The unbeaten 3–2–4–1 formation from Pep Guardiola (2024)

Manchester City’s triumph in the 2022/23 season is not devoid of reasons. Players who could finally adapt to Pep Guardiola’s new system played a vital role in the success of Manchester City’s play last season, particularly in crucial fixtures against top teams, leading to their coveted treble win. Although winning the Premier League has become a regular occurrence for Pep Guardiola over the past six years, an unbeaten record in the FA Cup and even in the Champions League is a remarkable achievement for the master tactician to have finally achieved. So, ultimately, Guardiola’s achievements last season can be attributed to the new formation system he implemented for the first time as manager of Manchester City: the 3–2–4–1 formation.

There were several reasons that prompted Pep Guardiola to adopt this formation. The first was the presence of Erling Haaland as a target striker. This was a position that had been lacking during Guardiola’s reign. Additionally, the 4–2–3–1 formation, which Guardiola had utilized in previous seasons, was more effective with players like Haaland, who prioritize finishing, in the striker position. In the previous season, Guardiola frequently deployed Gabriel Jesus in the number 9 position. He is a versatile player who could play any position and was often used as a false-9. However, his weakness was his ability to hold the ball up and win long balls, and with Haaland’s presence, that weakness could finally be covered up. To maximize forward passes and increase effectiveness when there’s already a target man on the front, Pep opts to position four attacking midfielders behind the target forward and that’s why he used a 3–2–4–1 formation.

The second explanation lies in Pep Guardiola’s desire to reassert the two defensive midfield (CDM) positions. With Fernandinho having left the team at the start of the 2022/23 season, Guardiola has decided to bring in another CDM in the form of Kalvin Phillips from Leeds United. Fernandinho played mainly as a holding midfielder in the 4–3–3 formation until he suffered an injury and was replaced by Gundogan for a few months. This prompted Pep Guardiola to gradually realize that Gundogan could also play effectively in a defensive midfield position. In 2019, Vincent Kompany departed from his role as centre-back and Fernandinho’s age also became a city concern. As a result, Fernandinho was utilized mainly as a backup for the center-back, particularly during Aymeric Laporte’s injury at that time. Guardiola finally bought Rodri in 2019, so when Kompany left, it turned out that Fernandinho could replace him, so Guardiola decided to buy a pure defensive midfield. In 2020, Ruben Dias joined the team, which prompted Guardiola to experiment with a new formation.

He moved away from the standard 4–3–3 and instead employed a 4–2–3–1 formation. Dias and Laporte occupied the center-back position, while Rodri and Fernandinho filled the defensive midfield role. As I mentioned earlier if Gundogan turned out to be able to work in that position, Guardiola more often used him with Rodri to become a double pivot, and since then Fernandinho has rarely been used anymore. In order to improve the functionality of the double pivot role, Pep Guardiola opted to purchase a new natural defensive midfielder, Phillips, but unfortunately, he has not been able to fulfill the CDM position alongside Rodri effectively. Subsequently, in the early 2022/23 season, Guardiola returned Ilkay Gundogan and Bernardo Silva to the CDM position alongside Rodri in a 4–2–3–1 formation.

The third factor, which is linked to the second one, concerns the defensive midfield position. Pep Guardiola opted to deploy John Stones, a center-back, as a double pivot with Rodri. From my point of view, Guardiola made this decision in order to allow Gundogan and Bernardo to concentrate on attacking midfield duties and to ensure smoother ball circulation in midfield, particularly when his team played offensively. Recognizing the situation, John Stones was tasked with assuming the role. With his innate defensive capabilities, he is at ease playing in that position. As a result, Pep Guardiola opted to deploy three defenders, with Stones playing in the pivot position. The use of a back three affords greater opportunities for attacking midfield positions, which can be covered by four players. Although the 4–2–3–1 formation can also provide a balanced game between offense and defense, considering the players’ composition that season, placing Ilkay Gundogan next to Kevin de Bruyne as an attacking midfielder would be more effective. Therefore, Pep Guardiola tends to use the 3–2–4–1 formation. However, it is worth noting that the 3–2–4–1 formation is derived from the offensive play created by the 4–2–3–1 formation.

Using a 3–2–4–1 formation can enhance both offensive and defensive play during crucial matches, as demonstrated by Pep Guardiola’s successful use of the tactic last season. In the Premier League’s 20th match week, Guardiola effectively implemented the formation, while also intermittently utilizing a 4–2–3–1 formation depending on the opponent. The 3–2–4–1 formation was repeatedly employed by City from the round of 16 through to the final match of the Champions League. Successful execution of the formation is contingent upon the City’s starting XI adaptability and performance. Not all players can play their role in that position, and the players who successfully executed it are the starting XI of the 2022/23 Champions League final. To attain previous success with the arrival of new players this season, Guardiola must reintroduce the 4–2–3–1 formation at the beginning of the season to blend his players. If these players have familiarised themselves with Guardiola’s scheme, then the previously undefeated 3–2–4–1 formation can be accomplished once more.

Overall, if the 3–2–4–1 formation is directly linked to its starting XI players, it can be concluded:

Erling Haaland’s focus is on being a target forward who requires a significant amount of ball supply from midfield. Therefore, the team must fill this position with a player who possesses exceptional finishing skills. In terms of attacking midfielders, Ilkay Gundogan and Kevin De Bruyne are poised to support one another in propelling the ball forward. Gundogan plays with a more offensive approach while De Bruyne is integral to orchestrating the entirety of the game. Bernardo Silva is expected to assume a right midfield position while Jack Grealish will operate on the left, with both players capable of delivering crosses and moving into the center if required, particularly if the target man is being marked by multiple defenders. Rodri and John Stones will interchange roles based on the situation, with Rodri potentially playing an offensive role while Stones takes a defensive stance or vice versa. The positioning and skills of these players will determine the effectiveness of the 3–2–4–1 formation. Ruben Dias will predominantly act as an out-and-out defender for optimal defensive coverage, while John Stones can step in as an extra center-back during the match, particularly for effective man-marking, and to minimize susceptibility to counter-attacks when he playing defensively. Manuel Akanji, tasked with playing as a right-back, and Nathan Ake, playing as a left-back, are expected to mark the opponent’s winger closely. If the opposition does not use a winger, Akanji and Ake will have more freedom in their movements, particularly in counter-attack situations. Kyle Walker is also part of Guardiola’s formation scheme and plays as a right-back to substitute Ake, who has sustained injuries in various matches. Akanji will be replaced by Walker and move to the left side to take over Ake’s position.