Man City extend worst run of Guardiola's career in collapse to Spurs

Manchester Metropolis are nicely and really in a rut.

Pep Guardiola prolonging his keep on the Etihad Stadium in the course of the worldwide break counted for naught Saturday, as his aspect misplaced 4-0 to Tottenham Hotspur, extending the worst run of his managerial profession with a fifth straight defeat.

The rout additionally marked the heaviest house loss that Guardiola has suffered as a supervisor and ended Metropolis’s 52-game unbeaten run on the Etihad.

James Maddison completed two slick strikes, Pedro Porro lashed house after one other well-worked assault, and Brennan Johnson rubbed salt into Metropolis’s wounds within the dying moments. The hosts had been stricken by poor ending, wayward passes, heavy touches, and confusion and chaos with out the ball.

Pep’s unprecedented dropping streak

There was a reminder of what Metropolis had been lacking earlier than kickoff. Rodri, broadly tipped because the membership’s most vital participant, made it onto the pitch in a pre-match ceremony to acknowledge his latest Ballon d’Or win. The midfield did not acquit itself nicely within the absence of Rodri – and likewise with out Mateo Kovacic, who was not too long ago dominated out for as much as a month – and the protection was typically anxious and uncovered.

Metropolis definitely have accidents – Oscar Bobb, Ruben Dias, and Jeremy Doku are additionally unavailable – however Spurs face the same predicament. Rodrigo Bentancur is suspended, and attackers Wilson Odobert and Richarlison are injured. Most notably, the accidents to first-choice center-back pairing Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero threatened to destabilize Ange Postecoglou’s crew. However Radu Dragusin and Ben Davies stored Guardiola’s aspect at bay with out an excessive amount of bother.

Making it look straightforward

Regardless of their struggles, Metropolis began strongly. However they had been undone by a top quality passage of play. Dejan Kulusevski continued his wonderful marketing campaign when he outfought Josko Gvardiol and lifted a chic cross for Maddison to neatly cushion previous Ederson together with his instep.

Gvardiol’s depressing outing continued when he gifted Spurs possession with a woeful blind move in his personal defensive third. Maddison performed the ball to Heung-Min Son and ran to obtain a return move on the opposite aspect of the South Korean earlier than chipping over Ederson.

Metropolis had possibilities within the opening interval – Erling Haaland had 4 makes an attempt at Guglielmo Vicario’s aim – however, typically, their assaults lacked zip resulting from an absence of concepts and motion.

And nothing modified. In reality, issues acquired a lot worse.

Kulusevski’s slick footwork and power, and a tidy one-two with Son, was sufficient to carve via the middle of Metropolis’s lineup. The Swedish attacker effortlessly unfold a ball to Dominic Solanke, who then reduce the ball again for Pedro Porro to smash into the nook within the 52nd minute. It appeared straightforward, and Spurs had been definitely chargeable for some spectacular play, however Metropolis had been affording the guests loads of area and dropping duels all around the pitch.

Haaland hit the crossbar from a near-impossible angle, however Metropolis supplied little else after Porro’s emphatic end.

Spurs had been afforded the uncommon luxurious of sitting on a snug lead and conserving power at Manchester Metropolis, making much less ventures ahead themselves. Kulusevski was denied the aim his efficiency deserved when Ederson slapped away his shot following a three-on-two breakaway within the 66th minute, however Johnson turned a snug victory right into a thumping when he transformed from shut vary in added time following one other speedy counter-attack.

Tottenham have taken extra factors (24) from Guardiola’s Manchester Metropolis than some other Premier League crew, profitable seven matches. Saturday’s droop was Metropolis’s worst Premier League house defeat since a 5-1 reverse to Arsenal in 2003.

Spurs misplaced 2-1 to Ipswich City earlier than the worldwide break.

“To return to Metropolis at their place is a frightening prospect. It challenges each a part of you,” Postecoglou mentioned post-match.

“A little bit of all the things in the present day. We needed to be disciplined and work onerous – and play first rate soccer – and we did that. Our soccer was the distinction in the present day. Excellent efficiency,” he added.