Man City Handed Fifth Loss on the Trot by Spurs – What’s Gone Wrong?
Manchester City fans must be asking themselves; what is happening to our team? For a side that has dominated English football for years, Pep Guardiola's Cityzens now finds themselves in uncharted waters, reeling from a fifth consecutive defeat in all competitions. Adding insult to injury, this one came on home turf – a 4-0 drubbing at the hands of Tottenham Hotspur.
The Etihad Stadium, once a fortress, saw its record 52-match unbeaten streak shattered as Spurs delivered City's worst home loss since 2003. James Maddison was the architect of the upset, scoring twice in the opening 20 minutes while Pedro Porro and Brennan Johnson added second-half goals to compound the misery for Guardiola’s men.
Spurs Shine Amid City's Struggles
Tottenham arrived in Manchester with low expectations. Missing key players and coming off a shock loss to Ipswich, Ange Postecoglou’s side turned doubters into believers with a fearless performance.
Maddison’s first came after shrugging off City’s defensive lapses, a sweet finish from Dejan Kulusevski’s perfect cross. Seven minutes later, he punished a sloppy Josko Gvardiol pass, combining with Son Heung-min to double Spurs’ lead.
Pedro Porro’s thunderous strike early in the second half sealed the deal, and Johnson’s late tap-in added the finishing touch to what will go down as one of Tottenham’s most memorable nights.
A New Low for Guardiola
For Guardiola, these are unprecedented times. Never before in his managerial career has he endured five straight losses, and the cracks are starting to show. Missing Rodri’s commanding presence in midfield, City’s defence appeared fragile, while their attack, led by an out-of-sorts Erling Haaland, lacked its usual clinical edge.
Haaland, with chances to turn the tide, failed to capitalise. His hesitation on a first-half chance summed up City’s struggles: a team that seems unsure of itself. Even Kevin De Bruyne's late cameo couldn’t inspire a response as Tottenham's defence, led by a tenacious Radu Dragusin, held firm.
Can City Recover?
Guardiola signed a two-year contract extension just days ago, reaffirming his commitment to the club amid mounting pressures. But can City dig themselves out of this slump? Their position in the Premier League looks increasingly vulnerable, with Liverpool poised to extend their lead at the top.
For now, City must regroup and rediscover their rhythm. As Guardiola put it, "We have to stand up and face this challenge." But after five defeats in a row, one question lingers: how long will it take for this City side to remind us why they were champions just months ago?
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