Pep’s approach on Saturday bored a global audience to tears. Let’s look at:
Why he did it?
Why it worked?
And why we might have to get used to it?
A thread 1/

Pep sent Fernandinho and Rodri out in a double pivot. Since defeat at Spurs, when City set up in the traditional 4-3-3, Pep has deployed a double pivot for the last 6 matches. It stops the dm being isolated and subsequently the centre backs being exposed 2/

Pep set up like this in order to keep control. In the Spurs defeat and the derby defeats last season City lost control when the opposition countered. It was impossible to track runners on quick breaks with 1 dm and City were often all at sea 3/

With the addition of an extra dm, and consequently a more defensive approach, City were able to cope with United’s counters.
United didn’t create any big chances and only looked dangerous from set pieces 4/

City created 3 big chances, all of which were spurned. That was Pep’s plan in a nutshell, completely nullify United’s main threat and rely on City’s front 4 to create big chances. From that perspective it worked. Pep’s post match comments told the story 5/