As the questions grew sharper at the press conference, Pep Guardiola’s furrowed brow deepened. The embarrassment of the recent events at the Etihad was written all over his face. A streak of five consecutive losses across all competitions—unbelievable! This streak is as shocking for Manchester City as it is for Guardiola himself.
Four consecutive league titles and five in the last six seasons had cemented City’s dominance. They started this season as strong favorites, but their woes have only grown as the matches progressed. Last night, they suffered a crushing 4-0 defeat to Tottenham at home. The scoreline was so startling it demanded a second glance—was this really City?
City’s struggles have largely been blamed on a spate of injuries, particularly to key player and defensive midfielder Rodri. But injuries alone don’t tell the whole story. Teams face injuries every season, yet Guardiola has always found ways to navigate through such challenges, often turning the tide in his favor. This time, however, City’s playing style, body language, and even tactical sharpness seem lackluster. The defense lacks solidity, the attack lacks intensity, and, most concerning of all, Guardiola’s magic touch is no longer transforming games.
A Historic Low
For the first time in 68 years, a reigning champion in English football’s top tier has suffered five consecutive losses across all competitions. Chelsea last experienced such a streak in 1956.
The bad news for Guardiola doesn’t end there. A loss in their next Premier League match could effectively close the door on their title defense. That match? Against league leaders Liverpool. Liverpool currently sit five points ahead of City, having played one game less. A win for Liverpool tonight at Southampton would extend that gap to eight points. If City loses at Anfield on December 1, the deficit would balloon to 11 points—a gap that would require nothing short of a miracle to overcome.
To make matters worse, City isn’t just looking up the table; they’re also feeling the pressure from below. Chelsea, Arsenal, and Brighton are all within touching distance, with only one point separating City’s 23 points from their rivals’ 22.
A Rare Humiliation
Tottenham became only the second team to inflict a 4-0 home defeat on a Guardiola side. The first was Real Madrid in the 2013-14 Champions League semifinal.
When asked whether a loss to Liverpool would cost City the title, Guardiola admitted: “Yes, that’s true. Right now, we’re not thinking about winning or losing the title. We’re not in a position to think about how the season will end. If we don’t win it in the end, it means we didn’t deserve it. And in the past, we won it because we deserved it.”
Unfamiliar Territory
For only the second time in his career, Guardiola has lost three consecutive league matches. The last instance was in May 2015 with Bayern Munich after securing the Bundesliga title, when they lost to Leverkusen, Augsburg, and Freiburg.
“This is a situation we haven’t faced in the last eight years,” Guardiola said. “I knew we would stumble at some point, but I didn’t expect three consecutive Premier League losses.”
No matter how dire the situation, Guardiola is known for finding solutions. Though this challenge is unfamiliar, he understands better than anyone that you don’t lose until you give up. The question now is whether Guardiola can unveil a new masterstroke to turn City’s fortunes around in the coming matches.
A First for Pep
For the first time in his career, both as a player and as a coach, Guardiola has endured the humiliation of five consecutive losses.
