Manchester City’s recent struggles continued after Tuesday’s shock 3-1 Champions League defeat to Bodo/Glimt. This defeat was difficult for Pep Guardiola for a number of reasons.
The city has absolutely no form to request.
Aside from the FA Cup win over Carabao, City have been incredibly winless since a 2-1 thumping at Nottingham Forest on December 27.
Defeat in the Arctic means Guardiola’s side lost a second successive Manchester derby on Saturday for the first time since November.
Use the Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
WATCH FREE: Highlights of Manchester United vs Manchester City match in Premier League.
Meanwhile, City, who ended the year on an eight-game winning streak, won just two of their next seven games for the first time since December 2024 and January 2025.
“This group seems to lack confidence.” Sky Sports News Reporter Ben Ransom. “The Premier League has been in a pretty miserable situation since this year.
Use the Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Pep Guardiola feels Manchester City are ‘weak’ after Bodo/Glimt lost in the Champions League.
“They haven’t won four games in the league, three draws in a row and then a crushing loss to Manchester United. That must have really hurt them.”
And while no one is calling this a crisis, they suddenly look short in every part of the field, especially since City can still win the quadruple, at least in theory.
Difficult January in the City:
January 1st – 0-0 draw with Sunderland in the Premier League.
January 4th – In the Premier League, we drew 1-1 at home with Chelsea.
January 7th – A 1-1 draw with Brighton in a Premier League home game.
January 10th – 10-1 win over Exeter in the FA Cup.
January 13th – Won 2-0 over Newcastle in the first leg of the Carabao Cup semi-finals.
January 17th – In the Premier League, they lost 0-2 to Manchester United.
January 20th – Champions League coverage/1-3 loss to Glimt.
We have a feeling that everything is going wrong in many details and we must try to change this.
Lack of options and weak rear end
As in Saturday’s Manchester derby defeat at Old Trafford, City once again found themselves at the back of the Aspmira Stadium. They were unable to cope with the speedy forward duo of Bodo/Glimt, especially where Abdukhodir Kusanov and Max Allein were at fault for the home side’s first two goals.
Yes, young City were without 11 senior players due to illness, injury, suspension or ineligibility, including recent new signing centre-back Marc Guehi and starting central defenders Ruben Dias, Josko Gvardiol and John Stones.
Marc Guehi is not eligible to play for City in the Champions League until the league phase is completed.
But the regularity with which the Norwegians, who had never won a Champions League game before tonight, were tearing through their opponents will have shocked City fans and Guardiola will surely not be able to wait for Guehi to make his debut in the Premier League clash at home to Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday.
Haaland is running on empty
Guardiola described Erling Haaland as “tired” a week ago after his side were surprisingly 10-1 at half-time in their FA Cup third round win over Exeter City on January 10.
Since then, the usually Norwegian striker has suffered a rare embarrassment in his City career as he was sidelined at Old Trafford at the weekend.
And Tuesday’s return to his home country was equally memorable as the 25-year-old drew another gap in front of goal. That included denying a huge chance to get his side back in the game just before half-time when he fired wide of the goal unusually wide.
Erling Haaland was captivated by Old Trafford on Saturday.
As a result, Haaland has not scored from open play for a month now and has only one penalty in their last eight encounters, and if City are to have any chance of getting their stuttering season back on track, they will need their regular player who can start scoring quickly again.
Are February games crowded on the cards?
City have now fallen to 7th place in the Champions League standings.
But tonight’s shock defeat means their position in the top eight is now very vulnerable and could worsen after Wednesday night’s result.
If they drop out of the top eight and City’s final group game is at home to Galatasaray next Wednesday, that would mean a double-header Champions League play-offs and an extremely crowded February fixture list.
Manchester City suffered a shock loss in coverage.
And that’s the last thing Guardiola’s side need right now, as they already continue to battle on all four fronts.
“What the Bodo/Glimt loss does is add risk to this Champions League campaign, meaning that from a relatively strong position within the top eight, they could start next week’s final match outside the top eight and perhaps need a bit of favor from elsewhere,” says Ransom.
“Given how difficult this schedule is, no one at City will want two extra games in the play-offs.”
City’s fixtures for February are as follows: The top eight are as follows:
- February 1st – Tottenham (a), Premier League
- February 4th – Newcastle (h) – Carabao Cup semi-final second leg
- February 7th – Liverpool (a), Premier League
- February 11th – Fulham (h), Premier League
- February 14th – Salford – FA Cup 4th round
- *February 17th or 18th – 1st leg of playoffs, Champions League
- February 21st – Newcastle (h), Premier League
- *February 24th or 25th – 2nd leg of playoffs, Champions League
- February 28 – Leeds (a), Premier League
Automatic Champions League qualification in jeopardy
While things are not as bad as they were last season, when City found themselves a lowly 22nd in the new-look Champions League standings (and suffered a dreaded knockout stage play-off defeat against then-holders Real Madrid), they are now at risk of being pushed out of the top eight, where they need to be to avoid such a scenario happening again.
Rodri was sent off after one minute of football for receiving a double yellow card.
They needed 16 points to finish in the top eight last season, meaning City, who currently have 13 points, will need a point in their final game at home to Galatasaray next week to do so.
But without key midfielder Rodri, who was wrongly sent off on Tuesday, and no way to fill the gap in central defence, there is no guarantee that Guardiola’s side will leapfrog the Turkish champions, who have already beaten Liverpool, into the top eight.
Use the Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Ben Ramson gives his thoughts on Manchester City’s shock defeat to Norwegian side Bodo/Glimt in the Champions League.
Your view: ‘Pep ran his race at City.’
Can Guardiola turn things around at Manchester City? He chose your view…
Marco: I think Pep ran his race like some City players did. He doesn’t seem to be able to adapt tactically over the last few years.
James Jones: I don’t think he can turn things around. The game is over. I think the players knew he was going to leave soon and gave up. There are sad times ahead.
Glenn: The city’s golden age has finally come to an end. There has been so much change in the last 12 months, with half the players returning to positions they have never played in before. Is Pep a goat? maybe. Can’t I fire you? absoluteness.
Charlesgalo05: Pep is running out of ideas. He continues to favor underperforming players and this is wasting us big time.
mike: There are top-class players even without injuries. Our problem is tactical. The slow build-up gives every opponent a chance to organize a solid defence, and when we lose the ball they beat us and run towards goal. Pep has to go – we’ve seen the best from him.
Gaz15: He seemed exhausted over the last 6-12 months. I think he’ll be gone at the end of the season.
Daniel Wilde: I think Pep will turn things around at City and win the FA Cup with Carabao and the Champions League too.
