The former Manchester City and Chelsea winger discusses the impact of Erling Haaland, the next generation of managers, and his support for Graham Potter.
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What have you made of Erling Haaland’s first season in the Premier League?
He’s phenomenal. It’s almost mind-blowing to be honest, what he has achieved so quickly, not forgetting how young he is. I wouldn’t say he’s necessarily 100 per cent settled in and familiar with the way Pep and the team wants to go, but you can see game by game the improvement from them as a unit.
They’re playing a little bit more direct, although they’re still controlling the game, which makes it hard for the opposition. Everyone wants to press and stop City from playing nice football but now, if they do press and there isn’t a pass on, there’s that ball in behind that they didn’t have before.
What do you make of the claim that he’s made City a worse team?
I can honestly say I don’t agree with it. What more do you want from your striker? I know there was a stat going around that not many teams have won the league when one of their players wins the Golden Boot, but in general, I wouldn’t necessarily say he’s changed the way the team play. He’s given a team that controls so much possession another option to play with and when you have that sort of ammunition, I don’t think there’s any club in the world that would turn that down.
How do you think Harry Kane would have got on at City?
Well, we know what Kane’s like. He’s still breaking all the records, and he just keeps scoring goals. At City, he would do the same. If anything, he’d probably score more goals.
At the same time, I don’t think City would have that dynamic they have now where they can go from back to front and put teams out of the game with one pass. Although he would have fit City with his passing from that false nine position and create a lot of chances for others, I think Haaland gives you that option in behind. And Haaland does get assists as well.
They’re both deadly strikers, but I think the choice City have made in taking Haaland is more of a long-term one that benefits them now and for years to come.
What are your thoughts on Jack Grealish’s second season at City?
His progress this season has been what everybody’s been waiting for. It’s a big adjustment coming from Villa to Man City, not just the size of the club but the way they play, the tempo they play, the usage of the ball and the choices he has to make.
His work rate this year, especially tracking back has been phenomenal. I know people just want to see him attack but a lot of teams do try and hit City on transition, and there’s been a lot of great moments where Jack has got back and doubled up or got back and stopped the team from attacking. For me, that’s as good as a goal. At the same time, he’s giving you more at the other end and is getting big goals in big games. Even if sometimes his attacking side isn’t exactly what you want to see, he’s still popping up with an assist or two.
I wouldn’t say he’s totally settled but I think he’s coming into his own now and is understanding everything that Pep wants.
How surprised were you to see Joao Cancelo leave on loan to Bayern?
I was very surprised. I think it caught everybody in the football world off-guard. It’s something that nobody saw coming. It is a loan and nobody knows what’s going to happen at the end of the loan, but from what I saw he wanted to play more football. As everybody knows, City aren’t that club that stops players if they want to leave or go out on loan to play more football.
He’s come out personally and said this is not goodbye, so nobody actually knows what’s going to happen at the end of the season – it seems like not even he does.
What do you make of reports that City might offer Cancelo in exchange for Serge Gnabry?
I’m not sure. Don’t get me wrong on Serge, I think he’s fantastic. Obviously, it didn’t go the way he wanted within the Premier League, but he’s gone to Bayern Munich and he’s lit up the world for them and for Germany. He’s an amazing player.
With respect to the wingers and players we already have at City, we’ve got Foden, Mahrez, Grealish, Cole Palmer, Alvarez sometimes plays out wide. City already have a lot of options, so I personally wouldn’t see that happening right now.
Wilfried Gnonto is another who has been linked to City. What do you make of him as a player?
I’m a massive fan of his. He plays with a naivety that you love to see in a winger. He’s never fazed, it doesn’t matter who he comes up against. His mindset is, I’m going to try and just make these 90 minutes a nightmare for whoever I’m playing against. I think if we go back to Grealish at Aston Villa, Jack was doing the same thing.
But when you come to a team like City, it’s not necessarily about that. You’ve got to be good on the ball, you have to retain possession. If he did come, it would be massive for him but he would be in the position where Jack was when he first came. He would have to learn the way that City play and understand it’s not goal, goal, goal every time he gets on a ball. That would make him a better all-round player and it would definitely help him within the national team in Italy because they like to control the ball as well.
