The last game of Manchester City against Southampton featured an overwhelming dominance of the former: ball possession was at 74%, accompanied by the whopping 26 shots at goal.
But Southampton’s defense was impenetrable. The goalkeeping prowess of Alex McCarthy saved the day more than a few times for the Saints, but it was Che Adams who made sure that the few chances Southampton got were successful.
He scored in the first half of the game and it was the only time the ball touched the net that day. Despite all the advantages, Manchester City went home with zero points.
The Losing Streak
The famous coach holds an impressive record for the most consecutive wins in all the leagues he’s been a part of as a manager: La Liga with Barcelona, Bundesliga with Bayern Munich, and Premier League with Manchester City.
One would think that three away losses one after the other is not something all that unusual in the sport of soccer, but it is for Guardiola. But “Pep” wasn’t really one for a lot of losses.
The current losing streak of three away games in a row is an anti-record for Guardiola – something that had never happened in his career until now.
Suboptimal Stats
Manchester City previously lost to Manchester United and Chelsea on their fields, and it’s unclear how this loss will affect the team. They now have nine total losses in the season, which is the most since Pellegrini’s 10-loss 2015-2016 season.
The last match was a great success for them, crushing Liverpool 4-0 and reducing the enormous gap between them and the number one spot. But the London loss has put the team one step back again.
Currently sitting at 66 points, they occupy the second place while Liverpool sits at number one with 89 points. In order for Manchester City to catch up, a miracle needs to happen.
Bigger Fish to Fry
Even if the Premier League championship is unlikely for Manchester City, there are still tournaments the team could potentially win.
The match against Arsenal in the semi-final of the FA Cup might launch them to the final (although they will be playing at Wembley, so who knows).
Guardiola and the company will also play Real Madrid in the second leg of the Champions League round of 16. They already have a 2-1 advantage leading up to that clash.
Conclusion
Yes, Manchester City might not be the crushing force it could have been, but it’s still one of the most powerful clubs in England at the moment, and we don’t think a few unfortunate losses will negate that.
Guardiola is not easily discouraged: he will definitely adjust the strategy and make significant changes, either internally or externally. Whatever is in store for Manchester City next is going to be exciting.
What do you think of Manchester City’s chances to win the Champions League?
Also, you can read Liverpool become a champion. Why is it so cool?
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