Since Pep Guardiola took charge of Manchester City in 2016,
he has elevated the club to an even
greater level of dominance in English football.
They've won trophies galore under the Catalan coach, including a
stunning domestic treble in 2019.
Unsurprisingly, they've got one of the game's best squads in FIFA 20,
but it's one you need to seriously think about if you are to make the
most of their considerable talent.
Here, we show you how to do just that. Choosing your personnel can be tricky
given the wealth of options at your disposal.
Whomever you choose your starting lineup, you'll always have a strong bench
to call upon. Aymeric Laporte is your best centre back,
so partner him with Fernandinho
in defence and bring in Bernardo Silva
for Riyad Mahrez on the right wing. Benjamin Mendy has a
slightly higher overall rating than Oleksandr Zinchenko,
and he has better physical
and defensive stats, too. The Ukrainian is stronger
when it comes to passing, but he's not quite
as quick or explosive as the Frenchman. If you're playing on Career
Mode, both left backs have a potential of 85,
so either can work as a long-term option. Phil Foden has a potential of 89,
so giving him regular minutes in midfield is a must if you're
pursuing a managerial career with the Citizens.
As for the tactics, what better way to get the best out of them than by
replicating their devastatingly effective
style in game. The team already defaults to the ideal 4-3-3 holding formation,
and you need to keep their defensive style
as "press after possession loss," their offensive style
as "possession" and their depth at eight bars
so you can dominate the ball well into the opposition's half, just like Guardiola's men.
However, there are some tweaks that need to be made. Reduce their defensive
width to five bars, up their attacking width to seven
bars and make sure their "players in the box" is set to seven bars, as well.
Set your full-backs to "join the attack" and their run types to "inverted."
This will bring them in field
when they push up, giving you more passing options in the centre of the pitch.
The extra bodies will also make it harder
for opponents to play through
you when they break. Set Rodri to "cover the centre," "stay back
while attacking" and "make aggressive interceptions,"
which will maximize the defensive coverage he can provide in the event of an opposition
counter-attack. Instruct Kevin De Bruyne to stay on the edge of
the box for crosses, while Raheem Sterling and Bernardo Silva should be the opposite.
Bernardo's chance creation should be set to "cut inside" to make the most of his stronger left foot,
and set his support runs to "come short." On the left wing, set Sterling to "stay wide"
and "get in behind."
Sergio Aguero's attacking runs should also be set to "get in behind."
Both Fernandinho and Aymeric Laporte are comfortable on the ball and good at passing.
So if you're playing it short from the goal kick, then either one of them is
well suited to carrying the ball out from the back
and linking up with the midfield. If you find you're being pressed
in your own half, City's technically gifted
players are capable of playing through it. Draw the opponents in on
one flank before a quick switch of play to the
other, where you'll usually find your full-back waiting in space.
Don't be afraid to make use of Ederson and go long with him
if you have to. The Brazilian has an exceptional kicking stat of
93, and his 59 long-passing is among the best in the game for goalkeepers.
Once you've advanced up the pitch, between your five attackers and your two inverted full-backs,
you should always have a passing option in the final third.
The Sky Blues have some of the best passers in world football in their ranks,
so you can create some intricate passages of play. Keep the ball moving quickly
and you'll draw defenders out of position and create openings in the back line.
Any one of you are attacking players can carve open a defence with a through ball,
so make sure you're always on the lookout
for the likes of Aguero and Sterling making runs beyond the defenders.
Don't forget, City's players are not only world-class when it comes to distribution,
but also with the ball at their feet as well. All five of your attacking players,
that's Aguero, Sterling, De Bruyne
and the two Silvas, have four-star skill moves and dribbling stats ranging from 86 to 92,
so any one of them can beat a defender with some neat trickery.
The same goes for Riyad Mahrez and Leroy Sane, if they're on the pitch.
De Bruyne's long-shots stat is 90, so he's also more than capable of rifling home from distance if
you're struggling to open up a deep-lying defence.
If you find space out wide, getting to the byline
and pulling it back into the centre
for your onrushing players to race on to can also be a particularly effective route to goal.
Most of your attacking players are strong crossers,
but it's best to keep the ball on the floor
wherever possible. Scoring from headers is tricky at the best of times on FIFA 20,
and City carry very little aerial threat. Aguero is the only one of their
starting attackers with a heading accuracy above 55,
and he's only 5'8".
City's game under Guardiola is all about possession,
but if the opportunity arises, don't be afraid to hit teams with a quick counter-attack.
You've got pace to work with up front, particularly in Sterling,
and plenty of options to thread a quick pass forward
when the opponents are in transition. With the Citizens' incredible array of star players,
it's possible to overwhelm opponents through the sheer volume of individual talent
they possess, who always have game-changing options on the bench, particularly in Marhez
and Sane. Their fresh legs,
especially with the German's electric pace against tiring defenders, can
devastate opponents late on. It takes some practice,
but with the right setup
and approach, you can really blow teams away with some beautiful football from
Guardiola's men, making City a highly rewarding team to master
on FIFA 20.