Manchester City have lost five matches in a row following Saturday’s defeat at home by Tottenham Hotspur. Here, Telegraph Sport highlights areas Pep Guardiola must strengthen if he wants to arrest their slide.
Problem: Black hole left by Rodri
The Ballon d’Or winner was given a showstopping reception before the Tottenham defeat, with the entire pitch covered by a banner in his honour and his name literally in bright lights. As Pep Guardiola admits, his presence is as important as Lionel Messi’s in his great Barcelona team.
“People talk about Rodri and, of course, he is the best player in the world,” Guardiola said. “Imagine at Barcelona when Messi was the best player, without him that season, would I have won the treble? No. Win six in a row without Messi? I don’t win six.”
Rodri sets the pace of the game for City in his position just in front of the back line, picking the ball up off his centre-backs. His protection of defenders is also a vital way that City have operated in the past five seasons.
Solution
Guardiola is not helped by Mateo Kovacic returning injured from Croatia duty last week. But a more defensive-minded midfielder would solidify City, perhaps with John Stones or Manuel Akanji in that role.
Problem: Reliant on Haaland
Goals from the Premier League’s most prolific current striker have dried up during City’s run of five straight defeats. He has scored once during those games, the opener in the defeat at Brighton. The finger cannot be pointed at a player who has 15 goals in 17 appearances this season and is still the leading scorer in the Premier League this season by some distance – but it needs others to find their goalscoring touch when he has an off day.
Phil Foden had chances against Spurs in the first half that would have changed the course of the game, while Savinho tried his luck from long-range but was met with Italy goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario in excellent form.
Solution
Beyond “better finishing”, there is not much more Haaland’s team-mates can do. Getting wide forwards such as Foden closer to Haaland could be an option in a very subtle tweak to Guardiola’s system.
Problem: Defensive fragility
It was accurate, yet still a surprise, to hear Guardiola describe his team as “fragile” after the 4-0 defeat by Spurs. Ange Postecoglou clearly targeted City’s full-backs, with Kyle Walker outpaced by Son Heung-min, while Josko Gvardiol looked uncomfortable despite most of his time at City being deployed as a left-back.
City’s “expected goals conceded” is up on last season, from 0.79 to 1.25, which points to teams getting through them more. Ruben Dias has been a huge loss, missing four of the five consecutive defeats, while John Stones has not had a consistent run in the team since Guardiola was angered by him returning injured from England duty last March.
Solution
Ruben Dias in the back line will help. He is an organiser of team-mates and leads by example.
Problem: Age of squad
Guardiola was asked about the evolution of his squad when he signed his two-year contract extension last week. He has clearly thought about it, as he knew without prompting that City would have 12 players in their squad over 30 next season. Nathan Ake and Akanji will turn 30 this season and Jack Grealish at the start of the next campaign.
The form of Walker, 34, has dipped over the course of 2024. Once unbeatable in a straight sprint – see his battles with Vinicius Junior – he has looked vulnerable since the European Championship. He will still be an important player for City, as will thirty-somethings such as Kevin De Bruyne, but their roles could be adapted.
“These guys have won six Premier Leagues. I would love these players that we have here to stay 10 years here but I would have loved to have Vinny Kompany here or David Silva,” Guardiola said. “It depends on performance. You perform well, no injuries, let’s go. One more year, two more years while your energy is there, but we have 12 players more than 30 years. We have to see what is going on and I want to see for myself first. After, we’re going to decide.”
Solution
Walker can play at centre-back as he did for England recently, while De Bruyne may adapt his game to pick up less injuries.
Problem: Transfer policy on allowing players to leave
Guardiola has been benevolent to players who wish to leave. There are no rucks about staying – they are shown the exit if they wish to leave and a club come to offer regular first-team football.
It creates a more harmonious squad, yet how City would have loved Cole Palmer in their squad in the last couple of years. His form at Chelsea would have commanded a place in Guardiola’s team. Julián Alvarez was allowed to go to Atlético Madrid and he was the perfect squad player, offering back-up to Haaland but also effective in a No 10 role. Even Liam Delap, allowed to leave for Ipswich in the summer, would have been valuable off the bench.
Solution
A change in policy allowing players to leave is unlikely but being more selfish in the market would benefit City.
Problem: Going box-to-box
It was two months ago that Haaland told Mikel Arteta to “stay humble” in the aftermath of City’s 2-2 draw with Arsenal. That match, though, was an indicator of where City were. They got out of jail with John Stones’s last-gast equaliser and since then have hardly been convincing.
They dropped points at Newcastle in their next game and wins over Fulham, Wolves and Southampton were narrow, with the victory at Molineux coming courtesy of a controversial VAR decision for Stones’s winner. Guardiola said after the Spurs defeat that “we are not a team that goes box-to-box 40 times a game” which points to allowing teams to get on top of them with quick counter-attacks.
Solution
Guardiola is not a coach to change his approach and start playing counter-attack, so he will look for a way to dominate games without Rodri, using the players at his disposal.
Problem: Cloud hanging over club
Guardiola suggested that 75 per cent of Premier League clubs wanted City relegated over alleged financial breaches, which the champions strenuously deny. The City manager has been asked regularly whether this has impacted his squad and the reply is the same every time – they have been winning titles despite accusations and charges levelled at them.
Solution
There is no solution to this one. Wait for the decision.
