“This is a crisis.”
talkSPORT host Reshmin Choudhury summed it up perfectly after Manchester City’s horror run went from bad to worse at Villa Park.
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Pep Guardiola’s side suffered their ninth defeat in 12 matches with an abject 2-1 loss to Aston Villa.
That sentence would have been difficult to believe at any point in the last four years.
Reigning champions City have won every Premier League title in that time and arguably been the best team in Europe – by a clear distance.
However, since the end of October, or since Guardiola signed a contract extension, they have looked like mid-table mediocrity.
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Villa were never truly troubled by City until Phil Foden scored a consolation goal in second-half stoppage time.
And reacting to their shocking performance, talkSPORT host Reshmin added: “This is bigger than a dent in their season.
“This is a crisis now. Because up until now, we’ve always wondered how Manchester City will pull this back.
“Well, it’s a ninth loss in 12. They’ve only won once in that run. They were winless in November.
“They have conceded 27 goals across those 12 games. That’s an average of over two goals per game that this almost invincible Manchester City side have now conceded in just their last dozen games.
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“It is quite an extraordinary drop-off.”
City’s latest defeat leaves them sixth in the table, nine points adrift of league leaders Liverpool – who have played two games fewer.
Staggeringly, they could be ninth by the end of the weekend’s action if results go against them.
That’s after dropping more points this season than they did in the entirety of the 2023/24 campaign – when City only lost three times.
And Erling Haaland – the hottest striker in Europe for two years – has only managed three shots in three games – with no goals in that time.
It was a former player Morgan Rogers who put Guardiola to the sword on Saturday – setting up Jhon Duran before adding a superb second himself.
With ex-Man City star Cole Palmer also leading a title charge at Chelsea, bigger questions will be asked of City’s decision-making in recent years.
And while it would sound like sacrilege to ever question Guardiola’s future, given his reputation as arguably the greatest manager in world football, City might have had second thoughts on that contract extension if it was still on the table today.
Trying to process this unfathomable dip in form, City star Rico Lewis told talkSPORT: “I think the main thing that we’re struggling on right now is the basics and I’ve said this a few times now.
“It’s what we’re telling each other. The talking, communicating, the simple passes, the simple things, the headers, the simple parts of the game.
“Even at the start of the season, when we were unbeaten, we just used to get it right every time. I think we take it for granted and people outside take it for granted.
“When they see that it’s not as full-flowing as it normally is, that’s why there’s such a big reaction.
“Of course, I’m not saying that there’s no need for a big reaction because a club like this needs to get out of this issue, but also to flip it on its head and start going on an unbeaten run as well.
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“But I’d say it’s just getting back to the basics and then from there we’ll gain confidence and get back to where we want to be.”
Lewis added: “In terms of mentality, everyone wants to win. No one goes into the game thinking, I don’t want to play today or I don’t want to win today.
“Everyone wants to do the right thing. So I wouldn’t say it’s a question of mentality at all.”
Whatever the question is, City need to find the answer – otherwise they face the incomprehensible prospect of failing to qualify for next season’s Champions League.