Manchester City drew 0-0 at home to Internazionale, only the second time in 42 home Champions League games under Pep Guardiola that they have drawn, despite two late chances for Ilkay Gundogan.

Inter threatened regularly and defended resolutely, but Gundogan still had a few good chances to win the match, the first chance he headed at goalkeeper Yann Sommer and the second over the bar in one of the last moments of the match.

Pep Guardiola also grew frustrated when Kevin De Bruyne appeared uncomfortable after an effort was blocked late in the first half, and was replaced in a double substitution at half-time.

Inter manager Simone Inzaghi, whose side were dangerous on the counter-attack for much of the game, could not hide his frustration when former Manchester United defender Matteo Darmian attempted a backheel pass as he headed towards goal 10 minutes into the second half.

Sam Lee and Michael Cox analyse the match.

Is an attack on Inter a good omen for the new Champions League?

It is too early to judge the new ‘Swiss model’ format of the Champions League, and the real test will come later in this strange combined phase of the competition. Will teams actually care about third place rather than sixth? Will enough TV viewers really care about who manages to finish in the top 24, given that those teams are likely to be eliminated in the play-off round anyway? We will have to wait and see.

But Inter’s performance here was a fair advert for the new system. Had this been a standard fixture in the usual four-team group, there would have been more incentive for Inter to play defensively. They would have been happy to deny City three points, and would have been content in the knowledge that their other group stage opponents were unlikely to match their performance to earn a point.

With the bigger format of the competition, there is less reason to deny City victory. They are not just competing with City, and other teams are playing City. Perhaps it was a coincidence, but there was a bit of a ‘nothing to lose’ feeling about Inter, knowing they had seven games to make up for it if their audacity proved to be their undoing.

Michael Cox

Should we be worried about De Bruyne?

There was a bit on a recent episode of Stick to Football where the panel was discussing Casemiro, and Roy Keane remarked that once a player turns 30, everyone starts to over-analyse poor performances. The comparisons between the current Casemiro and Kevin De Bruyne end there, but there always seems to be a bit of extra attention on the City midfielder these days, not just because he’s 33, but also because of the serious hamstring injury he suffered last season.

De Bruyne has actually started the season very well, and not just in the sense of ‘things are going well’, but as if he is sharper than ever. Guardiola was asked about this on Tuesday and he replied that it might be more difficult now that City are playing every few days rather than just at the weekend, but that goes for everyone.

De Bruyne was in pain after this chance was blocked (Photo: Simon Stacpoole/Offside/Offside via Getty Images)

De Bruyne struggled a little against Inter — at one point Rodri called him names, only to have him respond with: “What do you expect me to do?!” — and was sometimes pushed further to the left in his position. His night ended at half-time, after a minor knock in the process of trying to smuggle in an opening goal from a narrow angle apparently forced him off.

With Phil Foden having finished last season so well in a central role and now returning ill to replace him here, it is inevitable that nights like this will take on added significance. But De Bruyne has indicated so far this season that there is still plenty of energy left in the tank.

Sam Lee

Why did Darmian do a backheel?

Inter had a great chance to take the lead shortly after the break when Darmian was played in behind the City defence, but he made a strange decision that left his manager furious on the touchline.

First Darmian is passed and he drives towards goal while Josko Gvardiol tries to overtake him…

But as he closes in on Ederson, the 34-year-old defender decides to attempt a backheel, possibly in an attempt to set up Nicolo Barella…

Whatever the plan, Darmian’s attempt flies past Barella…

And falls at Grealish’s feet, wasting the chance and infuriating his manager…

How were City and Haaland stopped?

Sometimes you watch games like this, where the home side are the big favourites but fail to score, and you instinctively think: “Hmm, maybe they just need a proper No.9 to be present in the penalty area?” But of course Erling Haaland, with eight goals in his previous three games, is just that man for Manchester City.

Haaland had a decent effort that went just wide in the first half, but Inter deserve credit for largely containing him. This is a typically mean Italian defence with three central defenders who really like to defend, not just in the penalty area but also in the six-yard box. Protected by three central midfielders who can stay close to the defence as the two strikers in turn drop back into their own thirds, Inter are one of the most frustrating teams to play against in Europe.

However, City may feel they could have caused them more problems, particularly in the wide spaces where Inter were under-manned in their 3-5-2 formation. City offered no great threat down the left flank, where Jack Grealish was stationed but still too cautious in possession. The departures of Kevin De Bruyne and Savinho at half-time meant City were without their main crosser and their main dribbler. Phil Foden and Gundogan came on, with Bernardo Silva moving to the right flank, but that made for a less direct City, with Jeremy Doku called up too late to make an impact.

There was some good combination play, particularly with Rico Lewis in the right channel, and several players offered a threat from distance, with Josko Gvardiol and Rodri trying their luck. Gundogan also had two late headers.

City’s xG was over 1.5, and yet you still felt Inter deserved a clean sheet because of their defence.

Michael Cox

Is Ederson back in full force?

For understandable reasons, Ederson looked a little sluggish in pre-season and even in the first games of the season proper. He had missed the end of City’s run-in and the Copa America with a broken eye socket and wanted to leave in the summer, but that never happened. If he wasn’t in top physical or mental shape, there couldn’t be any real complaints.

The only hope would be that it wouldn’t take long, and on recent evidence he seems to be getting into the swing of things. His passing has been a little off in the early games, and given his accuracy over the years, any small drop-off could make a big difference. But that was clearly in the spotlight for all the right reasons at the weekend, following his assist for Haaland, and he was called upon to make more traditional contributions – actual saves – at various points on Wednesday, and he always had an answer.

There aren’t many games where City face so many shots and he hasn’t really made a name for himself as a quality goalkeeper, but he impressed here on a night when City needed him.

Sam Lee

What’s next for Manchester City?

Sunday September 22: Arsenal (home), Premier League, 4.30pm BST, 11.30am ET

What’s next for Inter?

Sunday September 22: Milan (home), Premier League, 19:45 BST, 14:45 ET

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(Photo: Carl Recine/Getty Images)