The scrutiny surrounding Manchester City’s goalkeeping position looks set to rumble on after Claudio Bravo’s error-strewn debut at Old Trafford.
New Manchester City goalkeeper Claudio Bravo may be too lightweight to survive in English football, according to award-winning journalist Michael Calvin.
Bravo arrived at the Etihad for £15.4 million last month, according to the BBC, having gained a reputation as one of the best ‘keepers in the world with the ball at his feet during a trophy-laden spell with Barcelona.
However, the Chilean had rather more trouble with his hands during his City bow on Saturday, making a series of high profile errors in a hard-fought 2-1 victory against Manchester United.
The Chilean’s inability to claim a simple cross allowed Zlatan Ibrahimovic to half the deficit on the stroke of half-time (below) before he somehow avoided giving away a penalty for a clumsy challenge on Wayne Rooney in the second 45.
United manager Jose Mourinho was in little doubt that the 33-year-old should have received a straight red for the lunge, an opinion shared by journalist Calvin, who also believes Bravo may not have the stature to survive in English football.
“What surprised me was how small Claudio Bravo looked. He looked like a hobbit in that goal,” said Calvin told the Press Pass on Talksport at 6pm on Sunday afternoon.
“Pep has obviously put a lot of faith in Bravo, he signed him because he suits his style of play and maybe he feels he needs to back that up.
“But I feel that if Bravo had been a midfield player and he made that challenge anywhere else on the pitch, he’d have been off. It was a straight red. He was late and he was reckless (below).”
Joe Hart, who was controversially ousted to make way for Bravo at the Etihad, endured a similarly shaky debut on loan at Serie A side Torino, flapping at a corner to provide Atalanta with the platform for their 2-1 away win.
Despite the doubts over his ability to suit Guardiola’s possession-based gameplan, Hart was a proven Premier League goalkeeper for whom such mistakes were few and far between.
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