The reigning English champions have not only lost 5 games in a row, but they also lack the mental resilience that made them successful.
New Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim said Pep Guardiola's contract renewal with Manchester City was “a problem for everyone here”, but based on recent developments, the extended stay of the Manchester United Catalan should be celebrated by every other team in the Premier League. Surveying the rubble of the humiliating 4-0 defeat to Tottenham, the City boss might have wanted to look at that contract to see if it contained any termination clauses.
It was a devastating and shocking defeat for City, but far from an accidental result. It was the latest example in a series of negative performances from a team that appears to have lost as much of its hunger as its legs. Looking at the manner in which City surrendered so timidly against Tottenham as they hurtled towards a fifth consecutive defeat, it is no exaggeration to say that Guardiola faces as daunting a task in cleaning up this mess as Amorim does in his attempt to revive United.
It was a day for statistics lovers to savor. It was the first time a reigning English league champion had lost five games in a row since Chelsea in 1956. It was the first time City had lost five games in all competitions since 2006, when Stuart Pearce was in charge . The same Stuart Pearce who put goalkeeper David James in attack in a bid to qualify for Europe. It was City's worst home defeat since the 5–1 loss to Arsenal in February 2003, when they were still playing at Maine Road.
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There were also many firsts for Guardiola: it was the first time he had lost three consecutive matches in the Premier League and the first time in his 17-year coaching career that he had lost five consecutive matches in all competitions. It was also the only time they had lost a home match by four goals.
