Gary Neville: Man City worst I’ve seen since Pep Guardiola’s first season after fifth straight defeat | Football news

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Gary Neville delivered a damning verdict on Manchester City’s dreadful run of form, declaring them as bad as he has seen them since Pep Guardiola’s first season in charge.

The Premier League title holders extended Guardiola’s worst ever losing streak to five games with a 4-0 home defeat at the hands of Tottenham – which was also their biggest home league defeat of his eight-year tenure.

That defeat leaves them five points off the top of the table, potentially eight after Liverpool take on Southampton on Super SundayNeville compared City’s demise to the side that finished 15 points off the top in Guardiola’s first season in charge – the only year they have finished outside the top two during his tenure.

“We’ve seen City lose the odd game here but we’ve very rarely seen them outplayed in all departments but that’s what we’re seeing,” he said.

“They look very short. As short as I’ve seen them since Pep’s first season. I haven’t seen them as bad as this, how they’ve been in the last few weeks.”

City came into Saturday’s game having been beaten 2-1 at Brighton and beaten 4-1 by Sporting in their last two games before the November internationals, with their return to domestic football after a two-week break unable to stop their losing streak.

“He would have wanted the international break to come and thought it would be a reset moment,” Neville said. “But now here, it reinforces the perception that this is a city site that is currently in decline.

“It seems crazy when you think about what they’ve achieved. They’re easy to play against and teams are encouraged when they play them. The vulnerabilities are there for all to see.”

In relief, City have been hit hard by injuries this season, with talisman Rodri sidelined by a long-term knee injury.

But when the full-time whistle blew at a shell-shocked Etihad, Neville pointedly warned: “This is more than just Rodri, far more.”

In 106 games since February 2023, Man City’s defeat ratio when Rodri was in the team is just 2.6%. When he is absent, the percentage rises to 36.

‘Walker is fighting – this isn’t just Rodri’

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Brennan Johnson adds another as Manchester City are embarrassed!

City’s problems were summed up by the manner of their dismal defending for Tottenham’s late fourth, as Timo Werner skipped past Kyle Walker down the flank before crossing low for Brennan Johnson to tap in from a couple of yards out.

With Walker’s inconsistent form this season and his difficulties at Euro 2024, where he was partly responsible for Spain’s opening game in the final, Neville said the 34-year-old is “struggling” to get anywhere near his best form.

“Goodness have mercy on me,” he said. “You don’t see that very often, but we have seen it a few times in the last few weeks.

“Vinicius Junior, Mbappe, he’s handled them all, Walker, but he’s struggling at the moment.”

“Winning the league would be Pep’s greatest achievement”

With unwanted records tumbling for City and Guardiola, both of whom have been used to making history for more positive reasons throughout his eight-year tenure, Neville pointed to where things have gone wrong for the club this season.

On The Gary Neville PodcastNeville said winning the Premier League this season would represent Guardiola’s greatest achievement – as defeat to Liverpool next weekend, live on Sky Sportswould potentially leave them 11 points off the top.

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“When you’re in decline — and I hate to use the word decline, but it feels that way — it’s a group of players who have a number of things (going wrong).

“The idea of ​​getting a little old together, the idea of ​​playing the amount of games together, the physical and mental demands of that, and the third thing is how many times you can keep going.

“I played for a manager and a club that kept going, but there were times when you just fell over. You’ve won the league three times on the bounce, twice, you’ve done doubles, you’ve won trebles and you can just don’t go any further.

“Your shoulders just kind of sag, and it seems like that’s the kind of thing that’s happened here.

“It’s a group of players who have run a million miles. They’ve been sensational. But they’ve become a little bit punchy. Leggy, lack energy, they’ve lost players and a couple of vital players to injury.

“It’s a big game next week, Liverpool vs City, and there’s only a couple of points in it, there’s a long way to go, but it feels like today, if Man City were to win the title this season, I think it would be Pep’s best Premier League.”

Man City’s next six games

  • November 26: Feyenoord (h) – Champions League
  • December 1: Liverpool (a) – live on Sky Sports
  • December 4: Nottm Forest (h)
  • December 7: Crystal Palace
  • December 11: Juventus (a) – Champions League
  • December 15: Man Utd (h) – live on Sky Sports