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Arsenal ended a 12-game losing streak against City, while Liverpool halted their 23-game winning running at the Etihad last month.īut it's not just the so-called Big Six who are being bolder against City. Perhaps they have decided that attempting to contain Guardiola's side is futile, so why not try to land some blows instead? Chelsea put four past City at Stamford Bridge and Spurs scored three at the Etihad recently. This time around, opponents have been more prepared to attack City. Even Real Madrid slumped to a 4-0 defeat against City at the Etihad in the Champions League. They hit six past Manchester United in one game, while Arsenal, Liverpool, Spurs and Chelsea all conceded four in games against Guardiola's team last term. Opponents being bolderĬity struck fear into their opponents last season, and it's not hard to see why. Kovacic, Nunes, Rico Lewis and Kalvin Phillips have all deputised for Rodri, but none of them are as effective as shielding the defence and controlling the tempo of game as Rodri. And with Rodri missing through suspension again on Wednesday, Aston Villa capitalised on his absence by over-running City and midfield and claiming a deserved 1-0 win. Newcastle eliminated City from the Carabao Cup in September at the start of Rodri's initial three-game ban before Wolves and Arsenal considered Guardiola's side to successive league defeats. Rodri has missed four games due to suspension - three because of a red card, one due to accumulation of bookings - and City have lost all of them without the former Atletico Madrid player. The Spain midfielder was a central figure in last season's Treble success, scoring the only goal of the game to win the Champions League final against Inter Milan, but his true value to City has only become evident with the games that he has missed this season.

Is Rodri really Manchester City's most important player - even more important than striker Erling Haaland or goalkeeper Éderson? John Stones, a big performer in central defence and midfielder, has only started four Premier League games so far, while Jack Grealish, Mateo Kovacic, Matheus Nunes and Nathan Aké have also missed a number of games due to injury.Īgainst Villa in midweek, Guardiola wasn't even able to name nine players to fill the substitutes' bench, despite the depth of their expensively assembled squad. He is the heartbeat of Guardiola's team and the player who creates so many chances for Erling Haaland. Yet the absence of Kevin De Bruyne since the opening game of the season with a serious hamstring injury has denied City their captain and best midfielder. Tottenham, Manchester United and Liverpool have all been without key players for significant periods this season, so Manchester City have not been uniquely troubled by injury problems. Guardiola's team remain capable of bouncing back and repeating last season's Treble, so why are they in such a poor run of form and can City overcome the issues that have sent them veering off course in the Premier League? InjuriesĮvery team suffers from injuries. Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.) The champions travel to Luton Town on Sunday aiming to end their winless run and claim a league win for the first time since a 6-1 home win against Bournemouth over a month ago, but the trip to Kenilworth Road has now become an unexpected test of City's title credentials. Last season's Treble winners are on a four-game winless streak in the Premier League and have dropped to fourth in the table, six points behind leaders Arsenal, after Wednesday's 1-0 defeat at Aston Villa.Ĭity have conceded nine goals during that sequence of results and against Villa in midweek, Guardiola's side allowed Unai Emery's team 22 shots on goal (City managed just two), which was the joint-most faced by a Guardiola side in a game within Europe's big-five leagues - a run of 535 games - according to Opta.

Manchester City are enduring their worst slump in form since Pep Guardiola took charge as manager in 2016. What's behind Man City's poor form in the Premier League?

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