Manchester City's Manager Pep Guardiola has acknowledged a significant shift in how opponents approach matches against his team, suggesting that rival teams no longer fear facing the champions at the Etihad Stadium. This change in dynamics could potentially jeopardize City's Champions League qualification if not addressed.
The Spanish manager, speaking ahead of Saturday's clash with Chelsea, highlighted a notable transformation in opponents' tactical approaches. "Everyone came to the Etihad and stayed back," Guardiola reflected, noting that the first instance of man-marking came from Neil Warnock's Cardiff City. "Now everyone does it. Everyone comes here, it doesn't matter, man to man. They just jump to Ederson or Stefan [Ortega]."
The situation has become increasingly concerning for the defending champions, who currently sit fifth in the Premier League, trailing leaders Liverpool by 12 points. The team's recent form has been particularly troubling, with just one victory in 13 matches toward the end of 2024. Their Champions League prospects also hang in the balance, requiring a win against Club Brugge on Wednesday to secure a play-off position following their defeat to Paris St-Germain.
Despite having £123m worth of new talent at his disposal for the Premier League encounter with Chelsea, Guardiola maintains that personnel alone won't resolve their current challenges. He dismissed the significance of running statistics as performance indicators, instead pointing to his team's struggles in possession. "Speed is important but against PSG we ran more than them," he explained. "Our problem is with the ball. This season it is what we have missed. If you have the ball and don't pass properly to your mate, everything is so difficult."
The contrast from the season opener, when City secured a 2-0 victory at Stamford Bridge, is stark. Few would have predicted Chelsea would be higher in the table by the return fixture, with City barely maintaining a one-point lead over Bournemouth. Guardiola now views Champions League qualification as equivalent to winning a trophy, particularly given the injuries to key players like Ballon d'Or winner Rodri and their current defensive limitations.
In a noteworthy reflection, Guardiola endorsed Jose Mourinho's famous claim about finishing second behind City with Manchester United in 2017-18 being one of his greatest achievements. "There are seasons when there are a lot of difficulties," Guardiola acknowledged. "How do you stand up? How do you stay there? I remember Jose. I don't know the reality of United but he said many times finishing second in that season was his biggest success. I understand completely."
