3 days Ago By Michael Plant
Sports reporter Did you know with an ad-lite subscription to ManchesterWorld, you get 70% fewer ads while viewing the news that matters to you. Pep Guardiola has admitted another team might deserve to win the Premier League title this season after Manchester City dropped points for a second week in a row. Advertisement Advertisement The 2-1 loss against Brighton & Hove Albion coupled with Liverpool’s 2-0 victory over Aston Villa on Saturday saw City fall five points behind Arne Slot’s side in the title race.
It’s a worrying trend for City who were also beaten last week at Bournemouth and have now lost four in a row in all competitions. That’s the worst run of the Guardiola era and the first time City have lost four consecutive games since August 2006. The Blues are struggling with a spate of injuries with John Stones, Ruben Dias, Jack Grealish and Jeremy Doku all missing the game, while Guardiola admitted post-match that Nathan Ake and Manuel Akanji are struggling with knocks.
Kyle Walker and Kevin De Bruyne aren’t up to full fitness yet and there is also concern about the fatigue levels of those who aren’t suffering from injury, with the likes of Rico Lewis and Erling Haaland struggling to find their best form over recent weeks. It’s why there’s a sense that City are operating well below their full capacity at present, and Guardiola said it could cost them the title this season. Advertisement Advertisement “We are not able to do 90 minutes right now," Guardiola told Match of the Day , following two performances in a row where the side’s performance levels dropped markedly in the second half.
"We played a really good first half and moments in the second half. We lost again so clear our heads, international break and hopefully our players come back fit. "We have to try and win games again.
We were not able to sustain the rhythm in the second half. Four [defeats] in a row. We have to change things quick.
"The schedule becomes tough but it is going to happen when the players come back. Maybe after seven years winning six Premier Leagues, maybe one year another team deserve it.” Advertisement Advertisement After the two-week international break, City face Tottenham Hotspur on 23 November, followed by Feyenoord in the Champions League.
The Blues then begin December with a trip to Anfield, in a game that is beginning to feel increasingly important in the title race. National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting.
Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting..
