Why Man City can’t win matches anymore? Guardiola’s mini-crisis explained

The Citizens have struggled to maintain consistency with their performances in past few weeks.

It was an unfamiliar sight when Manchester City players were booed by fans after conceding a last-minute equalizer against Crystal Palace on Saturday. Pep Guardiola’s side failed to hold on to a two-goal lead on home soil as they slipped to fourth place in the Premier League table.

As the Citizens’ unstable league run continues, we take a look at several factors that might have contributed to their recent struggles.

City’s lost momentum

City started the 2023-24 season with seven consecutive victories, showing no signs of slowing down after claiming a historic treble in the previous campaign. The Citizens’ devastating firepower was on full display in their 5-1 and 3-1 wins over Fulham and West Ham, with Erling Haaland scoring eight goals in their first six matches of the season.

But then a short period of unstable performances started with a 1-0 defeat against Newcastle in the Carabao Cup. City were knocked out of the tournament before suffering a shock defeat against Wolves at Molineux three days later. Guardiola’s men then lost their crucial match against Arsenal 1-0 at Emirates in their next league game.

City bounced back in late October by claiming a string of impressive victories, namely a 3-0 win over Manchester United at Old Trafford and a 6-1 thrashing of Bournemouth. However, by the end of the next month, they found themselves on the brink of another set of underwhelming results.

In their three consecutive draws against Chelsea, Liverpool, and Tottenham, Man City scored eight goals but ultimately failed to keep their spot at the top of the league table. Then followed a 1-0 defeat against Unai Emery’s in-form Aston Villa, a narrow victory against Luton Town, and a frustrating draw against Crystal Palace.

As City head to Saudi Arabia for the Club World Cup, it seems they are in desperate need of finding their rhythm again with a few back-to-back victories. However, the congested schedule of the World Cup and the Premier League will most likely force Guardiola to use more squad rotation instead of having a group of players starting almost every match.

Guardiola missing De Bruyne’s impact

De Bruyne’s injury in the opening week of the campaign was a devastating blow to City’s dream of defending their treble. De Bruyne was a linchpin of Guradiola’s midfield formation in the previous campaign, directly contributing to 41 goals in his 49 appearances for the Citizens.

Goalscoring consistency isn’t at the top of Man City’s concerns at the moment, given that they’ve remained the Premier League’s best attacking side so far this season. However, it seems as if De Bruyne’s absence has prevented Guardiola from implementing his changes in tactics as quickly as before. City’s spells of inconsistent displays are longer as they miss De Bruyne’s unmatched game-reading skills and his ability to decide the most crucial matches.

Defensive chemistry

City have conceded 20 goals in the Premier League so far this season, five more than their main title rivals, Liverpool and Arsenal. Unlike last season, the Citizens are yet to find their most efficient backline setup to start their league games.

Kyle Walker and Josko Gvardiol have regularly played on the right and left side of City’s backline this season. However, Guardiola has been going back and forth between two different selections for the centre-back position.

In one formation, Ruben Dias joins Walker and Gvardiol to form a three-man backline, with Manuel Akanji moving a line forward to help out with the midfield stability. On the other setup, however, Guardiola uses a centre-back duo of Dias and Nathan Ake alongside Walker and Gvardiol as full-backs.

City have struggled to keep consistent clean sheets with both of the aforementioned lineups. The first one was responsible for City’s defeat against Aston Villa while the second system was implemented when City conceded two goals against Palace at Etihad.

City have two months to recover

A relatively easy schedule for January and February provides a perfect opportunity for City to bounce back and re-establish their dominance in the Premier League. De Bruyne’s imminent return from injury will also give the EPL champions a significant squad boost for the second half of the campaign.

The Citizens hope to be back in their best form at the beginning of March when a brutal string of league matches starts with the Manchester derby. Over the span of 24 days, City have to take on United, Liverpool, Brighton, Arsenal, and Aston Villa, making a final push to defend their EPL trophy by fending off competition from the league’s other front-runners.