Guardiola breaks 15-year negative record with Manchester City, raising concerns
Manchester City‘s struggles continued with a 1-1 draw against Everton at the Etihad Stadium, leaving them in seventh place in the Premier League and outside of the European qualification spots. This result further highlights the team’s alarming decline in form.
The team has won only one of its last 13 games, conceding a total of 28 goals during this poor run of form. This drastic drop in performance has been a concern for fans and management alike.
Following the draw, manager Pep Guardiola reflected on the game: “We played very well, but now we’re in a period where this is what happens: we create chances and concede goals easily. But we have to keep going like this. The match was really good in both attack and defense. We had many shots inside the box, but unfortunately, we couldn’t get the result we wanted.” Guardiola’s comments highlight the inconsistency of the team’s performance and show a lack of ability to maintain strong performance across the whole game.
The draw leaves City with 28 points (8 wins, 4 draws, 6 losses) and outside the Conference League qualification spots. This is a significant setback for a club accustomed to challenging for the title. The drop to seventh place is a highly unusual situation for the club and has been a cause for concern amongst the team’s fans and management alike.
Last time out of Champions League qualification spots
Manchester City’s current position marks a rare occurrence. The last time they ended a calendar year outside the Champions League qualification spots was in the 2009-10 season. At the end of 2009, the club was in sixth place, having accumulated 32 points under the management of Mark Hughes (later replaced by Roberto Mancini in December).
Despite significant investment following the City Football Group takeover in 2008, the team was not yet a consistent contender for Champions League qualification.
The current situation is causing considerable concern within the club, as missing out on Champions League football would have major financial and sporting ramifications. Guardiola himself has emphasized the importance of securing a top-four finish to maintain the club’s stability and prestige. The financial implications are significant, and the club will want to avoid a situation where they are not competing in Europe’s top club competition.
Manchester City will look to end the year on a high note with an away game against Leicester City on December 29th. The team will then resume its league campaign on January 4th with a home match against West Ham United.