NFL
By Keith Richards
Late in the afternoon at King Power in Leicester, UK, English Premier League’s Manchester City ended its five-match streak without a win when they defeated Leicester City 2-0. In the victory, City’s all-world striker, Erling Haaland, ended a streak of his own. It was his first goal in league play since the 2-2 draw with Crystal Palace on December 7th. That’s where the good vibrations end.
With the win, Manchester City now sits fifth on the Premier League table with 31 points. Manchester City has played half of its matches and is four points behind Chelsea in the last Champions League position. That’s not what hurts them most, though. The four-time defender Premier League champions are 14 points behind league-leading Liverpool. Unfortunately, for Manchester City fans, I think we can only come to one conclusion: Manchester City has fallen.
Before spelling out the champions’ demise, it would be unjust not to discuss their incredible run first. Indeed, if the season ended today, Manchester City would be out of next year’s UEFA Champions League. It would be the first time since the 2009-10 season that City failed to qualify for the Champions. Nine teams in the Premier League then are not even in the league right now.
While Man City may not win an absurd fifth straight league championship, they’ve been nothing short of dominant over the past few seasons. Since the 2017-18 season, City has failed to win the league title only once. In the 2019-20 season, Liverpool would capture that title after almost besting the record 100 points in a season that Manchester City would achieve just two seasons previously.
Let’s put that in a little more perspective. Manchester City has the fourth-highest number of titles in English top-tier football. City won its first title in the 1936-37 season and its second in the 1967-68 season. Since the 2011-12 season, Manchester City has won eight league titles. Chalk it up to whatever you want; it’s still impressive. However, all good things must come to an end.
In truth, it’s hard to honestly say that all good things have come to an end. Manchester City hasn’t had a “bad” season since 2009-10. That’s just the pedestal they’ve put themselves on. Finishing fifth in a lousy season speaks for itself in the quality we’ve come to expect from them. Still, for argument’s sake, Manchester City has fallen. How did it happen?
As crazy as it sounds, Manchester City’s biggest enemy has been success. That might take just a little bit of explanation. Since the 2018-19 season, Man City has been to at least the semi-finals of the FA Cup every season, and they’ve been to the finals for two consecutive seasons.
So, in addition to 38 league matches, there are at least seven additional matches in FA Cup play, which still does not account for UEFA Champions League matches. There’s a lot of football being played, which leads to Manchester City’s second biggest enemy: injury. This season has been excruciating regarding Manchester City, as they’ve seen significant injuries on every level.
Only two City players have been on the pitch for all 19 matches: Bernando Silva and Erling Haaland. Here are some of the lowlights of time missed on the pitch due to injury for Man City this season:
- Phil Foden – Only 14 appearances
- Matheus Nunes – Only 12 appearances
- Kevin De Bruyne – Only 12 appearances
- Jack Grealish – Only 13 appearances
- Rodri – Only two appearances (out for the season)
- Jeremy Doku – Only 14 appearances
- Ruben Dias – Only 13 appearances
- John Stones – Only eight appearances
- Nathan Ake – Only seven appearances
It is vital to note that just because a player did not see the pitch does not mean they didn’t make the Matchday roster. It can also indicate that they made the roster to fill slots, and the hope was that they would not be needed. In short, just because they made the Matchday roster doesn’t mean they were genuinely fit to play.
The injury that has hurt Manchester City the most is Rodri. City’s defense has, at times, been nothing short of atrocious this season. Without their star CDM, Man City lacked communication and organization in the worst way, particularly in the counterattack. No matter what quality of team they’re playing, Manchester City has been left wide open to the counterattack more than they would like, and it costs them points.
So, what’s next for Manchester City? It would be irresponsible to assume they can’t turn this around next season. They still have a lot of young, promising talent on their roster. Josko Gvardiol, Phil Folden, Erling Haaland, Rico Lewis, and Jeremy Doku are 24 or younger. Still, Manchester City is the fifth-oldest squad in the Premier League, averaging 27.8 years.
They also have the fifth-oldest Starting XI, averaging 27.4 years. Even with their youth, Manchester City is starting to get a bit old. Some of their oldest players include:
- Kyle Walker – 34
- John Stones – 30
- Nathan Ake – 29
- Manuel Akanji – 29
- Mateo Kovacic – 30
- Kevin De Bruyne – 33
- Ilkay Gundogan – 34
- Bernardo Silva – 30
- Jack Grealish – 29
- Rodri – 28
The Premier League’s Winter Transfer Window starts on January 1st. Manchester City is likely to be in the buying mood. They have deep pockets, and they must get younger. As deep as their roster is, it doesn’t matter if they can’t keep players on the pitch. The best way to keep players on the pitch is to get younger.
After these two transfer windows, don’t be surprised if a few well-known Manchester City are not with the team come the 2025-26 season. One name to keep an eye on is Kevin De Bruyne. The star CAM has been with Manchester City and has been very successful. At 33 years old, though, his time with City is largely suspected to end soon.
In the summer, KDB was linked to Saudi Arabian football. Don’t be surprised to hear those rumors again soon. Back in October, Chuck Booth reported that the new MLS squad, San Diego FC, has serious interest in signing De Bruyne for its inaugural season. This would be another massive signing for the American League after the arrival of Leo Messi. He won’t come cheap if De Bruyne and Manchester City agree to a mutual separation.
As the Premier League begins to enter its final stretch and the MLS season is on the verge of kicking off, Team NBS will have its ear on the streets to bring you the latest news. Mainly, don’t forget to follow us on Twitter for the latest news from our Colorado Rapids digital reporter, Keith Richards.
