Clément Pédron, Media365, published on Sunday November 24, 2024 at 1:35 p.m.
Manchester City lost for the fifth time in a row in all competitions on Saturday against Tottenham (4-0). A negative series never before experienced by Pep Guardiola, just extended.
What the hell is going on at Manchester City? Nobody knows it yet and especially not the one who has just extended the adventure at the head of the club until 2027: Pep Guardiola. A little less than a month ago, the Skyblues started a negative series with a cup loss against Tottenham (2-1). Three weeks later, the reigning English champion was this time swept aside by the same Spurs (4-0). Between these two matches? Three defeats, two in the league against Bournemouth (2-1) and Brighton (2-1) and one in the Champions League league phase against Sporting (4-1). Saturday evening, Man City was absent and this fifth TCC setback is unusual.
After the meeting, Pep Guardiola, who has never experienced this in his sixteen-year career, was somewhat groggy. “In eight years, we have never experienced this kind of situation. Now we have to live it and break it by winning the next matches, especially the next one, insisted the technician. Today we see things a certain way, maybe in a few weeks we will see them differently. It's difficult to find the reasons for what's happening to us now, I don't remember losing three times in a row in the seven and a half years I've been here. We are in a dark place, everything seems to be going in the wrong direction. »
The Rodri factor?
How can we explain this series of poor results? The absence of Rodri is a first element of the answer. The Spaniard, winner of the Ballon d'Or, has been injured since September 22 against Arsenal and ruptured the cruciate ligament in his right knee. As the Team points out, last season, before the Cup final, Manchester City lost four games, all four without the Iberian midfielder. Should we see a cause and effect relationship? Possible because even if the Skyblues have people on the bench and in particular Kovacic to replace Rodri, the Croatian does not have the same dejection as his teammate. Are you missing just one being and everything is depopulated? It's very possible but not the only reason. And Pep Guardiola will have plenty of time to think about other avenues of thought. His team lost at home in the league for the first time since a setback against Brentford on November 12, 2022. And with the approach of a block of six matches where City will face Liverpool, Juventus and Manchester United in particular , the Spanish technician would be inspired to find the recipe for success.
