Manchester City take on Arsenal on Super Sunday
Wednesday 30 January 2019 10:15, UK
Manchester City's title challenge faltered at Newcastle as they were beaten 2-1 despite scoring in the first minute of the match. What's up with the defending champions? Is complacency or fatigue to blame?
When Sergio Aguero did the inevitable and notched up goal number 15 against Newcastle just 24 seconds into the game at St James' Park, the only question seemed to be how many Manchester City would score. Seven against Rotherham. Nine against Burton. What this time?
The problem for City is that such complacency - understandable among the casual observer - can be costly when shared by those charged with actually making it happen on the pitch. What followed was a turnaround that leaves City's title hopes badly damaged.
Newcastle's 2-1 win on Tuesday night ended a run of 22 meetings without a win against City and meant Liverpool retained their four-point lead at the top of the Premier League table - now with a game in hand on the reigning champions. It's a worrying gap for Pep Guardiola and his players.
City have now dropped more points this season - 16 - than they did the entirety of last season. But while that could have been expected given their remarkable campaign last time out, nobody could have anticipated that they would lose quite so many leads.
After surrendering the advantage twice inside a week when losing back-to-back games against Crystal Palace and Leicester either side of Christmas, this was the third time they have picked up no points from a game in which they scored first.
City haven't done that for a decade. It's become a trend this season.
They were slack and sloppy at Newcastle. Of course, they dominated possession and hit 530 more passes than their opponents. But it was too sterile and, for once, that could not completely be explained by Newcastle playing with a packed defence.
"It was not our best night," said Guardiola afterwards. "We found a goal but we didn't do anything exceptional to score the goal because it was 24 seconds. It didn't help us. There was a lack of a little bit of like what we normally we are. We were not at the top but that sometimes happens. With a lot of games that can happen."
At the back they were casual. Fernandinho's uncharacteristic lapse of concentration saw him concede the penalty from which Matt Ritchie won the game. And where was the response to that setback? Guardiola's team had only one shot on target in the second half.
The City coach has always been adamant that talk of a possible quadruple is fanciful. Nevertheless, it is surprising that here we are in January and, of the three domestic trophies on offer, it is the Premier League title that is now most likely to elude them.
The congested fixture list was always a concern. But Kevin De Bruyne is back to full fitness. So is David Silva. And Aguero. All started at Newcastle, meaning that the City bench included the in-form Gabriel Jesus as well as Riyad Mahrez and Bernardo Silva. The depth is there.
But while last season's Premier League triumph had already turned into a procession by this point, the pressure of chasing Liverpool looks to have troubled this team. With so little margin for error, it is City who have blinked first. Defending this title really is that tough.
It only gets harder on paper. This was supposed to be the relatively straightforward fixture before a run of games that sees City face Arsenal at home, Everton away and Chelsea at home in the space of eight days. There is no room for error now but Guardiola hasn't given up.
"We are in January," he insisted in the press conference. "There is a lot of time. But when you are behind the leader you have to not drop points because you help them. Of course, every game is one less but we are in January so there are a lot of games left to play."
City will just need to play much better than this to have any chance.
