KEOWN TALKS TACTICS: Inter Milan should learn from Brentford’s approach on how to stop Man City

Manchester City are on the brink of history and, given the cruelty with which they sent Bayern Munich and Real Madrid to the quarter-finals and semi-finals, the temptation might be to think that this League of Nations final champions is a formality. This will not be the case.

Inter Milan will have to play the perfect match but they have the power to upset their opponents.

Looking at the list of defeats City have suffered this season and the tactics deployed by their opponents, Brentford were the only team to beat them home and away and they are closest to Inter in terms of form and 3-5-2 system.

When Brentford beat City 2-1 at the Etihad in November, Thomas Frank’s side sat on the edge of their box. They remained compact with the 10 field players behind the ball.

Goalkeeper David Raya made no attempt to pass out from behind as he tossed long balls towards Ivan Toney, depriving City of the chance to press high. Toney was a giant in the air, the underrated Bryan Mbeumo used his pace to get past the City defence, and Frank Onyeka moved forward from midfield in case there was a second ball up for grabs.

Inter Milan will have to play the perfect match but will possess the power to trouble Man City

Inter could take a similar approach which has seen Brentford goalkeeper David Raya (left) take a long kick with every attempt

Full-backs, particularly Rico Henry, flew down the flanks and delivered dangerous, early balls into the box. Brentford won the game in the 98th minute, Toney completing a blistering breakaway.

This could form the plan Inter will use to thwart City’s triple charge. Guardiola’s players will want to join Inter’s back three but they are difficult to isolate as full-backs Denzel Dumfries and Federico Dimarco will lock in to create a back five.

They are good defenders, aggressive and will take on challenges to get possession of the ball before they get going. Jack Grealish and Co must protect the ball and City must be ruthless if they are to beat these stubborn opponents.

Inter will not be in a hurry to restart. They will do anything to slow down the game.

I expect we’ll see all the old-school time-wasting tactics, from faking an injury to age-old goal kicks.

City are used to the ball being in play for over 60 minutes. That’s how they like it.

City mustn’t waste in front of goal against Inter side who like to slow play

Federico Dimarco (left) and Denzel Dumfries (right) will be part of a five-man defense trying to lock down City forwards

But in Inter’s Champions League semi-final second leg against AC Milan, it was closer to 50 minutes. City need to be patient and keep the ball moving, and not waste it in front of goal.

The stage is surely set for Erling Haaland to win this final for City. He has only scored one goal in his last seven games which must be starvation for him.

Haaland was so focused on winning the Champions League that as soon as the last ball was kicked in the FA Cup final, he shouted ‘one more’ to his teammates. One more goal from him and he can be immortalized in City history.

Striker Edin Dzeko and midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu are the jewels in Inter’s crown. Since their Champions League semi-final second leg on May 16, Dzeko has been protected by boss Simone Inzaghi, not starting a Serie A game.

Edin Dzeko (right) is one of the jewels in Inter’s attacking crowns after a stellar season

They wrapped him in cotton, only starting him in their Coppa Italia final, which they won 2-1 against Fiorentina.

In his absence, Romelu Lukaku looked sharp, scoring within a minute against Atalanta and setting up their eventual winner. We will undoubtedly see Lukaku from the substitutes’ bench.

City must also be wary of Calhanoglu, who leads Inter’s three-man midfield, usually with Nicolo Barella on one side and Henrikh Mkhitaryan on the other, unless they turn to Marcelo Brozovic.

It won’t be easy, but history awaits City tonight.