It's official: Manchester City went the whole of November without a win, losing four of their five games. What's more, in their only draw, the Citizens led 3-0 before conceding three goals in the space of 15 minutes.
Who would have thought that soccer would see Manchester City go five games without a win? As the problems mount for the Premier League champions, we take a look at the causes of these unexpected results.
Guardiola untouchable
This is the first time that the famous coach Pep Guardiola has gone five games without a win. Some suggest that the Manchester City coach's tactics have become self-destructive, as the team has been exposed to the counter-attack on numerous occasions.
What's more, the Spanish manager has shown alarming signs of stress of late, most notably when he appeared with scratches to his head and nose in a post-match interview.
However, it is highly unlikely that Pep Guardiola will be sacked by Manchester City, as he is still considered one of the best coaches in the world. Indeed, he has signed a contract extension that will see him take charge of the Citizens until 2027.
While the coach's tactics are one of the reasons for City's poor form, other factors are also contributing to the situation.
115 problems
It's no secret that Manchester City have been accused 115 times of breaching FIFA's financial rules. This investigation, which has been ongoing since September, has no direct impact on the team's play. However, it is worth mentioning as it may influence the attitude and mentality of certain people within the club.
If Manchester City are found guilty of these accusations, the club risks relegation and even having its trophies taken away. It's possible that the players' morale will have dropped, as the odds are not in their favor.
If Manchester City go on trial for the 115 charges against them and are cleared, it will raise questions. When you're accused of so many offenses, it's almost impossible to be cleared at the end of the investigation.
Injury problems
With the increase in the number of games this season, all teams have had to deal with injury problems. Manchester City is no exception. Guardiola has seen several of his key players suffer injuries, such as Rodri, Kevin De Bruyne, Manuel Akanji, Jeremy Doku, Nathan Aké and Jack Grealish.
Soccer fans sometimes believe that Manchester City are immune to injury, as their squad is one of the strongest in the world. However, the absence of their star players was evident on the pitch, as Pep Guardiola was forced to field players whose level was not equivalent to that of the usual first-teamers.
Midfield crisis
Surrounding this aging Manchester City squad is the heart of the team: Rodri. It's fair to say that the Citizens looked completely lost without their usual defensive midfielder.
Things began to deteriorate after Rodric suffered an ACL injury against Arsenal at the end of September. With other players, such as Phil Foden and Kyle Walker, performing below their usual standards, it's clear that Ballon d'Or winner Rodri is sorely missed by Manchester City.
Facing karma
Manchester City's problems may go beyond tactics and injuries. The Sky Blues have become arrogant over the years, especially after winning four consecutive Premier League titles.
City's prolific striker Erling Haaland was overheard telling Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta to “stay humble” after a draw at the Etihad Stadium. Furthermore, Guardiola's bench was seen laughing after conceding a goal against Tottenham in the Carabao Cup, as if the competition meant little to them.
Against this backdrop, Manchester City could well be slowly slipping out of the race, giving a considerable advantage to Arne Slot's Liverpool and providing an opportunity for Arsenal to capitalize. There's no doubt that they'll eventually get back to their usual level after this bad patch, but it could be too late.
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