It’s been all but nightmares for Manchester City and Pep Guardiola for a month. The Premier League giants couldn’t touch the winning shore in their last 6 matches. The last win that they had was on October 26 against Southampton in the English Premier League. The downward leap started after that, with the first defeat to Tottenham Hotspur in the EFL Cup on 31st October.
It felt like it was a one-time thing, as England’s most dominant team in recent years wasn’t supposed to have a losing streak in the eyes of the football world. But when City met A.F.C. Bournemouth in the Premier League on November 2, they fell 1-2, and even then, no one would have predicted that it was the start of something unheard of in Pep Guardiola’s and the modern Manchester City’s resume-a month full of defeats.
4 days later, on November 6, Manchester City came back to the UCL, traveling to Lisbon to meet Cristiano Ronaldo’s childhood club Sporting Lisbon. That match caught a lot of eyeballs, not because of CR7 but because of Ruben Amorim, who later would take charge as the manager of Manchester United after that game.
For Amorim, not losing was equivalent to winning, as the Dutchman quoted ahead of the game as City seemed a Goliath for David in Sporting. As the history repeated, Sporting Lison completely annihilated Manchester City for four goals to one, and Amorim had his farewell sweeter than ever. But on the other side, things were really starting to fall off.
Manchester City could still climb up and out of the league phase of UCL, and that confidence echoed in the words of Pep Guardiola in the post-match presser. But when City went to the Falmer Stadium for their 3rd match of November to fight Brighton, their fourth consecutive defeat was waiting for them uninvited. The 2-1 defeat wounded Pep and City deeply, as the club, which was in the race for the Premier League at the beginning, was slowly falling behind the invincible Liverpool managed by Jürgen Klopp’s successor Arne Slot.
But the club was still behind the man that changed their destiny in English and world football. This was reflected in the next news that came out: Pep penning a new 2-year contract with City.
All smiles in City, but the actual problem was fueling up inside, and it fired up when City welcomed Tottenham Hotspur to the Etihad Stadium. The 4-0 loss was their 3rd consecutive defeat in the Premier League and 5th in all competitions.
The last one, but it might not be the final one, was yesterday against Feyenoord in the UEFA Champions League. Haaland’s double and Gundogan’s 50th-minute goal put City upfront. Pep’s team kept a 3-0 lead till the 74th minute. When it seemed like City had put the game to bed, 3 quick strikes from Feyenoord took the lights out of them. Getting tied in an ‘almost won’ match was more painful than a defeat.
Yeah, it hurts, said Pep Guardiola’s face at the press conference after the game as the Spaniard addressed the media with a bunch of bruises on his face and head. Did Pep Guardiola have a confrontation after the match, or did he do it to himself out of insufferable frustration? Pep answered the question in how Pep does normally, with a pinch of pun.
“I cut it with my finger. I want to hurt myself.”
Well, it’s all not fun at the Etihad Arena, as City’s next game is against the leaders, Liverpool, at a crying Anfield. With 12 matches being played, Liverpool looks untouchable at the top with 31 points, 8 clear points ahead of the second-third-placed City and Arsenal. With the magnificent form of their underappreciated star, Mohamed Salah, who has scored 10 goals so far, just 2 behind City’s stalwart, Erling Haaland, it could be another defeat that’s looming at Pep’s face.
Trouble in Paradise: Is the Pep Guardiola-Manchester City Love Story Nearing Its End?
Is it the beginning of the end? Well, it’s a bit early to predict that, considering Pep’s resume and the club backing him in the difficult situation. But Manchester City’s injury troubles at the back and in the midfield, including the 2024 Ballon d’Or winner Rodri, will make it harder for Guardiola to sail the boat forward. Once some of his players get back to the team, it would be an inhaler for the ‘Manchester in Blue’ and their decorated head coach. Meanwhile, let’s sit back, grab the popcorn, and enjoy the games ahead for good.
Get the Latest UEFA Champions League Updates at IceCric.News and Follow for Live Updates – Facebook & Instagram.
