Following their thumping 4-1 win against Manchester United on Sunday, Manchester City have taken 19 points from a possible 24 in the Premier League since the turn of the year.
For most teams that would sound like a pretty healthy return, but for a side with standards as high as City’s, it represents a tail-off in form.
Looking past the results, it’s clear that City have dipped since the start of 2022. Pep Guardiola’s side were fortunate to leave Arsenal with three points after Rodri snatched a last-gasp winner, while the win at Everton last week was on balance deserved but not at all convincing.
Add to that the dramatic 3-2 loss to Tottenham and a 1-1 draw at Southampton and you’d be forgiven for feeling a little alarmed by City’s position in the title race. After all, those dropped points have seen the Reds slash City’s advantage at the top of the table to six points, three if Jurgen Klopp’s side win their game in hand.
City haven’t been at their best for a couple of months and Liverpool have been on the charge. Sound familiar? The 2018/19 title run-in took years off our lives, but ultimately City found a way to keep winning – even if it wasn’t always pretty.
But fear not, maybe that isn’t the way that things have to pan out between now and May 22nd.
City were dominant in the second half against United, showing Liverpool and everybody else watching that the champions have got their swagger back.
In the first half City struggled to keep hold of the ball in the way they usually do so well, as United forced them to reduce their game to counter-attacks and mad dashes to defend.
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City went into half-time 2-1 up, but they looked anything but assured.
The Blues came out a different team though, clinical and relentless on the ball and able to deal with United’s pressing. The visitors soon gave up and from then on it was plain sailing.
“[In the second half] we play with the rhythms that we have to play,” Guardiola said. “There was one rhythm in the first half, but it needed to be slower, more patient so that we could read exactly where the spaces [were].
“When they decided to jump [press] we found the players like Phil [Foden], Kevin [De Bruyne] and Jack [Grealish] in the pockets. We did really, really well. We cannot play all the time in one rhythm [makes end-to-end gesture].”
Clearly, Guardiola made an adjustment to ensure City kept the ball better and slowed the pace of the game down. But City’s players also moved with a certain swagger they did not have in the first period.
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That will have delighted Guardiola and concerned Klopp. Defeat today could have seen City’s title defence crumble, but instead victory instilled a renewed sense of belief and confidence around the Etihad Stadium.
“In the last years, when we lost against them [Manchester United], we were already champions,” Guardiola said. “Today we play [knowing] that if we don’t win, we have to win all the [other] games to be champion.”
Liverpool beware: when City have something to play for, there is no team harder to stop.
What did you make against City’s second half against United? Follow our City Is Ours writer Alex Brotherton on Twitter to get involved in the discussion and give us your thoughts in the comments section below.
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