The club have made their worst start to a season in 21 years and two daunting fixtures could make things even grimmer for the serial-winning coach

The mood around the Etihad Stadium before Manchester City’s first home game of the season was buoyant. There was huge optimism after the crushing 4-0 win at Wolves and tangible excitement about the new signings. Operation title recapture was well and truly on. 

But what happened next has not just deflated the positivity, it has hurled Pep Guardiola’s side off course. The defeats by Tottenham and Brighton have left City six points behind Liverpool, and it is no exaggeration to say that their title hopes are on the line this week as they prepare for the showdowns against Manchester United this Sunday and Arsenal the following week…

Getty Images SportFamiliar failings

If things looked bad for Guardiola just before the international break with the late collapse at Brighton, then the situation is even more concerning now. Omar Marmoush suffered a knee injury while on duty for Egypt and will join Rayan Cherki and Rayan Ait-Nouri in missing the derby as well as the next few games. John Stones is also a doubt. 

City’s problems go way beyond injuries, however. The biggest worry is they do not look any stronger than the team that endured their worst campaign under Guardiola last season and bowed out of the title race in early December. Against Tottenham they couldn’t defend a high ball and flick-on and were then caught out by an aggressive high-press from a goal kick, with striking similarities with the 4-0 thrashing Spurs meted out to them last season. 

Against Brighton they surrendered the lead to lose 2-1, just as in the previous season’s fixture. The goals they conceded felt familiar, too, Matheus Nunes unnecessarily conceding a penalty and then the team being caught out by a quick break.

AdvertisementGetty Images Sport'Something is missing'

Former City defender Micah Richards summed up the team’s problems when he said on : "I had felt that the things they were missing last season had been fixed. But against Spurs, they got caught out. Against Brighton, it was too easy. I thought they’d fixed it, but they haven’t yet. It might take more time. Something is missing."

Former City left-back Gael Clichy stressed that it’s only the start of the season but expressed concern that the team are not getting better at defending counter attacks. He told GOAL, via : “City tend to always have the same struggle. 

"When you protect the ball and when you dominate your opponent, you know the only way they can hurt you is on the transition and not being able to solve those situations, which we see pretty much every game, is a concern. And even more so this year with the high line they want to maintain with the lack of pressing they're not doing together this leaves the defenders very exposed on those situations."

Getty Images SportWorst start in 21 years

City have not just made their worst start to a season under Guardiola. They haven't taken as few as three points from their first three games since 2004-05, when Kevin Keegan was manager. The coach has made bad starts before, of course, only for his team to respond in ruthless fashion. 

In his incredible first campaign with Barcelona, his side lost their opening game to newly-promoted Numancia then drew at home to Racing Santander. The Catalan press had their knives out for the novice coach but Andres Iniesta gave him his support in a private meeting and Barca went on to win their next nine games before storming to the treble. His City dropped points in five of their first nine games in the 2020-21 campaign and then won 13 games in a row from December. 

Those precedents show the pitfalls of writing Guardiola off early, as Sergio Aguero told GOAL, via : "I'm still amazed that he's getting fresh criticism after a not-so-stellar season, and a rocky start to this one. For years on end, Pep has led the team to win many titles, and when we couldn't, we were consistently one of the key challengers. He has built an enormous legacy, something everyone should value. That's why I trust him to correct course and show us the path to return to form."

Getty Images SportStrange evolution

But things feel different this time. City are in the middle of a strange evolution. They have parted with nearly half of the core of the key players who won the treble with them in 2023 following the deadline day departures of Ilkay Gundogan, Manuel Akanji and Ederson, not long after Jack Grealish left on loan for Everton and Kevin De Bruyne ended his trophy-laden 10-year stay at the club. 

City spent £180 million ($244m) on six new signings in the summer, having splashed out the same amount in January. The new recruits in both windows, however, have not significantly strengthened the squad. Three of City’s seven new arrivals are goalkeepers, while Sverre Nypan has gone straight out on loan to Middlesbrough. 

The only signing to have a big impact so far in the Premier League season is Tijjani Reijnders, who had a stunningly impressive debut against Wolves. Ait-Nouri got injured during the first half against Tottenham and although he returned against Brighton, he has another injury and is unavailable against United. 

Cherki, meanwhile, got also suffered an issue in the Spurs clash and will not be back until mid-October. Of the five new signings in January, only Marmoush has truly shone. And he is now set for a spell on the sidelines. Vitor Reis barely played last season and has been sent out on loan while Abdukodir Khusanov has made a mixed start to life in the Premier League.