December 1st 2024.
Pep Guardiola's team has hit a rough patch, losing four consecutive Premier League games. The latest being a defeat against Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday. It was a dominant performance from the Reds, who secured a 2-0 win with goals from Cody Gakpo and Mohamed Salah. However, they could have easily scored more, as they missed several great chances.
The loss has left Manchester City struggling to maintain their position in the top four this season, according to Jamie Carragher. The former Liverpool player believes that City will have a tough time finishing above teams like Liverpool, Arsenal, and Chelsea if they don't address their issues in the midfield. Currently, they sit fifth in the Premier League table, behind Arsenal, Chelsea, and Brighton.
Guardiola's side has been struggling in recent matches, losing six out of their last seven games in all competitions. Carragher points out that the absence of players like Rodri and Mateo Kovacic due to injuries has left City looking vulnerable in the midfield. And according to him, the only way for Guardiola to fix this is by bringing in new players in the January transfer window.
"It's almost a mini crisis for Man City," Carragher expressed his concern on Sky Sports. He compared City's current situation to that of Liverpool two years ago, when they were facing a similar issue in their midfield. "No matter how good a manager you are, you can't fix that," he added. "Pep can't do much about the midfield without the right players."
The former defender also predicts that if City doesn't make any changes, they could end up losing more games in the future. He believes that teams like Arsenal and Chelsea, who have a young and energetic squad, will be difficult to finish above. "I could see Manchester City losing another four or five games before the end of the season," Carragher said.
Liverpool, on the other hand, have been dominating the game against the champions. Carragher recalled a match from two years ago when Liverpool got battered by City at the Etihad but managed to bounce back and win the Premier League title the following year. He believes that the key to their success was their midfield, which consisted of players like Jordan Henderson and Fabinho at the time.
Looking at City's recent performances, Carragher believes that they lack energy and depth in the midfield, which is a crucial factor in challenging for the title. He pointed out that in the second half against Liverpool, City had players like Bernardo Silva and Rico Lewis in the central midfield, which according to him, is not enough. "I don't think they'll finish above Arsenal or Chelsea," he concluded.
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