Pep Guardiola’s tenure at Manchester City faced one of its most challenging periods following a string of poor performances, culminating in an eighth defeat in just eleven matches. This disappointing trend continued with a late winner from Amad Diallo during their match against Manchester United at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday. The defeat left Guardiola pondering the decline of a team that had once been renowned for its strength and consistency. Concurrently, Rúben Amorim, the opposing manager, was grappling with the demands of revitalizing a club in need of significant changes.
The match itself was not devoid of intensity or effort; however, the quality on display was bewildering, especially considering the historical prowess of both teams. City, usually known for their attacking flair, struggled to generate meaningful chances, with star striker Erling Haaland being effectively contained by the visiting defense. Guardiola reflected on the match, noting the significant flaws in his team’s defensive structure. “Not much to say. No defence, they were incredibly persistent,” he lamented post-match. The manager recognized the unfortunate trend of losing eight games over two seasons—a rarity for his squad—and emphasized that the issues could not be blamed on any single player.
The first goal for United came from a penalty converted by Bruno Fernandes, stemming from a mistake by City’s Matheus Nunes. In a crucial moment, Nunes underperformed, leading to Diallo capitalizing on a weak pass before being fouled by the City player inside the box. Just minutes later, Diallo secured United’s victory by converting a chance from a difficult position. Guardiola’s irritation was palpable when he commented, “They have to know that these situations happen. In the box, you have to be careful.” He stressed that while Nunes had played well out of position, the overall performance still needed to improve significantly.
Guardiola did not shy away from accepting responsibility for his team’s current state. He conveyed a sense of urgency, lifting the veil on his struggles as a manager to navigate through this crisis. “I’m not good enough. I am the boss, the manager; I have to find solutions, and so far I haven’t,” he stated candidly. His commitment to fostering improvement was evident, as he acknowledged the need for City to rekindle their flair for creating chances—a task that appeared daunting under the current circumstances.
Looking ahead, City’s next challenge would be against Aston Villa, who currently sat in sixth place in the league. Following Villa’s recent defeat to Nottingham Forest, City found themselves in a precarious position—fifth in the standings, a daunting nine points adrift of league leaders Liverpool, despite having played one game more. The upcoming matches would be critical to their aspirations of turning the season around.
Bernardo Silva voiced his frustration about the team’s performance, notably describing their recklessness towards the end of the match. He emphasized that the outcome was a reflection of their decisions on the field, noting, “If at minute 87 of a derby you’re winning 1-0… if you make this kind of stupid decision… you deserve to pay for that.” Silva’s harsh assessment underscored the collective guilt felt within the team regarding their underwhelming showing over the past month. He urged the team to focus on improving both individually and collectively, emphasizing that their current level was unacceptable for a club of Manchester City’s stature.
Adding context to this worrying trend, City had previously experienced a brief resurgence with a 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest, which gave fans hope that they were stabilizing. However, subsequent disappointing results—including a draw against Crystal Palace and defeats by Juventus and United—indicated a deep-seated crisis completely alien to Guardiola’s squad, which had dominated English football for several years.
Compounding their troubles, the team faced the risk of exiting the UEFA Champions League, as they remained perilously close to the elimination zone, positioned just three places and a mere point above it. They would need to prepare for a crucial clash against Paris Saint-Germain in January, a match that would be essential for their morale and chances of advancement in the prestigious tournament. Viewers can follow all the action from the 2024/25 Premier League on TNT Sports and discovery+.
