These are deep, uncharted waters Manchester City. And for Pep Guardiola also. The English Premier League champion, defending his title for the fourth consecutive season, finally surrendered.
It doesn't seem possible. Such is the absurd nature of Guardiola's success. Let's not forget that he sculpted one of the greatest success stories in modern sports, taking the aging citizen side and turning him into a giant, at times indestructible, at others unstoppable.
However, past victories ring somewhat hollow when your team is knee-deep in the trench, unable to escape the absorbing mire of a miserable run, ahead of Sunday's Manchester derby.
There were many culprits, and many complex reasons behind the stunning collapse.
Manchester City's worst performance in 2024/25
It was a hot streak of results. Manchester City's 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest at the Etihad Stadium last week was their only win in ten matches in all competitions, with seven defeats.
A lot doesn't work. Erling Haaland has He scored only three goals During his last ten matches in the English Premier League, while Savinho was He hasn't broken his duck yet Since his arrival in the summer, Jeremy Doku's effectiveness has been negligible.
On defense, Kyle Walker was perhaps the most criticized member talkSPORT Tony Cascarino Rebuking the 34-year-old's “troubling” model, riddled with errors and bereft of trademark pace.
Naturally, the most damaging non-performer in City's squad is Rodri, albeit for different reasons. The 2024 Ballon d'Or winner is He has been sidelined since September with an anterior cruciate ligament injury It is expected to keep him out of action until the end of the season.
It was a big blow, but the other players had to step up in his absence, and frankly they didn't. City look vulnerable in the confrontation and vulnerable on the counter-attack.
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In recent matches against Forest and Juventus, Jack Grealish has been withdrawn from the left flank into a creative central role. It is designed to revive his career, but unfortunately the England international is flattered to be bluffing badly.
Jesse Lingard, Manchester City player
In 2021, Manchester City signed Grealish from Aston Villa For a British record fee of £100 millionwith Captain Phelan's silky dribbling and captivating playmaking raising him to a prominent position within his homeland.
Although never the most efficient player in front of goal, the Birmingham maestro has faded over the past two years with City, despite winning the treble during the 2022/23 season.
Unfortunately, now, he is sorely lacking in both finished product and inspiration, and appears largely as a shadow of the skilled sensation who convinced Pep to pay a club record for his signature.
|
Jack Grealish: Statistics by season (20/21 – 24/25) |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
season |
club |
Applications (Getting Started) |
Objectives |
Helps |
|
24/25 |
city |
16 (9) |
0 |
2 |
|
23/24 |
city |
36 (26) |
3 |
3 |
|
22/23 |
city |
50 (41) |
5 |
11 |
|
21/22 |
city |
39 (31) |
6 |
4 |
|
20/21 |
villa |
27 (25) |
7 |
10 |
|
Statistics via Transfer market |
||||
What's worse is that after Juventus' agonizing Champions League loss on Wednesday night, Grealish has done just that He is now 44 games gone In all competitions, without goals for Al-Ittihad. If he fails to register again this weekend, he will be flagged A whole year without a goal For the club.
In fact, his decline and waning influence suggest he may be turning into Guardiola's own version Jesse Lingard.
While Lingard had his moments with Manchester United, he eventually disappeared too much, unable to capture and maintain his innate skills.
In fact, the former Three Lions star has already finished the 2019 calendar year Without a single goal or assist In the English Premier League, which is the area that Grealish is now creeping into.
Could it be that Grealish, despite being an extremely talented and dynamic player, fails to produce when his team needs him most, a bit like Lingard?
Manchester City will make sweeping changes in 2025, with a mass exodus needed after their powerful engine room broke down and suffered irreparable damage.
Grealish should be left aside.
