Kolkata: After India stunningly snapped their record 16-Test winning streak in 2001 , Australia, sore losers at the best of times, had players and staff at Eden Gardens saying it had to happen someday. A little over 23 years later, Pep Guardiola echoed such thoughts after Manchester City lost their fourth successive match.
The domination of the Premier League, six titles in seven seasons including four in a row, for the defending champions will end at one point, Guardiola said after the 1-2 defeat at Brighton on Saturday. “In the next 55 years, City is not going to win the Premier League every year.”
His contract ending in 2025, Guardiola then said he was going to try and ensure that City win it one more time. It is a challenge he relishes, Guardiola had said after Sporting CP’s shock win midweek in the Champions League. At Brighton, he repeated that. “When we get the players back, I don’t have any doubts that we will be back,” he said.
City haven’t lost four in a row since 2006, Guardiola had only once in a coaching career of nearly 20 years but since one of the defeats came after penalties, technically it does not count. So, this does need some adjusting to. “You are getting sacked in the morning,” Brighton supporters sang.
Given how City played the first half, the chant did not seem coming. Savinho was denied early and before he scored, Erling Haaland shanked a shot. The Norwegian then hit the post and had a header going over. With 70% possession, like it was at Sporting, City were bossing.
But the thing in the Premier League is that no team, not even City… certainly not this version, invokes awe. Look no further than Ipswich Town going away winners from Tottenham Hotspur. As Carlos Baleba took charge of the midfield, Brighton grew into the match having emerged in the second half ready to fight. They had one plan of attack – attack. Even if that meant Savinho could have scored again. He didn’t, João Pedro and Matt O’Riley did. It made O’Riley’s return from injury the most successful comeback since August at the weekend.
But City had 15 attempts, five more than their opponents, six of them on target. They had four corner-kicks, Brighton none. “If we play like we did in the first half, we have a chance,” Guardiola said, referring to the season ahead.
For all talk of the end of an era – “it is what people would want because we won a lot,” said Guardiola – after consecutive defeats in 11 days, City are second in the league standings, five points behind Liverpool, with 27 matches to go.
It’s only November, Guardiola has pointed out. In December 2023, City were fourth after losing to Aston Villa and six points adrift of leaders Arsenal. In 2022-23, City were five points behind Arsenal in February having played a match more. We now how those movies ended.
If there is a difference between then and now, it is the list of injured players. Kevin de Bruyne is returning after a long lay-off and will need time. Jeremy Doku and Jack Grealish were also not available on Saturday and Guardiola has spoken of four central defenders being injured; Manuel Akanji and Nathan Aké were on the bench alright but far from 100%, he said. City have not looked this wobbly at the back as they did against Bournemouth, Sporting and Brighton.
As always, it starts at the top of the pitch. City, former defender Micah Richards told BBC’s Match of the Day, have not been pressing well. “When they do press, they go in as individuals,” he said. “They are just too easy to play through at the moment.”
Add to that the absence of Rodri. As per The Athletic, City won 76% of 51 matches the Ballon d’Or winner started in all competition since the beginning of last season. Without him, the win percentage in 24 matches drops to 62% and losses go up by 33%. The only match in the period in question that City and Rodri lost in regulation time ended in Erik ten Hag getting an extension and Manchester United another FA Cup title. After that, Rodri was crucial to Spain winning the Euros. Now, he is out for the season.
Injury to a key player can affect a team as was evident when Virgil van Djik missed most of the 20-21 season derailing Juergen Klopp’s plan for Liverpool to not defend but attack the league title. Ditto in 22-23 when the central defender was out for 41 days, as per Transfermarkt, with a hamstring problem and Liverpool ended fifth. But if there is one team that can clear their heads, as Guardiola has said, and go on long unbeaten runs, it is City.
They have a tough set of matches till Christmas against Spurs, Liverpool, Aston Villa, Nottingham Forest, Manchester United – the only club outside the top 10 City face will be in a derby – Feyenoord and Juventus but write them off and you can end where Australia did in that famous Test series in 2001.