Where do you rank the City/Liverpool rivalry in recent years among the best in Premier League history?
For me, it has to be up there. I don’t think I can recall so many consecutive seasons when two teams were neck and neck in the title race, pushing each other to the heights that City and Liverpool have pushed each other to. Not just in terms of points but also the number of goals that they’ve had to score because they’re worried about goal difference. Those title races were phenomenal.
The title race now is outstanding as well, but I don’t think they’ve pushed each other to the same level yet.
How would you compare the rivalry between Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp to that of Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger?
I’d say it’s completely different. Sir Alex and Wenger set certain examples, and now Pep and Klopp have set a different example in terms of the way the game is played. Football has evolved and, in a way, is played completely different to back then.
They’ve set an example for people like Arteta, and now you can see after Arteta, you’ve got Michael Carrick and Vincent Kompany coming through. It breeds down the chain a whole new style of football among young managers, which is fantastic. Arteta has taken what he knows, mixed it with what he learned from Pep, and now he’s challenging for the title. That’s all in the space of two or three years, and he’s said they’re ahead of schedule already.
What these two have brought to the game is incredible because there’s so many young managers that want to manage the way that Pep and Klopp do and then take it to the next level. I can’t wait to see where football goes next.
What’s your prediction for City v Liverpool on Saturday?
It’s a tough one but I’m going to say City. Liverpool seem to be getting some kind of form and consistency all of a sudden, and being City’s luck it just so happens that they’re playing them next.
If he plays, I think the way Ake has been defending that left-back area since Cancelo left, not many people have got anything out of him. One of the best wingers in the Premier League right now, Bukayo Saka, both times he’s come up against Ake, he hasn’t really done too much. For Liverpool, Salah is always going to be a dangerous player because if you give him half a yard, he will score, but Salah is not on Salah form. I would honestly say if that matchup happens I would put my money on Ake. If we can keep Salah quiet, it doesn’t make the game easy because Liverpool have fantastic players, but it makes it easier.
Liverpool have also got some key players missing within that midfield. [Stefan] Bajcetic, I think he’s a fantastic central midfielder at just 18. He controls the ball, controls the game, goes forward and does a lot, so they are missing key players in key areas. For me, I think City win that midfield battle and win the game.
Who’s going to win the title race?
I’m hoping City because otherwise I’m not going to hear the last of it from my dad! I think as much as Arsenal are sitting where they are right now, they’ve still got to play Liverpool at Anfield, they’ve still got to play Newcastle at St James’, both fantastic teams that are actually fighting for something. They’ve got West Ham, who are fighting relegation. We know they have the capability to turn it on and be a thorn in Arsenal’s side.
At the same time, City have just as tough teams to play with Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal. There’s a lot of games to play, which could easily, within the space of 10 days, change the title race. So for me, I still think City at the moment, but you can’t disrespect Arsenal and say the league isn’t theirs to throw away right now.
There’s also injuries to think about. If Saliba’s not back, that’s massive for them. Those little things can change the momentum.
What’s it been like watching this title race unfold in the Wright family?
It’s been good! I’m like a silent assassin, unless we’re sitting beside each other, whereas he’s the opposite. It’s nice to have a rivalry like this within the family, it makes things a lot more interesting. And it’s good for everybody else because if Arsenal win everyone’s going to see me be abused by my Dad on social media.
What have you made of Chelsea’s performances recently?
I’m a big fan of Graham Potter. Not just as a manager, but he seems to make players better. With a manager like that, it’s not a quick turnaround.
It didn’t help, the fact that there was so many players coming in. He’s not quite had to start again, but start at a level where the new players coming in could catch up quickly so they know what he wants.
He’s also been without Ben Chilwell and Reece James for spells, who are a massive part of Chelsea moving forward.
I think the fact that all the pieces are starting to now fall into place: the results, the better performances as a team, it’s not surprising. I think next year, Chelsea are going to be up there challenging.
