Pep Guardiola justified the choice of goalkeeper James Trafford to start the match against Tottenham, stating that Manchester City's 2-0 defeat was due to the team "missing the obvious."

Ederson was left on the bench at the Etihad Stadium, and a sloppy pass from Trafford led to Tottenham’s second goal, scored by João Palhinha still in the first half. The 22-year-old goalkeeper – brought back from Burnley for £31 million this summer – attempted to pass to Nico González but instead gave the ball to Pape Matar Sarr, who assisted Palhinha.

Brennan Johnson had opened the scoring. Despite creating opportunities, City delivered a disjointed performance. When asked if Ederson’s potential departure – as the goalkeeper is considering his future – influenced the decision to start Trafford (who played in the 4-0 win over Wolves on the opening day), Guardiola was emphatic:
"He had a great first game, and that’s why I decided to keep him. When I make decisions early in the season, everyone thinks the lineup will be definitive, but it was just a choice for today."

Regarding the defeat, the manager added:
"We missed the basics. The effort and running were extraordinary, I have no doubts. We created chances, that’s football. It’s only the second game. We have to improve, step by step."

On the other side, satisfaction with Palhinha
Tottenham manager Thomas Frank highlighted the performance of Palhinha – on a season-long loan from Bayern Munich. He also commented on Eberechi Eze’s move to Arsenal, denying that the player’s "rejection" was used as motivation:
"Never, ever have I used the name of a player who isn’t at the club to inspire the group."

Frank also celebrated the clean sheet at the start of the season and praised the signing of the midfielder:
"Palhinha? Wow! Sometimes players need confidence. He’s not even 100% fit yet, but he delivered an excellent performance."

Transfer background
Meanwhile, Manuel Akanji, left out of the squad for tactical reasons, is attracting interest from Galatasaray. The 30-year-old defender could leave for at least £15 million.