If you were to compare American and British sports, you wouldn’t start with baseball and soccer. They are about as far apart as you could imagine. Even when you delve under the surface, there aren’t many similarities. However, one that stands out is the link between Manchester City and the New York Yankees.
Yes, they are two of the biggest teams in their respective sports and renowned on a global level. For example, City and the Yankees featured in the top 20 of Forbes’ 2021 rich list, however, more features bond them together, especially this season.
Write-Offs
The New York Yankees have been written off for years, mainly because the franchise’s last World Series victory was in 2009. That means fans have waited over a decade for something to cheer about, which is why the supporters are used to being written off from the moment the MLB season gets underway.
Manchester City’s fanbase has found itself in a similar situation this year. What’s weird about the tide turning against City is that they are the current Premier League champions. Still, it seems as if it’s fashionable to predict their reign will end, just like the Yankees. Of course, as the Yankees have shown, you should never write off true champions. After all, New York has made it to the playoffs on the last five occasions, narrowly missing out on the World Series in 2019.
Across the pond, Pep Guardiola’s side is highlighting why it was wrong to suggest Chelsea was the strongest side by beating the Blues away from home and drawing with Liverpool at Anfield. Currently, the outright Premier League betting markets stake the Citizens as -110 favorites to take the crown. It’s because Manchester City have shown why they deserve to be the leading contenders recently.
Inconsistent Offense
This year hasn’t gone without its trials and tribulations for both teams, though. There are signs of stress throughout the rosters, but the glaringly obvious connection is in the offenses. They are very inconsistent of late.
The Yankees were successful in terms of the number of walks secured however, on the flip side, it meant the franchise has had the lowest swing rate. This has led to them falling to the bottom of the league concerning the rates of contact on balls in the zone. Man City’s attack isn’t in perfect harmony now that the club doesn’t have a recognized world-class center-forward, either.
Rake Show. pic.twitter.com/NyIQxayQRY
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) July 2, 2018
To put it into perspective, the squad managed to win the division without Sergio Aguero in 2020/2021, scoring 83 goals. The same setup this season will only lead to 76 goals, both of which are way below the goals-per-match ratio of 2.5 when City won the league in 2019.
Reliance on Their Star Player
The numbers for City so far this season prove that they need Kevin De Bruyne to step up to the plate. He currently has one goal in the EPL and zero assists. Last campaign, he created 12 goals, scoring six. Phil Foden and Jack Grealish will chip in, yet the Belgian is the key to their overall success.
The New York Yankees are no different. Indeed, it’s arguably that their reliance on Gerrit Cole is more intense. The pitcher looks as if he’s a serious contender for the Cy Young Award, and a $324 million contract means he’s the future of the franchise.
City and the Yankees could easily develop a handful of incredible performers in the next year or two. Right now, they need De Bruyne and Cole to carry them on their shoulders. Although the sports may be very different, the connection between Man City and the New York Yankees becomes more apparent season after season.
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