaders' running out o ideas as side looks all out of confidence

THE ball had barely hit the back of the net before Ruben Dias was looking for someone to blame.

- JOE BRAY

Juventus had two attempts to get a cross in for Weston McKennie on the break yet he was still unmarked. Josko Gvardiol had followed Dias to the near post to mark Dusan Vlahovic, to leave the scorer free.

As Juventus celebrated, Ilkay Gundogan threw his arms up in dismay, Kevin De Bruyne threw a strop. Bernardo Silva just turned around and walked back to his mark, so Erling Haaland was the one left to rally his team-mates for a final attempt at salvaging City's latest disappointment.

Dias spoke passionately about the need for City to return to basics, and how their reaction to this rotten run would define their legacy.

He admitted that the group of six captains have taken it in turns to intervene in recent weeks to try and turn things around and they have the right voice for the right moment when times get tough.

It was concerning that five of the sixstrong leadership group were on the pitch at the Allianz Stadium, yet none had any answers.

City collapsed again having done everything their manager asked to build their confidence back up.

And it wasn't like they were facing a particularly confident side themselves.

This was one of the standout fixtures when the League Phase draw was generated, but in reality it was more of a midtable affair between two sides desperately out of form.

City had one win in nine before travelling to Turin, Juventus haven't lost this season but can't win - just two wins in ten for them.