Pep Guardiola (foto: Posnetek zaslona)
Pep Guardiola is under fire as Manchester City goes seven games without a win. With mounting criticism and Mourinho-like comparisons, can he turn things around?
Seven matches, six losses, and one draw. That is the current record of Manchester City, the reigning English champions, who have completely lost their way—across all competitions. Today, Pep Guardiola's team fell to Liverpool, and they currently don’t resemble a side capable of challenging for another Premier League title toward the end of this season.
The crisis is becoming increasingly evident in Pep Guardiola’s demeanor, as the coach is dealing with a situation of this magnitude for practically the first time in his career.
After the loss to Tottenham, he had already heard the infamous English chant "You're getting sacked in the morning!" from the stands. At the time, he found it somewhat amusing. However, when the same chant echoed through Anfield today, his reaction was completely different.
Guardiola responded to his critics by showing six fingers, a clear reference to the six Premier League trophies he has won as Manchester City’s manager. In doing so, he evoked memories of Jose Mourinho, who resorted to similar gestures during the difficult times after the peak of his coaching career. The Portuguese coach later failed to rediscover the magic that had once defined him.
Is the magic also leaving the highly regarded Catalan coach? The answer may come soon—perhaps at the end of this season, or maybe later. What is clear is that his team is in crisis, and they will need to overcome it quickly to re-enter the race for trophies.
In the Premier League standings, City has slipped to fifth place, trailing even Brighton, with just a one-point lead over Nottingham Forest.