Man City’s aura of invincibility has been shattered; even Haaland is affected

MANCHESTER, England – There was a moment during halftime at Etihad Stadium when Phil Foden swept the ball out to Bernardo Silva. With the score 1-1, it was one last chance for Manchester City to scrape a winner against Everton. But it came to nothing. Silva’s cross was rushed and panicked – also words not usually associated with Pep Guardiola’s series winners.

However, this is City’s new reality. The spark that inspired four straight Premier League titles has faded over the past two months. A group of players who once found it so easy to find excellence now appear to be struggling with a chronic lack of confidence.

Silva scored the opener against Everton, but also missed a glorious chance to make it 2-0. Quite why he chose to use the outside of his boot and hit his shot first time instead of taking a calming touch and sending the ball into the net, only he knows. Again, there was haste and panic, but Silva was not alone in making mistakes. Erling Haaland missed a second-half penalty as City extended their miserable run to just one win from their last 13 matches in all competitions.

It says everything about City’s drop-off that Everton didn’t look like they were trying to win for most of the game and still should have grabbed it in the end. In the final six minutes of injury time, Everton had four players break at two City defenders, with the resulting shot off Jack Harrison blocked before it reached the keeper Stefan Ortega. It saved City from further embarrassment, but the final draw did not stop boos from ringing around the Etihad at the final whistle.

“We played really well, but we’re in that period right now, that’s what happens,” Guardiola said afterwards. “We create, we concede the first time (they) arrive (in the penalty area). But yes, (we) continue.

“It’s the momentum in the situation that everything takes more time to make it work. Football is about winning, scoring goals and not conceding, and we’ve always done that until the last month and a half. Now we’re not in able to do so.”

This was to mark the start of City’s revival. Everton at home start a run that includes Leicester, West Ham, Brentford, Ipswich and an FA Cup tie against League Two side Salford City. They all start against City as underdogs, but the relative ease with which Everton handled Haaland & Co. will spread hope that positive results are possible regardless of the odds.

City’s aura of invincibility has been shattered and in its place there is an anxiety that has infected almost everything. When Silva missed his golden opportunity to make it 2-0 midway through the first half, Foden – who laid on the pass – spun around and screamed in anger. On the sidelines, Guardiola arched his back in frustration. In the past, these minor setbacks would have meant very little. Now it feels like things are so difficult that City cannot afford to miss those chances. Foden and Guardiola seemed to know it too.

Jordan Pickford expertly saved Haaland’s penalty in the 53rd minute, but the only other close call for Everton came from a Josko Guardiol header that hit the post. Haaland’s penalty was his only shot on target and one of just 22 touches. It is now a goal in seven Premier League games for the two-time Golden Boot winner. Even the Norwegian robot international seems to be suffering from self-doubt, and when a cross was later put into the box, he chose to head it back towards Foden instead of going for goal himself.

Afterwards, Guardiola spoke of his players not being able to “come back mentally” after the penalty miss; Counterparty Sean Dyche, meanwhile, admitted there is a different feeling around the Etihad these days.

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“They will be strongly questioned for the first time,” said Dyche, whose side have taken points from Arsenal, Chelsea and City in their last three games. “Does it give you an opportunity? It’s not easy to take advantage of. You know (it’s there) because of the noise around it.

“It’s the first period with questions, but the skill they’ve shown year after year, it’s quite impressive to have the first period after all the years and the trophies, so definitely the maximum respect. I think they have to have a and will open someone up, but we worked hard to make sure that didn’t happen today.”

Guardiola can only hope that a few of the eight senior players missing against Everton are back when City travel to Leicester on Sunday. Beyond that, he is praying that the January transfer window can offer a solution to some of his problems.

“The transfer window in the winter is not easy,” he said. “Even the players know we have to add some new players. We have a lot (of injuries) and it’s a problem. Sometimes it’s not easy. We have to try because it goes on for a long time time.”

Getting players back fit and getting a few extra bodies through the door in January will help, but the bigger issue facing Guardiola is how to lift the confidence of a team battered and battered by this unprecedented run . Sheikh Mansour’s money will fill some of the gaps in the dressing room. Repairing his players’ confidence can be harder to achieve.