Manchester City once again failed to secure a win after being held to a draw by Roma at home. Aguero scored from a penalty in the 4th minute, but Totti equalized in the 23rd.
English media outlets criticized City's failure to claim their first Champions League victory of the season. To advance to the round of 16, City would likely need to edge out Roma, as Bayern seemed almost certain to qualify. City's inability to defeat Roma at home led the media to express growing doubts about City's chances of progressing beyond the group stage.
Paul Scholes highlighted the lack of atmosphere at the Etihad, suggesting that City needed stronger fan support to create the electric atmosphere needed for European nights, much like Old Trafford on Champions League evenings.
Liverpool also faced heavy criticism after a 1-0 away loss to Basel in Switzerland.
Outlets like The Independent were direct, pointing to Liverpool's lack of precision and defensive weaknesses. Brendan Rodgers' squad was seen as lacking the tactical cohesion needed for Champions League success, with multiple analysts calling for tactical improvements if Liverpool hoped to advance in the tournament.
Meanwhile, Chelsea secured a 1-0 victory over Sporting Lisbon. Overall, the media praised Chelsea, though some criticism lingered over missed opportunities.
Arsenal emerged as the standout English team in the second week of the Champions League, defeating Galatasaray 4-1. Welbeck, who scored a hat-trick, received widespread acclaim.
Kenneth continued his strong form as well. On October 5th, in an away game against Norwich, he scored a goal within 60 minutes of play and contributed to City's second goal.
He earned a rating of 8.0 and received two attribute points, which he applied to stamina and natural fitness.
He then went on to score a hat-trick in the next match against West Ham, earning three attribute points, which he applied to stamina, natural fitness, and positioning.
On October 21st, Manchester City U19 traveled to Russia with the senior squad for their third-round Champions League and Youth League matches against CSKA Moscow.
Manchester City U19 defeated the hosts 4-0. Kenneth recorded one goal and two assists, but it was Pozo's hat-trick and constant threat that captivated the audience.
Although Kenneth missed out on man of the match, he still received two attribute points. With his stamina maxed out, he allocated the points to natural fitness and balance.
Unlike the junior squad, the senior Manchester City team failed to win, with Natcho scoring a penalty in the 86th minute for CSKA. This result put City back under scrutiny. Fortunately, Bayern's 7-1 demolition of Roma left City with a chance to reach the round of 16.
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Vieira divided his team into two groups, red and blue. He instructed the red team to retain possession for as long as possible while the blue team attempted to win it back. Once the blue team regained possession, the red team would then try to reclaim it. The drill ended when a team managed to hold possession for seven minutes.
Each team consisted of five players. Kenneth, Maffeo, Bersant Celina, Kean Bryan, and Brandon Barker made up the blue team, while Pozo, Thierry Ambrose, Iheanacho, O. Ntcham, and Adarabioyo formed the red team.
The red team quickly set out to establish their possession.
"Move, Thierry! Find space!" Pozo called out, directing Ambrose to make a run into the open area.
"Over here, Kelechi!" Ambrose called, passing to Iheanacho, who was lurking nearby.
"Don't let them move it around!" Kenneth shouted to the blue team. "Maffeo, close that space!"
Maffeo reacted instantly, pressing Iheanacho and successfully intercepting the ball.
"Kean, up front!" Maffeo yelled, sending the ball to Bryan.
However, Bryan struggled to control it, allowing Adarabioyo, who was nearby, to snatch it away.
"Pozo, be ready!" Adarabioyo called out, though he passed the ball to O. Ntcham instead.
Suddenly, Kenneth sprinted in and slid to tackle, intercepting the pass. Ntcham chased him down, but Kenneth's dribbling skills and speed allowed him to outmaneuver Ntcham repeatedly. Kenneth then passed the ball to Bersant Celina.
The game moved quickly, but Kenneth's superior stamina helped the blue team clinch victory.
After the game, Kenneth took off his blue training shirt and went for a light jog followed by some stretching.
A week after the match against CSKA Moscow, Manchester City U-21 prepared to face Leicester City. However, Kenneth wouldn't be in the starting lineup or on the bench. He'd been informed he was listed as a substitute for the senior squad's League Cup match against Newcastle United.
On October 28, Manchester City U21, without Kenneth, ended in a 2-2 draw with Leicester City, with City's goals coming from Iheanacho and Pozo.
The following day, the League Cup match between City and Newcastle United took place.
Pellegrini's starting lineup was set as follows: Caballero; B. Sagna, M. Demichelis, E. Mangala, A. Kolarov; James Milner, Fernandinho, Yaya Toure, David Silva; Jovetic, and Dzeko.
Meanwhile, the bench included Nasri, Navas, Hart, Aguero, Zabaleta, Fernando, and Kenneth.
In contrast to City's squad, Pardew, Newcastle's manager, opted to field young and less-experienced players.
Newcastle came into the match with momentum, having beaten Leicester and Spurs in their last two games. City, however, were on a negative streak, with a draw against CSKA Moscow followed by a 2-1 Premier League loss to West Ham.
Sure enough, within six minutes, City conceded a goal scored by 18-year-old Rolando Aarons. The goal stemmed from a misplaced back pass, and Aarons, quicker than City's center-backs, got to the ball and scored from a tight angle.
Just two minutes after the goal, Silva appeared injured. The medical staff came onto the field to check his condition. Pellegrini looked anxious; Silva was a crucial player, and losing him would be a big blow for City. He decided to make a substitution.
Ruben Cousilas, Pellegrini's long-time assistant, whispered, "I think we should give Kenneth a chance. It's only the League Cup; we can't risk another main player getting injured."
"He's too young, and it's too early. He might run out of energy before the match ends."
"When that happens, we can sub him out, of course."
Pellegrini finally nodded. "Alright, you're probably right."
He then told Kenneth to get ready. In the 9th minute, Kenneth came on to replace David Silva. Before entering, Ruben gave him a few instructions.
Kenneth nodded calmly; he already understood Pellegrini's tactics well. Pellegrini was using a 4-4-2 formation that could transition into a 4-2-3-1.
Kolarov and Sagna, as wingbacks, held their width and pushed forward to occupy the left and right corridors. Dzeko played as the target man in the center, while the three attacking midfielders—Kenneth, Milner, and Jovetic in this match—had freedom to roam.
Additionally, Yaya Toure was given license to push forward as well. Only Fernandinho, Demichelis, and Mangala were strictly tasked with defensive duties, which often left City vulnerable to counterattacks.
While both Pellegrini and Pep practiced possession football, Pellegrini emphasized chance creation, whereas Pep focused on control. This difference was evident in Pellegrini's instructions, allowing City's creative players to take risky passes.
After stepping onto the field, Kenneth played cautiously. He knew City was trailing, so he avoided shooting from distance or making overly risky passes.
Without Silva, Navas, Nasri, or Aguero on the field, Manchester City lacked creativity. They struggled to break through Newcastle's well-organized defense.