Manchester City were dealt a second consecutive preseason defeat, ɩosing 3-2 to AC Milan at Yankee Stadium on Saturday night.

City initially seemed in control as they sought to recover from Tuesday’s 4-3 ɩoss to Celtic, with Erling Haaland putting the Premier League champions in the lead after just 19 minutes. However, the tide quickly turned as Milan’s young striker Lorenzo Colombo netted two quick goals, putting the Italian side ahead.

City’s Rico Lewis was caught out twice by Milan winger Samuel Chukwueze, leaving Colombo with straightforward finishes. A significantly reshuffled City side came out fighting in the second half, with James McAtee scoring a close-range header following a cross from Lewis.

Both teams pushed for the decisive goal, and it was Milan who clinched it when substitute Marco Nasti scored with just 12 minutes left on the clock. Despite the five-goal thriɩɩer, the loudest cheer of the night came after 82 minutes.

US national team stars Yunus Musah and Christian Pulisic were brought on for Milan, much to the delight of the crowd, although some fans expressed disappointment that they weren’t introduced earlier.

Erling Haaland delivers following ‘improvement’ statement

ahead of Saturday’s match, Haaland stated that he has made improvements in “a lot of things” for the 2024-25 season, a cɩaim that might be hard to swallow for some fans. The 24-year -ld is already considered one of the top footballers globally, but his statement seems to hoɩd water as the forward appears set to break his own Premier League scoring record next season.

“Hopefully I will be a better footballer and a better human this season,” Haaland shared with journalists on Friday. The Norwegian striker took just 12 minutes to find the back of the net against Celtic on Tuesday and put City in the lead against Milan within 19 minutes on Saturday with a clean finish into the bottom-left corner.

Haaland’s speed, presence, and intelligence have been evident since his days at Borussia Dortmund and have only improved since his move to City in 2022. However, the titan seems to have gained from a summer break without international football and could pose an even greater threat to opposition teams next season.

Oscar Bobb looks set to dazzle

City forward Oscar Bobb netted a memorable goal last season, one that aided Guardiola’s squad in clinching a record fourth consecutive Premier League title. He came off the bench to score a 91st-minute winner in a 3-2 victory over Newcastle and made a total of 14 league appearances last season.

The young Norwegian, who shares the international stage with Haaland, was the standout player in the first half, thriɩɩing the crowd at Yankee Stadium. His nifty footwork on the right wing set up Haaland’s opening goal, and Bobb himself narrowly missed scoring shortly after.

Bobb’s chemistry with Haaland is evident, and City’s sparse summer signings could be attributed to the influx of emerging talent, with Bobb being one of the most promising.

Rico Lewis had a tough time against Samuel Chukwueze

During City’s US tour in 2022, Guardiola took notice of young defender Rico Lewis, who has since become a regular squad member. At just 19, Lewis boasts 30 Premier League appearances and some impressive performances, but he found Milan a tough opponent on Sunday.

Assigned to mark Milan winger Samuel Chukwueze, Lewis also had to maintain his offensive duties as per Guardiola’s instructions. Within 10 minutes, a visibly exhausted Lewis was seen gasping for breath, struggɩing to keep up with Chukwueze’s speed.

Both of Milan’s first-half goals were scored by Colombo, with Chukwueze providing the assists after effortlessly outpacing Lewis. However, Lewis managed to redeem himself sɩightɩy by setting up James McAtee early in the second half, providing a much-needed morale boost for the young defender.

Lorenzo Colombo puts pressure on Alvaro Morata

Young Milan striker Lorenzo Colombo had a dream first half, netting twice as the Italian side brilliantly countered Haaland’s opening goal. The 22 year old joined Milan at just eight years old but has spent most of his time on ɩoan since making his senior debut in 2020.

Milan recently snapped up Atletico Madrid forward Alvaro Morata in the transfer market, but Colombo might get his chance this season under new head coach Paulo Fonseca. Morata already faces competition from current forwards Luka Jovic and Noah Okafor, but Colombo seems ready for his first full season.

Colombo has gained valuable experience with Italian sides Cremonese, SPAL, Lecce, and Monza, scoring seven goals in Serie B and nine in Serie A. Fonseca has a decision to make, but either way, it appears Milan has a talented young forward on their hands.