Reasons behind Manchester City’s struggles in the year 2024

Shilpa Rajan December 31, 2024

Reasons behind Manchester City’s struggles towards the end of 2024 include a series of poor performances under Pep Guardiola. The English champions have managed just one win in their last 13 matches. This dismal run, featuring eight losses and four draws, marks the worst period in Pep’s managerial career. The poor results have severely impacted the team’s confidence and league standing. On Boxing Day, Manchester City were held to a 1-1 draw at home by Everton. Despite dominating the match, they failed to find a decisive goal. So, what could explain this dramatic downturn? Let’s delve deeper.

Reasons Behind Man Citi’s Struggle: 12 clean sheets in 13 games

One of the biggest reasons behind City’s downfall is their leaky defense. Pep is missing some of his key players in the heart of the defense. Kyle Walker has also underperformed and made a few mistakes. This has led to a miserable defensive record.

This run began with a 2-1 loss against Tottenham Hotspur in the EFL Cup. Bournemouth scored another two before Sporting CP smashed four past them in the UEFA Champions League. Manchester City have conceded 28 goals in the last 13 matches. They average more than two goals per game. A team like Man City hardly allowed a shot now concedes more than a goal per game.

Erling Haaland’s failures in front of the goal

Erling Haaland has delivered more than 50 goals in the last two seasons. However, the big Norwegian has failed to replicate his form. After starting the season on a high, Haaland has struggled to keep up with the pace. His penalty miss against Everton means that the striker only has two goals in the last 12 appearances. Haaland seems to be underconfident. The lack of balls into the box and overall struggles on the field have contributed to this poor run.

Rodri’s absence

Manchester City are without Ballon d’Or winner Rodri due to an injury. He has been the engine in the center of the park. Man City players are a lot dependent upon the Spanish midfielder. His absence has affected City’s performance and they do not look like the same team anymore.

Lack of squad depth

Over the last few seasons, City has been under a lot of pressure due to Financial Fair Play. These rules have restricted Manchester City from spending money in the transfer windows. Pep now has a small squad to work with. The lack of squad depth is not helping the Spanish manager at all. A team that averaged around three goals per game in the last two to three seasons has just scored 14 goals in the last 13 encounters. This is a huge setback for the fans as well as the manager.

Manchester City have an easy run of fixtures during the festival period. They can leave all this behind and start the new year on a high.