An important month for Manchester Metropolis has begun badly. Pep Guardiola will hope this season doesn’t derail in comparable trend to final season.
Patched up due to a rising checklist of accidents, Metropolis are seeing their title problem collapse. They’ve now drawn three video games in a row. there have been a number of jeers at full-time.
Commercial
From 1 January to 1 February, Metropolis have a run of 10 video games in 4 completely different competitions. It’s an arduous sequence, one to push them to their restrict. With attracts in opposition to Sunderland, Chelsea and now Brighton, they’ve to date not been as much as the take a look at.
If Arsenal beat Liverpool on Thursday, Metropolis shall be eight factors off the highest with 17 video games to play.
“The result’s the end result,” mentioned Guardiola. “One level for them, one level for us. It’s what it’s.
“The second half was fairly comparable in opposition to Sunderland and Chelsea – we missed the passes. I like loads the best way we play… many new gamers and plenty of new issues… however we do not rating objectives.
Commercial
“Too many clear probabilities and all of the individuals up entrance… sadly we couldn’t rating. Scoring objectives is a part of doing all of your job.”
Guardiola happy with ‘vitality’
Manchester Metropolis have now dropped 9 factors from successful positions within the Premier League this season [Getty Images]
Metropolis had Josko Gvardiol, Ruben Dias and John Stones lacking from the backline, with not one of the trio anticipated to return to motion till at the very least subsequent month.
It had pressured Guardiola to recall academy product Max Alleyne from his mortgage spell at Watford. The 20-year-old was given his first-team debut on a chilly night within the cauldron of the highest flight.
Alleyne carried out admirably on the massive stage and it isn’t his fault he has been thrown into this in such circumstances, simply as Nico O’Reilly was introduced in to the set-up due to final season’s damage disaster.
Commercial
In the long run, Erling Haaland’s a hundred and fiftieth objective for the membership mattered little as they’ve conspired to drop six factors in every week, giving a significant enhance to Arsenal.
With Aston Villa additionally drawing, Mikel Arteta’s males have a golden alternative to go eight factors clear – a state of affairs they might solely have dreamed of simply final week.
“In the event you do not win video games, we can not take into consideration these items,” Guardiola mentioned of the title race. “We had an unbelievable end result [in City’s final game of 2025] and after we performed three video games and we performed rather well.
“They’ve momentum, Brighton transfer rather well. Besides the primary 5 to 10 minutes we did rather well on the whole and possibly the primary half a bit of bit much less – within the final 15-20 minutes we had unbelievable probabilities.
Commercial
“Anticipated objectives would not give me something. It is the way you play for objectives and we couldn’t try this immediately.”
Former Manchester United defender Gary Neville mentioned on Sky Sports activities: “It appears like an enormous week. Manchester Metropolis drawing at residence to Brighton, it appears like one other punch within the ribs.
“Arsenal shall be going to mattress tonight, forward of an enormous recreation tomorrow evening in opposition to Liverpool, very assured of the place they’re at proper now.”
Guardiola additionally seems to be displaying the stress that goes with dropping extra factors within the title race, clashing with Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler on the touchline.
Commercial
German Hurzeler mentioned “feelings are a part of the soccer recreation”, whereas the Metropolis boss mentioned it was “completely” fantastic between the pair.
Metropolis winger Jeremy Doku added: “I feel a draw at residence isn’t actually level. We’re not that completely satisfied and would’ve most well-liked three factors.
“We do not actually take a look at the desk. We attempt to be ourselves and rating extra objectives.”
‘Fairly apparent’ why this season is just not the identical as final
Metropolis did not win a significant trophy final day out for the primary time in eight years, which Guardiola put all the way down to a prolonged damage checklist.
Along with their defensive absentees, wingers Oscar Bobb and Savinho shall be sidelined for a time period, whereas midfielder Mateo Kovacic is out long run.
Commercial
This week seems to be more likely to carry the arrival of ahead Antoine Semenyo from Bournemouth for £65m, with the Ghanaian scoring the winner in opposition to Tottenham on Wednesday and supervisor Andoni Iraola confirming a deal is successfully executed.
Metropolis have additionally stepped up efforts to signal defender Marc Guehi, although Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner has mentioned he’ll solely promote his captain if the asking worth is met.
Regardless of a lengthening casualty checklist, Guardiola has mentioned the present scenario is just not the identical as final season. Requested to make clear, he replied: “It is fairly apparent.
“The way in which we performed, and the vitality we have now. The vitality and the best way we play we create probabilities and anticipated objectives… we simply did not put the ball within the web.
Commercial
“At present Bernardo [Silva] and Erling, Rayan [Cherki] and Jeremy [Doku] – they comprehend it. We create unbelievable issues with the best way we defend and the sport is the packing containers.
“We’re involved with the defence as a result of we do not have gamers. The way in which we strategy is implausible however sadly we do not rating objectives – that’s my evaluation of the final three video games.”
Metropolis host Exeter within the FA Cup on Saturday – that can provide an opportunity to place issues proper.
Or it may very well be a possibility for the League One aspect to inflict a dangerous defeat and ship Metropolis’s season spiralling.