Man City v Sheffield United player ratings: Foden 9, Rodri 8; Osula 7, Slimane 4

Goals from Rodri and Alvarez give Pep Guardiola's side points in 2-0 win

Ederson 6/10

MANCHESTER CITY RATINGS: Did well to claim a header from Osula just before the interval. A spectator for most of the game. AP

Kyle Walker 7/10

Fearsome 30-yard shot that whistled past the post on 24 minutes. Smart ball for Foden almost came off. Tried several shots that weren't far off target as Sheffield United attempted to park the bus. AFPShow less

Manuel Akanji 6/10

Vital block on Osula shot just before half-time. A comfortable afternoon in the main. Getty Images

Nathan Ake 6/10

Found Osula's pace troublesome at times. Tidied up as Slimane looked to break five minutes before half-time. Getty Images

Josko Gvardiol 6/10

Very scrappy in first half. Gave the ball away more than once, much to Pep Guardiola's frustration. Improved in second half as he made some probing passes. Reuters

Mateo Kovacic 6/10

Another City player who was guilty of surrendering possession at times. AP

Rodri 8/10

Showed again why he is so valuable to City. Scored their first with a low drive from outside the box. Lovely lofted pass for Foden almost led to a goal. Wins possession and is so capable of hurting teams when he has it. AFPShow less

Bernardo Silva 7/10

Neat and tidy as always. Supplied good cross for a headed chance by Alvarez. Linked played well and forced a good save from Fotheringham in the first half. Action Images

Phil Foden 9/10

His constant threat deserved a goal. Plays in the pocket very intelligently. Great movement and clever runs. Several shots that went close. Teed up Alvarez for second. Getty Images

Jack Grealish 7/10

Beautiful touch with the outside of his left foot to set up Alvarez for an early chance. Understandably, in light of his off-field issues this week, was taken off early in the second for Bobb. PA

Julian Alvarez 6/10

Early left-footed chance from outside the box flashed just wide. Close-range finish for City's second. AFP

Oscar Bobb 7/10

CITY SUBS: Oscar Bobb (on for Grealish 52'): Great injection of energy when he came on. Superb cross into the box but there was no-one there to add the finishing touch. Played a beautiful pass in the build-up to City's second. Shot saved after great link-up with Foden. ReutersShow less

Rico Lewis 5/10

(on for Kovacic 68'): Couldn't get his feet sorted when presented with a chance in the box. AP

Ruben Dias 6/10

(on for Walker 68'): Just failed to meet a corner with his head late in the game. PA

Wes Foderingham 6/10

SHEFFIELD UNITED RATINGS. Brilliant save to deny Bernardo Silva on 21 minutes. Not much he could do about City's goals. Some dodgy distribution almost put his team in trouble late on. Action Images

George Baldock 5/10

Offered little in the way of an attacking threat. Worked hard in an effort to deny City space. EPA

Jack Robinson 6/10

Lucky to get away with an overambitious pass that almost gifted the ball to City on 37 minutes. Huffed and puffed to keep things tight but often troubled by City's fluidity. Getty Images

Auston Trusty 6/10

Kept City's forwards at arm's length for most of the first half, as the visitors proved hard to break down and the home side were restricted to shooting from long range. Vital block to deny Foden in second half. Bailed out his keeper in stoppage time. APShow less

Jayden Bogle 6/10

Part of an organised Blades backline. Caught in possession to allow a break by Bernardo Silva at one point. Shot straight at Ederson just before the break when presented with a chance. Made some decent runs and crosses. Had a shot late in game that was deflected wide. PAShow less

Vinicius Souza 6/10

Did well to pick Grealish's pocket in a dangerous position just after half-time. Up against it in the face of City's midfield movement. Getty Images

Oliver Norwood 5/10

Struggled to have much of an impact on the game. AFP

Luke Thomas 6/10

Important headed clearance from a Grealish cross just after the half-hour as Alvarez waited to pounce in the box. Battled hard. AFP

Anis Slimane 4/10

Gave the ball away sloppily more than once. Hooked with 20 minutes to go. Getty Images

Andre Brooks 5/10

Tracked back well early in second half. A bystander for much of the game. AFP

William Osula 7/10

His team's main threat. His pace gave Ake a headache. Started game brightly. Decent break on six minutes. Great chance to equalise just before half-time. Should have done better with it. Made way for Archer. PAShow less

Cameron Archer 5/10

SHEFF UTD SUBS. Archer (on for Osula 67'): Almost set up Bogle late in game. Getty Images

Rhian Brewster 6/10

Brewster (on for Slimane 67'); Osborn (for Brooks 80'). N/A; Norrington-Davies (on for Thomas 90'). Getty Images

Manchester City closed the gap on Premier League leaders Liverpool to just two points as they cruised past bottom-of-the-table Sheffield United at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday.

Rodri opened the scoring for the defending champions with a low drive from the edge of the box after 14 minutes following a clever pass from Phil Foden.

With the Blades defending deep, City were limited to long-range efforts for much of the first half.

And it took another intelligent piece of play by Foden, excelling in the No 10 role, to open them up midway through the second half.

This time the England midfielder linked well with substitute Oscar Bobb before sending a low cross into the area that was neatly finished from close range by Julian Alvarez.

The victory lifts Pep Guardiola's side into third place in the table, level on 40 points with Arsenal in fourth and two points behind Liverpool and second-place Aston Villa, who snatched a late win over 10-man Burnley at Villa Park. City have a game in hand over Unai Emery's side.

Chris Wilder's Blades remain bottom of the table after their defeat at the Etihad Stadium and remain without an away win all season.

Guardiola said after the win: "Really good we – played the game we should play it's not easy to attack this defence so deep. It's compact and we had to make crosses but without Erling [Haaland] that's difficult. We had to find the small spaces. They moved really well and we played a solid game. Better second half than the first but what we wanted to go into the New Year with a good result.

"Sometimes you need time, when they defend so deep it's difficult. We had to be patient and they didn't want to push or press so you have to be calm and do it in the right moment. We had the momentum and we did really well."

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