Pep Guardiola finds himself navigating unfamiliar waters as Manchester City grapples with a troubling slum in form.
On Wednesday, their struggles deepened with a 2-0 defeat to Juventus, leaving their Champions League knockout hopes hanging by a thread. This loss adds to the dismal run of just one victory in their last 10 games, including seven defeats – a streak that has raised alarm bells.
While it would be premature to rule them out of contention this early in the season, Guardiola is undoubtedly under pressure to reverse his side’s fortune quickly.
Reflecting on City’s woes, former manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand told TNT Sports, “I think we are still going to be surprised given what they have done in recent years.
“They have been a formidable team, they won four Premier Leagues on the bounce, they have a history of being very successful.
“But we just have not seen a Pep Guardiola side in general ever be this bad. He has to find a way of galvanising this team and reinstalling some form and confidence. They are under real pressure now.”
The numbers behind City’s decline suggest this is more than a temporary dip:
- Defensive Struggles: Since November, City have conceded 20 goals across all competitions – more than any other team in Europe’s top five leagues.
- Vulnerability on the Road: They have allowed two or more goals in their last seven away games across all competitions, as many as the previous 46 combined.
- Champions League Woes: After conceding nine goals in their last three group games, it’s the first time Guardiola’s side has let in over two goals in three consecutive Champions League matches.
- Clean Sheet Drought: They’ve gone eight away games without a clean sheet, matching the longest such streak of Guardiola’s career (set in 2016).
Despite the Juventus setback, Guardiola remained optimistic, stating, “We played good, really, really good.
“We concede few, some transition happened but I am so proud for these players. They give everything and they tried and now we live in this period and hopefully we can change results.”
However, former City defender Nedum Onuoha said on Match of the Day, “They found it very hard to break [Juventus] down and Erling Haaland himself was frustrated.
“To make it even worse there were times where City were very open. They seemed so stretched.”
City entered Wednesday’s clash knowing they likely needed three consecutive wins to secure automatic progression to the knockouts. Now sitting 22nd in the standings – five points off the top eight – their most is through February’s play-off round.
Adding to their challenge, City are now only one point ahead of 25th-placed PSG, whom they’ll face in a decisive fixture on January 22. A misstep against the French giants would pile pressure on their subsequent game against Club Brugge.
Guardiola acknowledged the stakes but struck a cautious tone, “We have two games, we need one point maybe,” Guardiola said.
“You go to Turin, Paris, our three games away were really tough. You have to accept it.We will turn around, not forget that period, appreciate more what we have done in the past and what we are going to do in the future.”
Manchester City‘s struggles this season have been exacerbated by a series of injuries to key palyers.
Manuel Akanji, Oscar bobbs, John Stones, and Nathan Ake are all sidelined, but the absence of Rodri has been the most impactful. Without the Spanish midfielder, City have found it difficult to control transitions and dominate the midfield as they have in the past.
During the build up to the Juventus game, Rio Ferdinand emphasized that there’s more to City’s issues than Rodri’s absence. “Rodri, people are talking about, but there is a bigger picture than that,” Ferdinand said.
“They have lacked the control in the midfield area. They have not been able to react to the transition as well at the moment. They don’t seem to have the security within the team.
“They have been easy to play through, that isn’t about Rodri, that is about the functionality of the team.”
Former City defender Joleon Lescott echoed this sentiment on TNT Sports, “It is not down to one individual, but with Rodri I think it is the only position where the replacement isn’t as impactful.
“There is never going to be one thing that is the reason for great results or negative results. There has to be a combination of everything coming together and it is building blocks slowly.”
While City’s current poor run is uncharacteristic under Pep Guardiola, history suggests that they are capable of bouncing back in spectacular fashion.
In December 2018, City faced a similar tough spell, losing three Premier League games and falling 10 points behind the leaders. They responded with a remarkable run of 18 wins in 19 games to claim the title.
Guardiola remains introspective amid the challenges. “Of course I question myself, in the good moments, in the bad moments,” Guardiola said. “I was stable in the good moments, I was stable in the bad moments. I try to find the way, find the win.”
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