Manchester City is going through difficult times. The team that recently dominated the Premier League is now showing dismal results. The defending champions have lost eight of their last eleven matches in all competitions, with just one win in that period. Particularly painful was the squandered 3-0 lead in the Champions League match against Feyenoord, which ended in a 3-3 draw, as well as the 2-1 derby defeat to Manchester United at the Etihad.
It’s worth taking a closer look at these games. In the Champions League, after the first half, City controlled the match, and it seemed that the team would confidently win the game. Two quick goals early in the second half only added to that feeling. But the last 20 minutes of the meeting became a real nightmare for the “citizens”. The changes made by the Feyenoord coach worked perfectly: the visitors first reduced the gap, then equalized the score, and at the end of regular time they finally broke City, creating one of the most striking comebacks of the season.
Expectations were on City’s side in the Manchester derby, especially given the Red Devils’ restructuring and managerial changes. However, the game turned out differently. The first half was under the control of the hosts, who opened the scoring at the end. But United came back into the game in the second half. The decisive moment was a penalty in the 88th minute after a major error by City’s defence. Within two minutes the guests finished off their opponents, winning a strong-willed victory.
Manchester City are now nine points behind league leaders Liverpool, having played a match more. The team is on the verge of falling out of the top six, just three points ahead of Brighton in ninth place. Five defeats in the last seven Premier League matches call into question the team’s stability.
City’s main problem was the decline of Erling Holland. The striker started the season impressively, scoring 10 goals in his first five matches, but scored only three times in the next 11 games. The lack of depth in attack only makes the situation worse. Phil Foden, who scored 19 Premier League goals last season, has yet to hit the target this season. The injury to Rodri, a key player in the team, also had a major impact on the results.
City no longer look as formidable either in attack or defence. The team ranks sixth in the number of goals scored (1.8 per match), and concedes an average of 1.4 goals in defense. In comparison, Chelsea and Tottenham lead the way with 2.3 goals scored per game, while Liverpool and Arsenal concede just 0.9 goals per match. Statistics only confirm the crisis: fifth place in expected goals (xG), eighth in chances created, and only 11th in expected goals conceded (xGA). By comparison, last season City were best in attack (2.5 goals per match) and second in defense (0.9 conceded). The management of Manchester City shows full support for their head coach by extending the contract with Pep Guardiola until the summer of 2027. Despite the current crisis, the club is already working on strengthening its roster. According to the British press, City plans to sign four new players to strengthen the midfield and attack. Particular attention is paid to finding a replacement for Erling Holland. After Julian Alvarez left for Atlético, the club never found a worthy replacement. Now City are in dire need of a player who can back up Holland in critical moments and add variety to the team’s attacking moves.
Guardiola will have to solve difficult problems in updating his squad. We need new midfielders who can quickly integrate into his system. Strengthening the attack is also needed, but finding a backup for Holland won’t be easy. It is clear that City is in a deep crisis that cannot be resolved instantly. A rebuild of the team is inevitable and must begin in January if the club is to salvage the season.
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It becomes clear that this is not just a temporary decline. This could be the beginning of the end of the era of the current generation of champions. Pep Guardiola may have been hoping to squeeze another successful season out of his current squad, but injuries, declines in the form of key players and a lack of depth in the squad have exposed weaknesses that had previously been hidden. Renewal requires strategic decisions, and their implementation cannot be delayed until the summer.
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