Have Manchester City said goodbye to the Premier League title for good? This Sunday afternoon, the Skyblues suffered another logical defeat (2-0) against Liverpool, a setback which seriously compromises their ambitions to retain their crown. With this sixth defeat in seven matches, Pep Guardiola’s men now find themselves lagging behind, far from the leading pace, and seeing their title chances reduced considerably.
The Reds perfectly mastered their subject, taking the lead thanks to a superb goal from Gakpo in the 12th minute, before Mohamed Salah ensured the victory with a penalty at the end of the match (78th). Dominant throughout the match, Arne Slot’s players gave City no chance, who, despite a few attempts in the second half, were never able to get back into their match. Thanks to this new success, Liverpool takes the lead in the Premier League, with 9 points ahead of Arsenal and Chelsea, and 11 points over Brighton and Manchester City.
A crisis already well established
Already in a crisis of results before this shock, the Mancunian club therefore continues its infernal spiral. He thus has a fourth consecutive defeat in the league, a first since August 2008. The Citizens’ black streak is becoming more and more worrying for Pep Guardiola, who has never experienced such a series of setbacks in the Premier League, according to data from ‘Opta. The Mancunian technician still does not seem to find the miracle recipe to reverse the trend. Already questioned at a press conference before the match, he tried to bring his vision to his team’s problems.
Image generation in progress
“ We are playing well, but not enough to win games. I have said it several times, we have to live it fully as a club and players to give what we have done in the past. We will come back, I know it. I don’t know when. You can judge the situation, when a team controls the PL for many years, it is normal for this to happen. Maybe the exception was in the past and not today – how we get back up is the great success in life », Explained the coach.
This evening again, the coach could not find the words to comment on the defeat: “ I have illusions, but I have the impression that from now on we will start winning matches and regain confidence. When I was in trouble, my parents never gave up on me. Now I want to be with this club and with these players to help them “. Not enough to fully meet the expectations of the supporters, who once again, picked up the former Barcelona coach with a “ Sacked in the morning » (dismissed tomorrow morning) at the end of the meeting.
Criticism rains on Guardiola
The British press thus severely notes this new disappointment. “ The City machine seems broken, the certainties that have driven it for so long are absent, control has disappeared. They got exactly what they deserved: another defeat, the sixth in seven matches in all competitions, and it is very difficult to see them defending their Premier League title “, estimated The Guardian. “ Liverpool were tonight, everything City were not: stifling in defense, physical in all positions, skilled on the ball, threatening in front of goal », Adds the daily.
For his part, the Daily Mail analyzes the situation of the Skyblues just as coldly: “ Today Manchester City deserves their defeat. They were, once again, a shadow of the team they once were. And Liverpool fully deserved their victory. City look like a team on the edge of the precipice. Liverpool are the team most likely to push them into the abyss this year “. All eyes are already turning towards the Skyblues’ next match, next Wednesday December 4, against another serious Top 5 competitor, Nottingham Forest. Time is running out and a reaction is more than ever expected.
