Liverpool escape Man City
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Pep Guardiola has never experienced this in his coaching career: five consecutive defeats in competition. This clearly left its mark on Manchester City – especially before the duel against their closest championship rivals, FC Liverpool, who were able to extend their lead to eight points with an away victory at Southampton on Sunday. « We’re not used to losing so many games in a row, » Guardiola admitted after the 4-0 Premier League debacle against Tottenham. “It happened. We must do everything possible to turn things around, especially in the next match.
Updated at 5:15 p.m.: Liverpool narrowly but deservedly won 3-2 (1-1) against bottom team Southampton on Sunday. Mohamed Salah made the difference by scoring 2-2 for the visitors in the 65th minute and scoring the winning goal from the penalty spot in the 83rd minute. Liverpool took the lead thanks to Dominik Szoboszlai (30th). But Southampton played the game cheerfully and were rewarded with a penalty. Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhín Kelleher managed to block Adam Armstrong’s shot (42nd), but the next shot ended up in the net. In the second half, Mateus Fernandes (56th) even gave the outsiders the advantage. But thanks to Salah, there were no surprises.
If Man City also lose at Anfield, the fifth consecutive championship would likely be ruled out. “We are not in a situation where we are thinking about what will happen at the end of the season,” Guardiola said, looking resigned. “If we don’t win (the title) in the end, it’s because we don’t deserve it.”
The Spaniard only extended his contract on Thursday to set an example in the crisis. The hoped-for effect has run out of steam, as the “Sunday Times” notes: “New contract, new low”.
Guardiola: ‘I didn’t think we would lose three games in a row in the Premier League’
The series champions presented themselves as anything but masterful against Tottenham. Supporters at the Etihad Stadium, spoiled by success, rubbed their eyes in amazement as their Citizens marched in stages in front of the London guests. “Spurs dismantled Man City in every piece,” summarizes “The Telegraph”. The first home defeat since November 2022 and after 52 matches was also the highest in 18 years. The Manchester Evening News called it a “horror show”.
Guardiola found it difficult to objectively characterize the situation. “After eight years here, I knew that sooner or later we were going to crash,” the 53-year-old said. « I didn’t think we would lose three Premier League games in a row, but we were incredibly consistent (before) over and over again. But the reality is things like that happen in (Site notre bureau spécialisé) and in life.
There are many possible reasons for the crisis. Former top players such as Kyle Walker, İlkay Gündoğan and Kevin De Bruyne are past their prime. The British media spoke of “tired legs” and “saturation”. Top scorer Erling Haaland suffers from scrambling. The striker, who scored ten goals in the first five league matches of the season, has scored just twice in the last seven matches.
Turnaround at Man City? Next opportunity Tuesday against Rotterdam
What the Citizens are missing most at the moment became clear before kick-off. Rodri, out until the end of the season after knee surgery, was celebrated with great fanfare at the Etihad Stadium as the first Ballon d’Or winner in Manchester City’s history. The English (Site notre bureau spécialisé) champions had lost only two of 78 matches against the Spaniard. Rodri’s long-term absence now hurts as a result.
The past has repeatedly shown that Manchester City should not be written off too early. But the worst crisis of the Guardiola era can no longer be explained. The Spaniard himself knows this too, having never lost five competitive matches in a row during his coaching career. On Tuesday there is a chance of a turnaround in the Champions League against Feyenoord Rotterdam.
