Glenn Hoddle slams Man City defender Manuel Akanji for ‘switching off completely’ and allowing Lois Openda to give RB Leipzig an early lead during their Champions League clash

• Leipzig took an early advantage against Man City during their European clash 
• It came from Lois Openda who stunned City scoring twice in the first half  
• Jeremy Doku had Trent Alexander-Arnold on toast for most of the game, how COULD Gary Neville make him man of the match? Listen to It’s All Kicking Off

Glenn Hoddle has slammed Manuel Akanji’s for ‘switching off completely’ after Manchester City conceded two early goals during their Champions League clash against RB Leipzig.

Lois Openda stunned Cityzens in the opening 35 minutes of the match scoring twice with both goals coming from defensive errors. 

His first came in the 13th minute, capitalising on a long ball form goalkeeper Janis Blaswich, before running through the Man City defence to strike the ball past Stefan Ortega. 

And Glenn Hoddle has criticised Akanji for allowing Openda to spin away from him to go through one-on-one with the goalkeeper. 

‘He’s taken it really well,’ Hoddle said to TNT Sports on Openda’s finish. ‘It’s Akanji really, I don’t know where his mind was.

Glenn Hoddle has criticised Manchester City star Manuel Akanji for ‘switching off’ and allowing RB Leipzig to take an early lead during their Champions League clash

‘This is all about mentality and he’s gone back in as a centre-back. Started in that midfield role. I think Pep’s put him back in there as a normal centre-back. But he’s gone back in as a centre back but he’s just switched off completely.

‘There’s a long ball and we’ve seen them play through the 18-yard line. It’s just one long punt from the keeper. Look where he’s [Openda’s] got in between the two centre-backs to start his run. It’s just so poor defending. 

While he criticised City, he lumped praise on the Belgian striker for his finish. 

‘Openda puts it away really nice. Keeps a cool head. We’ve not seen him do that one all season but he’s finished it exceedingly well. 

‘He’s just kept a nice cool head. Has a quick glance and tucks it in the corner. City well, that’s really going to have to shake them up a bit. Pep will not be happy with that.’ 

Openda, who joined the club earlier this summer, hit back not long after with his second of the night, to score his 13th goal in all competitions this season. 

It came following a defensive mistake from Ruben Dias, with the 23-year-old spinning away from the defender on the half-way line, before utilising his blistering pace to charge through on goal and place his shot in the bottom-left corner. 

‘What a wonderful, wonderful finish,’ Hoddle said on the second goal.

‘Again it comes from a mistake. Dias has been like that all night. He’s been booked for one trying to get too tight too quickly. 

‘Sometimes you just have to let the striker have the ball. And three times that’s happened tonight. He’s tried to win the ball on the half-way line and there’s no real danger and he gets spun. Too tight just let him have it.

‘Gvardiol comes across. Sells himself, but this is really fantastic a little dummy [from Openda] and he sells him with the eyes. He shapes as if he’s going across the keeper. He’s still got a lot to do to score the goal. 

‘Gvardiol has got to make him go down the left channel but this is brilliant he shapes his body as if he’s going to go across the keepers left and just puts it back into the keepers left and it’s a wonderful finish. And they deserve it.’

More to follow… 

 

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