Pep Guardiola is enduring an unprecedented challenge in his managerial career, as his Manchester City side has now gone seven consecutive matches without a win. This marks the first time in his career that he has faced such a prolonged winless streak. The latest setback came in a significant 2-0 loss to Premier League title contenders Liverpool at Anfield last weekend, a result that has left many questioning City’s title aspirations for the 2024-25 season.
The match saw Liverpool dominate, with goals either side of halftime from Cody Gakpo and Mohamed Salah. These two strikes secured Liverpool’s victory and condemned Manchester City to their fourth consecutive Premier League defeat. As a result, Guardiola’s side has dropped to fifth place in the standings, now 11 points adrift of leaders Arne Slot’s team at the top. With only 13 games played, City’s title hopes are rapidly fading, and questions are being raised about whether they can recover. Historically, Manchester City has never won the Premier League title after trailing by more than 10 points, and only three teams have managed to come from 11 or more points behind to win the league. These instances were Manchester United in the 1992-93 and 1995-96 seasons, both of which involved deficits of 12 points, and Arsenal in the 1997-98 season with a 13-point gap.
With the title race already looking bleak, Guardiola’s immediate focus must shift to restoring City’s fortunes in the league and ensuring they finish in the top four. The team’s failure to win in recent weeks has left them struggling, and their upcoming match against sixth-placed Nottingham Forest at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday presents a tough challenge. Just a few weeks ago, many City supporters would have seen this fixture as a relatively easy one, but Forest have been one of the standout teams of the current season. Under the guidance of manager Nuno Espirito Santo, Forest have exceeded expectations, and several of their key players have been in exceptional form.
Steven McInerney, a Manchester City expert from Esteemed Kompany, warned a few weeks ago that this fixture could be a “banana skin” for the Citizens, and he still believes that City will face a difficult task against a Forest side that has shown resilience and quality. “This is the exact kind of team I don’t want City to play right now,” McInerney told Sports Mole. “They’re everything City aren’t at the moment. They know exactly what they’re doing, they’re incredibly structured, incredibly hardworking, and they have so much pace. They’ve got individual quality, and they’re a reliable team.”
Forest’s attacking lineup, which includes top scorer Chris Wood, along with the talented Callum Hudson-Odoi and Morgan Gibbs-White, will be looking to exploit a City defense that has been vulnerable throughout their winless run, having conceded 19 goals in their last seven matches. McInerney highlighted the form of Forest’s defensive unit as well, particularly the central defensive pairing of Nikola Milenkovic and Murillo. These players have helped Forest keep the third-most clean sheets in the Premier League (five) and concede the second-fewest goals (13). McInerney warned that facing such a well-drilled and determined side could prove to be a nightmare for Manchester City, especially considering their struggles in attack. “It’s going to be really difficult,” he said. “Forest are such a stubborn side, and City aren’t creating much right now.”
In an effort to address some of Manchester City’s ongoing struggles in midfield, Guardiola is reportedly considering a tactical shift for Jack Grealish, potentially giving him a more central role. The aim would be to provide more support to the underperforming trio of Ilkay Gundogan, Bernardo Silva, and Phil Foden. This change could help City regain some stability in the middle of the park and alleviate the pressure on their key players. Ahead of the game against Forest, McInerney spoke with Sports Mole senior reporter Oliver Thomas about what Grealish could offer in a central position, as well as the challenges Manchester City are set to face against a well-organized and determined Nottingham Forest side at home.
As Manchester City prepares for what could be a crucial encounter, all eyes will be on Guardiola’s tactics and whether his side can end their winless streak and regain some momentum. The upcoming match represents a critical opportunity for City to address their ongoing issues and avoid falling further behind in the race for European spots, if not the title itself.