Manchester City in deep crisis

An ageing squad and injuries to key players have combined to trigger a horrendous run for Guardiola’s once all-conquering team

Pep Guardiola, just like the packed gathering at the Etihad Stadium, could scarcely believe what he had seen. In the middle of a massive rut, the worst in his highly exalted managerial career, Guardiola was on course to stall it as his embattled Manchester City bossed an equally beleaguered Manchester United in a largely drab Premier League derby last Sunday (Dec 15). Just about six minutes of regulation time was left and defending champions City led 1-0 with United barely offering any threat upfront. The game was almost in their bag. But when you’re going through a hellish ride, disaster can strike from nowhere and it happened in the 85th minute.

Midfielder Matheus Nunes, with acres of space around him almost near the midfield touchline, chose to pass the ball back towards his keeper Ederson. The pass was slow and an alert Amad Diallo, lurking around in the centre-forward area, got there first and rounded up Ederson. Nunes, realising his massive mistake, rushed back to make amends but instead only ended up making it worse, heckling Diallo down inside the penalty box.

The referee instantly blew the whistle for a penalty and Guardiola threw his arms up in frustration before holding his head in total distraught. He knew his boys had hit the self-destruct button again. The implosion was complete when Diallo scored the winner in the first minute of injury time after Bruno Fernandes had levelled from the spot. It was City’s eighth defeat in 11 outings across all competitions — two of them being draws and just a solitary win.

Never had City under Guardiola conceded twice with about five minutes left on the clock but his team, which is at its worst shape since the Spaniard took charge in July 2016, has been finding different ways to implode that has left many critics, fans and even neutrals wondering how this all-conquering side that started the season in typically strong fashion, slip and slide so alarmingly. It’s not like they are playing bad football, they are just making more and more errors, especially in crunch situations. And every error that is resulting in a defeat is further denting their confidence which in turn is forcing them into more and more poor decision making. They are caught in one vicious cycle with everybody, from the players to the coaching staff, struggling to find a solution.  

The primary reason for their repeated failures is the absence of star midfielder Rodri due to an anterior cruciate ligament injury (ACL) since September. Having joined City from Atletico Madrid in July 2019 for a then club record fee of 70 million euros, the 28-year-old instantly went on to become the most important player in Guardiola’s set-up. Blessed with oodles of intelligence, remarkable passing skills, exceptional composure and ability to dictate or change the tempo of a game, Rodri was the engine room for City. With some exceptional talent around him including gun striker Erling Haaland, all that Rodri had to do was conduct the play. The Spaniard did that with authority and City rode to four successive Premier League titles as well as winning the coveted Champions League in 2022-23. 

What set apart Rodri, who also steered Spain to European glory this July that saw him win the Player of the Tournament award, was his ability to switch roles faster than a chameleon could change colours. He could be attacking like fellow City team-mate Bernardo Silva or turn into a defensively strong Ngolo Kante if the situation warranted it. Nothing would pass him and it wasn’t surprising he was adjudged the Ballon d’Or award winner this year. While there is no shortage of talent in modern-day football, someone like Rodri is almost irreplaceable and his void has been felt strongly by City. It’s like a team without its leader, a rudderless ship.

It’s not just Rodri’s lengthy injury lay-off that is hurting City. Besides him, in the treatment room are key defenders Manuel Akanji, Nathan Ake, John Stones, Josko Gvardiol with Ruben Dias also joining them post the United debacle. Giving company to the defenders are midfielders Jeremy Doku, the live-wire player who would often come on as a substitute and bulldoze past defences with his blazing runs, the gifted Phil Foden and Mateo Kovacic. City also missed the services of Kevin de Bruyne for the better part of this season with the immaculate midfielder, who once called the shots before Rodri’s arrival, only returning to action recently.

A major contributing factor behind the litany of injuries, apart from the hectic scheduling, is Guardiola’s possession-based football that squeezes a lot from the players and with some of them in the early or mid-30s, the toll on the body is heavy. And recovery is longer too.

It’s never easy for a manager when so many of his first-choice players are rendered hors de combat and Guardiola, facing such a crisis for the first time in his managerial career, too has struggled to find solutions.

“I knew this would be a tough season but I didn’t expect it would be as hard as it is right now. Eight (losses) out of 11? I’m here to try and will try again and again. That is the reality,” said a forlorn-looking Guardiola post the loss to United. 

“We were top of the league and the only unbeaten team in Europe and in one month and 10 days, we lost eight games. This is a big club and the club of course cannot accept it. Today in the last minute we played like under-15s. I don’t have a defence. I’m the boss, I’m the manager and I’m not good enough. I have to find a solution and I don’t find a solution. It is as simple as that. I am not doing well, that is the truth,” elaborated the candid Guardiola, who recently signed a contract extension till 2027.

Finding the solution may not be easy for Guardiola though. Unlike leagues in Spain, Italy and Germany which take a break during Christmas, fixtures come thick and fast in England and with the team’s confidence at its lowest right now, it’s going to be one Herculean challenge for the master tactician to script a turn around.

Apart from injuries, confidence-crises and an ageing squad, Guardiola has also had to deal with a lot of off-field stuff. The club has been accused of financial rule breaches and 115 charges were levied against them by the Premier League. City have denied it categorically in hearings that took place at London’s International Dispute Resolution Centre. However, a verdict is expected next Spring which some feel may see City punished. While Guardiola and his players are not directly involved in the legal fight, it’s a no-brainer it does affect them in some way.

How Guardiola and City, both resilient fighters, turn this bad phase around remains to be seen. The Champions League knockout spot may be out of bounds with City currently 22nd and the Premier League crown slipping out of their hands after falling to fifth — nine points behind runaway leaders Liverpool and having played a game more. But if anyone can turn it around it’s City and Guardiola. They’ve often hit their best form post New Year. It’s almost like a rebirth where they feel anything is possible, sometimes overturning even an 8-point deficit to emerge champions. They’ll be banking on that pedigree to pull off a miracle.