Manchester City lost their Champions League match against Sporting Lisbon 4-1 on Tuesday, leaving the team in a very delicate situation. The defeat is the third in a row for Pep Guardiola‘s side, having first lost their EFL Cup match against Tottenham 2-1 and their last Premier League game against Bournemouth by the same scoreline.
In Guardiola’s time as ‘Cityzen’ manager, they have not experienced another poor run of results like this since April 2018. All eyes are now on next Saturday’s away game against Brighton, as an unfavourable result for Manchester City would be an unheard of situation in the Pep era with four consecutive defeats.
Moreover, with the recent defeat in Lisbon, the Manchester side broke their tremendous run of 25 consecutive matches without defeat in European competition (not counting penalty shoot-out defeats), more specifically, the streak stretched from May 2022 until last Tuesday.
Reasons for Manchester City’s slump:
Numerous absentees:
Manchester City aren’t having much luck with injuries so far this season. Many key players are currently in the infirmary. This is the case of first-choice players such as Jack Grealish, John Stones, Rodri and Ruben Dias. Other players such as Kyle Walker, Kevin de Bruyne and Jérémy Doku are already available for the Catalan coach. However, they have yet to find their competitive rhythm after their recent injuries.
Rodri’s injury:
The recent Ballon d’Or winner suffered an injury on 22 September during the league match against Arsenal. The midfielder ruptured the cruciate ligament in his right knee and had to undergo surgery days after the injury.
The medical diagnosis means the player will be sidelined until June 2025, meaning he will miss the entire season. This is terrible news for his club, as they have lost the best player in the world at the moment, and this is having a considerable impact on the direction of the team.
Txiki Begiristain’s farewell and Pep’s possible farewell:
Manchester City’s sporting director has already revealed that he will leave the club next summer. A fact that some media take as a prediction of Guardiola’s departure.
The Catalan coach’s contract expires in 2025 and he hasn’t yet announced his future in the dugout. Therefore, this uncertainty in the future of the ‘Cityzens’ may be affecting the mood of the team and, likewise, be reflected on the pitch.
Manchester City fans have faith in both their manager and their players to turn the current situation around and celebrate some silverware this season, as they have been doing since Pep Guardiola took over the reins of the club.
Translated by Marcos Rodríguez.
Main image: @ManCityES.
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