By Matija Šerić
The November international break is an ideal moment to review the current football season. And that makes sense. About the first third of the season has been played, providing a relevant sample to draw conclusions on who is on the right path and who is not. One of the teams in a particularly unique situation this season is Manchester City. The club finds itself at perhaps a historic crossroads: either a return to the paths of past glory or a fundamental restructuring of the coaching staff and playing squad.
The Mega-Successful Guardiola Era
After Pep Guardiola became the club’s manager in the summer of 2016, Manchester City gradually entered a period of long-term dominance in English football that has been absolutely fascinating. Over nine seasons, the club has won six Premier League titles (four consecutively from 2021 to 2024), reached two Champions League finals (winning one), claimed two FA Cups, four League Cups, three English Super Cups, one FIFA Club World Cup, and one UEFA Super Cup—totaling 18 trophies.
Under Guardiola, City established a reign over English football similar to Bayern Munich in Germany (though there all teams eventually submit to Bayern). Pep and his Citizens, much to the chagrin of neutral football fans, have removed the uncertainty from the Premier League title race.
Last Season’s Crisis
However, last season brought a major setback: the club entered a deep crisis. Admittedly, the final results do not fully show the depth and duration of the crisis. City finished third in the league, were eliminated in the Champions League round of 16, played an FA Cup final, were knocked out of the League Cup in the 4th round, and won the English Super Cup. To be honest, had anyone other than Guardiola been in charge, they likely would have been dismissed mid-season. However, the Catalan earned enough credibility to remain in charge. In November 2024, he signed a new contract binding him to Manchester City until summer 2027. At the end of last season, Guardiola also stated he would leave Manchester only when his contract ends in 2027 (planning to take a break from coaching) and not before. To stay, however, City must “grind down” opponents—that standard he has established.
It should also be noted that last season’s series of poor results was not due to Guardiola’s failed tactical experiments (there have been many over the years) but rather a combination of unfavorable circumstances: Rodri’s injury (236 days out), inexplicably poor defensive performances (especially by Joško Guardiola), dips in form of key players like Kevin De Bruyne, Bernardo Silva, and Jack Grealish, opponents adapting to Haaland’s playstyle (reducing his goal output), player overload, fatigue, and loss of motivation.
City – Tottenham highlights
Squad Restructuring
City entered the current season facing the prospect of a turnaround. Two paths are possible: either the Citizens return to winning ways or they slide into structural crisis full of question marks. An example of such a prolonged crisis is their city rivals, Manchester United, who struggled for over a decade. Both management and Guardiola recognized the importance of reshaping the squad to prevent an inevitable decline. Over the summer, several key players left (Kevin De Bruyne, Kyle Walker, Ederson, İlkay Gündoğan…), while new faces arrived who still need to prove themselves. The most important new players are Gianluigi Donnarumma, Rayan Aït-Nouri, Tijjani Reijnders, and Rayan Cherki. Departed players had long served the club, while the new arrivals are promising talents—except Donnarumma, who is already a proven class.
Rollercoaster Results
City began the new Premier League season with a convincing 4-0 away win over Wolverhampton, followed by a home loss to Tottenham (0-2), an away slip against Brighton (2-1), and a 3-0 victory over Manchester United. In the Champions League, they started with a 2-0 win over Napoli, then drew 1-1 with Arsenal, while in the League Cup they were eliminated by lower-league Huddersfield Town (0-2). In the Premier League, they thrashed Burnley (5-1) and drew 2-2 away at Monaco. This was followed by three consecutive wins against Brentford (0-1), Everton (2-0), and Villarreal (0-2). It seemed a winning rhythm had returned, only to be interrupted by a 1-0 away loss to Aston Villa.
However, the next four matches brought four unambiguous victories: Swansea in the League Cup (1-3), Bournemouth (3-1) and Liverpool (3-0) in the Premier League, and a convincing 4-1 win over Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League.
After 11 Premier League games, City sits second with 22 points, four behind league leaders Arsenal. In the Champions League, after four group matches, City is fourth with 10 points out of 12. Overall, the results are not brilliant but promising. While Arsenal has the best squad and balance in England and has a genuine chance to win the league and domestic cups, City can challenge them.
Defense – the Achilles’ Heel
The biggest issue for the club is not the results but the often unconvincing or inconsistent play, along with weak individual performances. In the home defeat to Tottenham, the entire back line (Rico Lewis, John Stones, Rúben Dias)—except perhaps left-back Aït-Nouri—looked terrible. Every Tottenham attack in the penalty area looked like a goal-scoring opportunity. The hosts were surprised that their opponents did not simply sit back but tried to play out. By halftime, Spurs were 2-0 up through Brennan Johnson and João Palhinha. Although City dominated in the second half, they could not create quality chances. Play on the flanks—Dokua, Marmoush, Bobb, and Foden—was ineffective.
Failure to Control Midfield
Brighton again proved to be a puzzle for Guardiola as City lost 2-1 for the second consecutive year. Brighton’s manager Fabian Hürzeler crowded the midfield with a 4-2-3-1 formation, making it hard for City, even with Rodri and Bernardo Silva starting. Bernardo played very poorly, as did newcomer Reijnders. Although City initially led through Haaland, Brighton took control with goals from James Milner and Brajan Gruda. Once again, play on the wings was problematic—Brighton always had an extra man there.
Even the 1-1 draw away to Arsenal was not as good as it looked; City were mostly subordinate. Despite having Rodri, Bernardo Silva, and Reijnders, they could not control the midfield or keep possession efficiently, losing the ball quickly or sending ineffective passes. On the right, Abdukodir Khusanov and Phil Foden were completely stifled. The point gained was purely due to Haaland’s talent. Arsenal’s 67% possession speaks volumes.
In the 1-0 defeat to Aston Villa, City were competitive but could not score. Again, midfielders underperformed (highlighting De Bruyne’s absence), and defenders Gvardiol and Stones were below Premier League standards. A bit of bad luck also contributed, with Matty Cash’s goal deciding the game.
City – Liverpool 3-0
Problem of Lack of Cohesion
It is clear that City struggle without Rodri, and even when he plays, his teammates are either unable or inexperienced in the tactical setup. When City have possession, they are less effective than in the past; when they lose the ball, they become more vulnerable. This season they have allowed a high number of clear chances to opponents. Many players are underperforming, as reflected in Sofascore ratings. The weakest links in the Premier League include Stones (6.62), Bernardo Silva (6.67), Lewis (6.72), Aït-Nouri (6.77), Reijnders (6.83), and Bobb (6.90).
New Trophies or Guardiola’s Farewell?
Despite all these challenges, Manchester City can still compete for every trophy. To claim new honors, they will need to regain a winning sparkle. In other words, Guardiola must find sustainable solutions: finalize the first team, reduce dependence on Rodri and Haaland, adjust pressing and style, and strengthen the defense—a top priority. These measures will allow City to catch a winning rhythm to aim for the English league and Champions League titles. If they fail to achieve these goals, the legendary Pep may leave, along with Bernardo Silva whose contract expires in summer. Ultimately, no era lasts forever.
References:
https://www.transfermarkt.com/
https://www.mancity.com/citytv/mens/pep-guardiola-every-trophy-won-so-far-63867815
