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What’s going wrong for Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City?

By News Update

New Delhi: Manchester City, a team renowned for dominance and consistency under Pep Guardiola is now facing an unprecedented slump. A crushing 4-0 home defeat to Tottenham has exposed the struggles of the reigning champions, who are enduring their worst run since 2006.

At first, everything seemed perfect in Man City’s world post-international break with Guardiola’s contract extended for two years and Rodri returning home with Ballon d’Or. The home crowd welcomed the midfielder with a standing ovation. With kick-off, City were dominant for the first 10 minutes and Haaland even created two golden opportunities but failed to capitalize and as a result, it felt only a matter of time before the Spurs scored and opened the floodgates.

City’s recent performances have brought records they would rather forget. The loss to Tottenham marked their heaviest home defeat at the Etihad Stadium and the joint-biggest loss of Guardiola’s managerial career. This unraveling loss marked their fifth successive defeat something Pep has never experienced as a manager and Cityzen’s as a club last went through in 2006 under Stuart Pearce. For a side that has thrived on meticulous planning and tactical precision, these statistics represent a shocking fall from grace.

Let’s take a closer look at what exactly is going wrong at Manchester City.

Injury concerns and defensive fragility

Defensive solidity has long been a hallmark of Guardiola’s Manchester City, but this season, that foundation seems to be cracking. Rodri’s absence, often hailed as one of the best defensive midfielders in the world, has laid bare the team’s vulnerabilities. Without him, City’s win rate has taken a sharp hit, and their once-reliable defense now appears worryingly fragile.

City have conceded 14 goals in their last five games, a figure that could have been even higher if not for three crucial saves from Ederson. In their six home league matches this season, they have fallen behind by conceding the first goal in four of them.

The makeshift trio of Ilkay Gündogan, Rico Lewis, and Bernardo Silva struggled immensely against Tottenham overwhelmed by the dynamism of Yves Bissouma and Pape Matar Sarr. Gündogan appeared out of sync as he was unable to match the pace and intensity of Spurs’ relentless counter-attacks.

Defensive frailties compounded the issue with veterans like Kyle Walker exposed as seen when Timo Werner outpaced him to set up the fourth goal. This midfield imbalance and defensive vulnerability underline the challenges Guardiola must address to steady the ship.

Counter-attacks, which City once handled with precision, have now become a constant problem. Tottenham exploited this weakness mercilessly with four of their second-half chances coming from rapid transitions. This season, City are facing an average of 1.17 shots on the counter per game marking a significant rise from their previous high of 0.66.

Aging squad and offensive woes

City’s aging squad is also a concern. Over half of their Premier League minutes this season have been played by players aged 29 or older, the highest percentage in the league. While experience is valuable it appears to come at the cost of dynamism and energy.

Offensively, City’s efficiency has plummeted. Their goals per game have nearly halved during this losing streak, dropping from 2.3 to 0.8. Simultaneously, opposition teams are finding the net with alarming regularity, averaging 2.8 goals against City in these matches. Despite having 23 shots against Tottenham they failed to score a pattern indicative of deeper problems in converting opportunities.

A tactical reset needed

Guardiola’s tactical acumen has often been the key to City’s dominance but even he acknowledges the current issues go beyond a single problem. City have lost their signature control in matches becoming susceptible to box-to-box play which Guardiola admitted does not suit his team’s style. “We were always a team who conceded few, but now we concede more,” he said, reflecting on the uncharacteristic fragility of his side.

Guardiola himself admitted that a dip in form was inevitable after years of sustained success. However, he emphasized the need to “accept the reality and break it.” But breaking this cycle is proving to be a formidable challenge particularly with Liverpool threatening to pull away at the top of the Premier League table.

Can Man City bounce back?

The road ahead is daunting. With Liverpool possibly stretching their lead to 11 points, City’s hopes of defending their title are hanging by a thread. Even Guardiola admitted that closing such a gap might be an uphill battle. However, he emphasized the need to address the team’s immediate problems instead of worrying about the bigger picture.

City’s next Premier League clash, a trip to Anfield could define their season. A loss there might all but end their hopes of retaining the title. But as Guardiola reminded everyone, “Now you realize how difficult what we have done is.”

Manchester City are at a crossroads. Injuries, aging players, defensive lapses, and an inability to convert chances have combined to create a perfect storm. Guardiola’s faith in his players remains intact but the reality is clear this is a fragile team grappling with unprecedented challenges. To salvage their season, they must rediscover their identity, tighten their defense, and find their attacking rhythm. If anyone can orchestrate such a revival, it’s Pep Guardiola, who has done it before and can do it again—but the clock is ticking.

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