How crucial have recent results been for Graham Potter’s future?
It’s been massive. I think he’s shown only 35 to 40 per cent of the way he wants to play. He’s shown the fans that we will be a threat, we will be a force to be reckoned with. He just needs time to get it to where it needs to be.
The fans were the key for me, more than the owners. The fans are so used to winning things, and if you’re not doing well, you get the sack. Now, they need to get used to the way Boehly and his group are doing things, which is to put their belief in the manager.
With someone like Potter, you have to at least give him a full preseason with 24 players that you know are going to be at the club. He’s been dealing with a situation where he doesn’t know who’s going, who’s coming in, who wants to be there, who doesn’t want to be there.
The positive thing now is the results are improving, the fans seem to have calmed down a little bit, and the players, you’re not really seeing bad eggs or people speaking badly about him or the club. And I think that that’s a positive position for the club to be in.
Which of Chelsea’s new signings have you been most impressed by?
Joao Felix. In a way, he was a player that I’d say Tuchel was missing. He’s the link between midfield and attack that they didn’t have. Watching Chelsea over the last few years before Potter, defensively they were fantastic, but it just felt like when they got to that final third, there wasn’t a connection there. There wasn’t that threat of a player like Frank Lampard, who will make runs into the box, or an Eidur Gudjohnsen who will dribble and make things happen. It was just midfield and attack, but I think Joao Felix sews that part up.
We also have Enzo who’s come in. If him and Kante can play together, that could be very solid defensively. I’m really looking forward to see where it goes.
What have you made of Mykhailo Mudryk so far?
What put more pressure on him was his debut substitute appearance. When he came on and did what he did in that short space of time, everybody expected him to start next game. So, he never got to build into the Premier League. It was just, we need to start this guy after what we’ve just seen, and then it was all eyes on him and everyone was expecting that all the time.
Chelsea as a whole are going through transition, and he’s a part of that transition. You don’t do what he did on his debut if you don’t naturally have talent, but it will take time with him.
I think sometimes as fans we underestimate how strong the Premier League is. I think sometimes players underestimate it as well. It is, for him, a reality check now he’s in the Premier League, and I think he’ll come to terms with it. Once he has an understanding of what Chelsea and Potter want from him, I think he’ll be fantastic, especially if he’s utilised on transition and counter-attacks, and they get him the ball early and he’s got time to run at people and cause a lot of problems. I think he’ll be a good signing.
What would Declan Rice bring to Chelsea if they were to sign him this summer?
It’s a hard one. I just think why would you sign Kante on a new deal, plus sign Enzo, and then bring in Declan? If Declan leaves West Ham, he’ll want to go to a team where he’s going to be playing. No matter what team it is, he won’t want to be a bit-part player. He won’t mind rotation, but he won’t want to sit three or four games on the bench. That’s what he’s got to think about now, as a player, do you want to do that? Do you want to go back to Chelsea?
I’ve heard Arsenal are interested but I feel like you could have the same situation there because Partey and Xhaka are playing extremely well.
Liverpool is somewhere I think he would walk straight in and start. If I was Liverpool, my sights would be on people like him and Jude Bellingham.
You never know what will happen, all I know is the team that gets him are very lucky. He’s kept West Ham where they are for the last few years, he’s been that driving force. He covers so much ground, with and without the ball, the interceptions he makes. He does score goals, and if he was in a team that had more possession of the ball, I think he’d actually score more because of his technical ability. He’s a great striker of the ball.
Who else would you like to see Chelsea sign in the summer?
Victor Osimhen. If they’re not going to use Lukaku, I think that would be a perfect signing for Chelsea. The work rate that he puts in, his strength. You put the ball in the box and he’s got hang time.
He’s as close to Drogba in that respect as I’ve seen. He plays up front for Napoli on his own, he’s all over the place and teams can’t deal with him. It reminds me of how Drogba was in his prime at Chelsea. Nobody could deal with him, even if they doubled up on him, he was too strong, too clever. He would be somebody that I would say could get to somewhere near those levels.
