“I won’t give up, that’s for sure,” mentioned Pep Guardiola previous to his Manchester Metropolis facet struggling their fourth defeat in a row in opposition to Brighton and Hove Albion earlier than the worldwide break.
It was a tone that has not often been related to the Metropolis boss since arriving in English soccer again in 2016, however that is new-found territory for him.
This run of 4 video games is the longest stretch he has gone and not using a win throughout his managerial profession – and it isn’t set to get any simpler.
Metropolis’s fast fixture listing within the Premier League is without doubt one of the hardest and it couldn’t arrive at a worse time, as Guardiola’s facet proceed to battle with accidents and confidence.
Metropolis’s run of fixtures
A defeat to Tottenham kick-started the hysteria, as objectives from Timo Werner and Pape Matar Sarr precipitated Metropolis to crash out of the Carabao Cup.
They’ll now be tasked with addressing this stoop in opposition to Ange Postecoglou’s workforce, reside on Sky Sports activities, as soon as home motion returns on November 23.
Saturday twenty third November 5:00pm
Kick off 5:30pm
A blockbuster conflict in opposition to league leaders Liverpool, additionally reside on Sky Sports activities, will observe shortly after and Guardiola will hope to have the likes of Jack Grealish, Ruben Dias and John Stones again for that sport on December 1.
Metropolis will then host Nottingham Forest, who’ve been one of many stand-out storylines throughout the early phases of the season given their spectacular begin, on the Etihad Stadium on December 4.
A visit to Selhurst Park to face Crystal Palace three days later (December 7) seems the best fixture on paper, though the Eagles have precipitated Metropolis issues in recent times.
This in fact contains the shock 2-0 victory away from house again in 2021, which can probably linger within the thoughts of the Metropolis boss if his facet are in want of a win when the fixture arrives.
Lastly, they’ll end in dramatic trend by internet hosting Ruben Amorim, who could have been within the job over a month by December 15, and Manchester United – reside on Sky Sports activities.
Their rivals are at present an unknown entity however the worry of shedding the derby will solely mount extra strain on addressing their poor type earlier than a fixture of this magnitude comes round.
The significance of this run laid naked
When it comes to league place, Metropolis’s run is just the eighth-hardest fixture listing in the course of the subsequent 5 video games.
Nonetheless, this doesn’t take note of the membership additionally balancing Champions League matches in opposition to Feyenoord (November 26) and Juventus (December 11), in addition to the added strain that can compound with every fixture.
Largest level gaps between the leaders and eventual champions after 11 video games
Tottenham, Feyenoord and Liverpool all carry large significance for Metropolis and it isn’t past the realms of chance that this shedding streak extends to seven video games earlier than dealing with Forest.
Liverpool face Southampton of their first fixture after the break and in the event that they go on to safe all three factors and Metropolis lose their first sport again, it will equal the most important factors hole that has ever been overcome by Premier League champions after 11 video games.
Man Metropolis’s run of fixtures within the Premier League in comparison with Liverpool and Arsenal
If that margin is stretched to 11 factors after dealing with the Reds, the state of affairs could be teetering on untenable.
Why are Metropolis struggling?
Accidents, accidents and accidents.
Winger Jeremy Doku has joined a rising listing of key gamers at present sidelined.
Rodri is the most important absence however in Grealish, Stones, Dias and Oscar Bobb, Guardiola is missing essential depth that he can name upon from the bench.
Solely Everton have made much less substitutions than Metropolis’s tally of 35 to date this season, which may spotlight why the squad are at present faltering given their lack of contemporary legs.
Guardiola has begun to lean on younger prospects extra ceaselessly, resembling 19-year-old Jahmai Simpson-Pusey who has began the final two video games within the absence of his injured stars, and would possibly want to take action frequently sooner or later.
Changing Rodri
One participant that won’t be returning within the close to future is Rodri.
“Now the seasons are getting longer and the [FIFA Club] World Cup ends on July 13, I have in mind to return this year, as a challenge,” mentioned Rodri, talking on COPE.
“I’ve already started walking and I’m feeling better than I thought.”
Manchester Metropolis with and with out Rodri this season
Regardless of the optimistic replace, if Metropolis are to handle their present points, they should discover somebody who can fill the void left by Rodri in midfield instantly.
Mateo Kovacic and Ilkay Gundogan have been used within the holding position in the course of the run of defeats and different candidates might now be thought of.
Stones has beforehand been utilised in midfield and if he’s absolutely match, could possibly be a viable choice so as to add extra safety to the again 4.
