With Financial Fair Play charges looming large over the Etihad Stadium for the 2024/25 Premier League campaign, things have certainly turned sour for serial title winner Pep Guardiola.
A mix of injuries, the loss of a spark, added to all the off pitch issues has left fans of rival clubs looking on quite pleased with themselves believing that the chickens have finally come home to roost for Manchester City given their perceived, and charged, unfair approach to sporting integrity and the boost that finances have played in their more recent dominance.
13 games into the domestic campaign they are already eleven points behind Liverpool given their fabulous start under new gaffer Arne Slot, and they have now lost four league games on the spin, and in the newly revamped Champions League format they are in 17th place with two draws and a defeat from the opening five games.
Pep has never seen a run of results like it in his glittering managerial career so far and in their recent defeat to the current table toppers, and clear early favourites for the title given their points advantage at this early stage of the season, the knives were out in a humourous fashion from the Anfield faithful.
As 12th minute goal from Cody Gakpo gave the hosts the advantage, and a late 78th minute penalty from Mohamed Salah tied up the win and despite some huffing and puffing from the visitors, Liverpool’s win was deserved and with City not winning for seven matches across all competitions, their fans treated Guardiola to a chorus of ‘getting sacked in the morning’.
He responded by raising fingers to denote the title wins, but at the full time whistle his standard applause to them was responded in kind, but however good natured the piece of banter was, it shows the stark and wildly unexpected hole that City are now in.
City have famously overcome a points deficit previously to take the title back off Liverpool, but their form and performance levels suggest that this is completely beyond them this year.
Fans may well join Guardiola in wondering where, and why, it has all suddenly gone wrong and yes the injuries have figured massively for them, but that would not completely explain the woeful lack of form others are showing, but of you look outside of the blue side of Manchester the vast majority will not care – they are simply enjoying the slide from grace, believing it has been a long time coming.